Creole Sausage & Bean Bake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs pork sausage links, cut into thirds
1 cup water, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (1 lb) cans kidney beans, drained (8 cups)
2 (16 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or to taste)

Preparation

In a large skillet, add sausage and 1/2 cup water.
Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Drain sausage.
Continue cooking sausage, uncovered, until browned.
Add onions, green peppers and garlic.
Cook until vegetables are tender but not brown.
Stir in beans, tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, sugar, crumbled bay leaves and hot pepper sauce.
Bring sausage/bean mixture to a boil.
Pour sausage/bean mixture into a large ovenproof casserole dish.
Bake, uncovered, at 350\u00b0F for 45 minutes.
Can be served over rice.