A couple of sites about sausage making which I hope you find interesting:
http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/
http://www.northwestsmoking.com/
Also from Bruce Aidells'
Complete Sausage Book by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly [Ten Speed Press©2000]
Spicy Fresh Country Sausage- about 4.5#-2kg
3#pork butt
3/4 to 1#pork back fat
1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
4tsp kosher salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp coarsly ground black pepper
2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground caynne
1/2 cup water
medium hog casing- optional
Put the meat and fat thru the meat grinder using the quater inch plate.
In a large bowl, mix the ground meat with all the other ingredients including water, kneading and squeezing the meat until everthing is nicely blended.
For patties, wrap in bulk and refrigerate until you areready to use it.Or stuff in casing for 4" links.
Will keep for 3 days in reefer up to 2 months in freezer.
Now this is their baic recipe . I would add garlic.
The one time I made sausage, the fellow teaching made his basic mix, fried a small bit, tasted, added a tiny bit of more herb or spice mixed, and tried it again. I remember 4 or 5 additions until he pronounced it READY!
Hope this gets you started.