Treebeard'S Red Beans (And Rice)

• 1 lb dried red kidney beans
• 2 quarts water
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, with leaves, chopped
• 1/2 large bell pepper, chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb smoked sausage, cut in 1/2-inch slices

1. Sort and wash red beans. In a large soup pot, add 2 qrts cold water and red beans. Let soak overnight. (To speed up the process, you can bring them to a boil, simmer 2 minutes, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour before the next step.) DO NOT DRAIN WATER!
2. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper to beans and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until beans are soft. DO NOT STIR MORE THAN NECESSARY.
3. Stir in seasonings and sausage. Simmer 30 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile cook a pot of rice, and serve the beans over the hot cooked rice, garnished with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onion.
5. Note: Don't stir more than necessary - you don't want mushy beans. If you want thicker beans, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking time, or remove 1/2 cups of the beans and mash them before returning to the pot.

beans, water, onions, stalks celery, bell pepper, salt, thyme, oregano, garlic, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, sausage

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/treebeards-red-beans-and-rice-121498 (may not work)