Red Beans and Rice

1 lb. dry red bed or dry red kidney beans
6 cups cold water
6 cups hot water
1 lb. meaty ham bone or smokes pork hocks
     (I use diced ham...no work involved there)
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into bite size pieces

Hot cooked rice
Sliced green onions 

Rinse beans.  In a large Dutch oven cover beans with cold water.  Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat.  Simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove from head.  Cover and let stand for 1 hour.  (OR, in a covered pan, soak beans in water overnight in a cool place)  Drain and rinse beans.

In the same Dutch oven, combine rinsed beans, hot water, ham bone or pork hocks, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and red pepper.  Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer about 2 1/2 hours or till beans are tender, adding more water, if necessary, and stirring the bean mixture occasionally.

**I use my crock pot and just use the initial 6 cups water and leave on to cook all day**

Remove ham bone or hocks.  When ham bone is cook enough to handle, cut meat from bone.  Discard bone.  Chop meat.  Return meat to pan.  Stir in sausage.  Cook gently, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes more or till a thick gravy forms, stirring mixture occasionally.  

Remove bay leaves.  Serve red bean mixture over hot cooked rice.  Sprinkle with green onions.

Makes 8 servings.