Heat olive oil in frying pan. Saute onions, bell pepper, celery, and jalapenos until transparent add garlic and saute for 5 more minutes.
Meanwhile wash and sort beans (you can buy Camellia red beans at www.cajungrocer.com [1]. Add beans to crock pot with enough vegetable broth to cover add bouillon cubes place crock pot setting on high. Add sauteed seasonings to crock pot. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, cayenne pepper, hickory smoke and sage to taste. Add bay leaves. I am very liberal with all spices but adjustments to spices can be made during cooking so start of sparingly with spices because the beans will absorb them during cooking.
I make this dish in the evening and let it cook on high overnight. I stir the crock pot when I get up and cook on low when I am at work.
I serve the beans over a bed of rice. I sometimes cook the rice with onion garlic and bell pepper.
This recipe is done when the beans are soft and creamy. If you need to serve sooner than 12-24 hours once the beans are soft add a cup full to a blender and liquefy add it back to the pot and this will cream them.
This is a good Southern recipe. I love beans but most restaurants add meat to them. I use to use 1/2 water 1/2 vegetable broth but found using all vegetable broth makes them tastier. If sodium is a problem buy low sodium vegetable broth. You can also serve with biscuits on the side and/or mock fried chick'n. You can half this recipe or freeze the rest.