- 1-1/2 cups dry lima beans
- 1 quart tap water (4 cups)
- 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 or 2 cups leftover chopped ham
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
In a 4 quart saucepot combine the dry
lima beans and tap water. Bring the beans to
a boil over high heat. Turn the burner off,
and cover the pot. Allow the beans to sit
for an hour or two to reconstitute or plump
up. If preferred, you could soak the beans
in the water overnight.
Either way, after soaking the beans, add the
tomatoes and onion. Simmer this mixture for
about an hour, or until the beans begin to
tenderize some. Add the chopped leftover
ham, the bouillon cubes and pepper. Cook the
beans some more, until they are all the way
tender. Bite into one or two of them to make
sure. Be careful though, the beans will be
hot and you don't want to burn your lips.
When the beans are tender enough for you,
then combine the cold milk and cornstarch in
a measuring cup. Stir it with a fork until
the cornstarch is dissolved. Add this to the
soup mixture. Now bring it all to a boil,
and simmer it for a minute or two to thicken
up nicely. Serve hot with biscuits and a
spinach salad.
I like this recipe for using up leftover
ham. I have also made it with canned
luncheon meat (SPAM), but it isn't quite as
good. Still some folks like it that way, and
it's a nice way to use up SPAM if you have a
lot of it hovering in the pantry, longing to
be et' (eaten).
How about another yummy
bean and lentil recipe? Try this
Lentil Chili next. It's a great frugal
and meatless meal.
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