Treebeards Red Beans - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. dried light red kidney beans
2 qt. water
2 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 large bell pepper, chopped
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. thyme
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped green onions

Preparation

Wash beans under cold, running water.
Place in a heavy 5 quart pot.
Cover with 2 quarts water.
Let beans soak overnight. Or, cover beans with 2 quarts water, bring to a boil.
reduce heat, cover and boil 2 minutes.
Turn off heat and let sit 1 hour before continuing.
Do not drain off water.
Two hours before serving, add chopped onions, celery and bell pepper to beans. With spoon, gently push vegetables below water line.
Cover pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.