Black Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (16 oz.) pkg. dry black beans
1 tsp. salt
1 ham bone with about 2 c. meat left on
1 large onion, diced

Preparation

Rinse beans in running cold water; discard any stones or shriveled beans.
In 6-quart saucepan over high heat, heat beans and salt in 8 cups water to boiling.
Boil for 3 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour.
Add ham bone and remaining ingredients.
Over high heat, heat to boiling.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Discard bay leaves.
Remove ham bone from soup to cutting board.
Cut meat from bone into bite size pieces. Return cut up meat to soup; discard bone.
With slotted spoon, remove 1 cup beans to small bowl.
With fork, mash beans.
Return to soup; mix well.
Makes 8 main dish servings.