red beans and rice with smoked sausage

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red beans
• 1-1/2 pound smoked sausage cut into chunks or slices (your favorite kind)
• 1 large ham hock or ham bone
• 1 large chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, flakes or powder (more or less to taste)
• - salt to taste
• - freshly cooked white rice