Beans and Rice

There are any number of recipes for this simple dish, so here
my contribution to the list...

Ingredients:

Beans: 1 cup of dried beans or one large can if you are
in a hurry. What kind? Pinto or Red Kidney are best due
to their general size. But don't hesitate to experiment
with your own preferred kind.

Sausage: 1 large smoked sausage sliced into pieces about
1/2" to 3/4" long. You can use most any kind you like but
I personally recommend Polish sausage.

2 or 3 Bay Leaves. These can and should be removed before
serving.

One large coarsely chopped onion

One clove of garlic, crushed

One cup of rice, instant or regular depending on your preference
and how soon you want to eat.

Optional:

One teaspoon of hot sauce. If you prefer it extra spicy
add a few dashes on cayenne pepper.

One teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

One bell pepper coarsely chopped

Cooking instructions:

Add the beans, sausage, bay leaves, onion, garlic, and if you want
them,the bell pepper, the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce to
your pot. If you are using dried beans, prepare them according to
the instructions on the package. If you are using canned beans,
just cook it until the sausage and onions are tender.

The longer it cooks the more time the flavors will have to mingle
properly. So if you want the best flavor, cook it in a crock pot
overnight, this works best with dried beans rather than canned
beans.

The rice should be cooked separately from the beans and used as
a bed for the beans to be served on. You can also mix them together
after they are both done if you want the rice to pick up the flavor
of the juices from the beans and sausage.