Creole Black Beans

When we were in Cuba a few years ago I was in love with all of the different bean dishes and searched out a bunch of recipes that were somewhat similar to what the hotel had been serving. This recipe comes from the cookbook Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly. Since it's made in the slow cooker, it takes absolutely no effort and it freezes well. I've always used diced ham instead of sausage and don't bother browning it. I usually buy a ham and dice the leftovers and freeze it in small bags for quiches. For a vegetarian version, omit sausage/ham and perhaps use an extra can of black beans. This goes well served with steamed rice.

3/4 lb. lean smoked sausage, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces and browned
3 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
1 1/2 C chopped onions
1 1/2 C chopped green bell peppers
1 1/2 C chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 bay leaves
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 C water

1.  Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

2.   Cover. Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours.

3.  Remove bay leaves before serving.

Notes:
- for a different consistency, you can substitute a 14 1/2 oz. can of low-sodium stewed tomatoes for the tomato sauce.