Soak 1lb of kidney beans overnight. (Please make sure you soak them in a big enough bowl or pot with enough water… I made this mistake once, then made it again when I asked Allen to soak them for me… Beans all over the counter, overflowing everywhere…)

Saute 1 large onion (chopped), 1 green pepper (chopped), and about a cup of chopped celery in 1/4cup oil until onions are translucent.

Add 4-5 cloves of minced garlic until you begin to smell the deliciousness of the garlic.

At this point you can either switch this over to a slow cooker (I do), or leave it in a pot on the stove.

Add 6 cups of water to whichever vessel you chose, along with the beans, 4-5 bay leaves, 1/2tsp cayenne, 1tsp thyme, 1/4tsp sage, 1tbs parsley, 1tsp cajun seasoning and 1lb sliced andouille sausage.

Cook about 6-7hrs on low, or 4hrs on high (in the slow cooker). At this point, your beans should be almost done. Taste your broth and make sure it is flavorful enough. You will most likely need to add salt, but you never want to salt beans too early as it makes them take even longer to cook.  I prefer to scoop some liquid out and dissolve some chicken bouillon instead of just adding plain salt.  It still gives it the salty flavor but also adds a little depth.

Let it cook for another hour or so, until the beans are soft.  Then mash about half of them against the side of the pot to thicken up the whole mixture.

Serve over rice, garnish with sliced green onions or parsley.