Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry kidney beans
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (yes, that's a lot of garlic)
  
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 6-8 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• not quite 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (World Market sells $0.99 packets that are excellent!)
  

Directions

Soak the beans overnight. To prepare, sautee veggies in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Combine veggies, beans, seasonings, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium-low for and least 1 hour covered and then 1/2 hour uncovered. Mash some of the beans at the end to improve the texture. Add salt to taste. Serve over rice.