1 lb Dried red beans

      1    Garlic clove chopped

  1 1/2 lb Smoked sausage cut

      1 t  Dried thyme

           Into chunks
      1 t  Ground pepper

      8 oz Smoked ham shanks

    1/2 t  Sage

      1    Large onion chopped

      1 pn Cayenne pepper

           Salt
           Freshly cooked rice
  Place beans in Dutch oven and cover generously with
  water.   Let soak 30 minutes.
  Add remaining ingredients to beans except salt and
  rice.   Bring to boil over  medium  high heat.
    Reduce heat to medium low,  cover and  simmer until
  beans  are tender,  adding more water if necessary
  (about  2  1/2 hours).   Add  salt  to  taste.
    Discard ham  bones.   Remove  about  3 tablespoons
  of  beans from mixture and mash to paste;  return to
  Dutch oven and stir.  Simmer 15 more minutes.  Serve
  over hot rice.