Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Sort beans and rinse with cold water. Place in a Dutch oven; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1-4 hours or until beans are softened. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid; set beans aside. In the same pan, saute the kielbasa, celery, onion and green pepper in oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes longer. Stir in the beans, water, bay leaves, thyme and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer 10-15 minutes longer or until beans reach desired consistency. Discard bay leaves. Serve with rice. Yield: 4 servings.