I picked up this recipe years ago on a trip to New Orleans, and have been making it ever since. I misplaced the recipe for awhile, but could pretty much remember it, as I had made it so often over the years. I have since put the recipe in a safe place, but thought I would also put it on Zaar for aditional safe keeping. The recipe starts out by telling a little tale of how red beans and rice came about. In New Orleans, Monday is the day for red beans and rice, whether you eat it at home or in one of the many small neighborhood restaurants. Why Monday? Some say it's because the ham bone left over from Sunday's dinner could add its rich flavor to Monday's lunch. Others think that when the creole housewife did her Monday wash, she left her pot of red beans to simmer on the stove. Hope you make it your own family favorite. Please note: it is a ham bone with meat on it, not a lb. of ham, but I couldn't get Zaar to understand ham bone. Also, use sausage of you choice. Sometimes I would use ham pieces or ham hocks instead of the ham bone. As a personal preference, I usually sauteed the onion, celery, garlic and spices, then add the rest of the ingredients.