Red Kidney Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 c. red kidney beans (dried)
1 ham bone or 1 c. ham chunks
1/2 c. carrots, cut in rounds
1 large white potato
pinch of salt
pinch or branch of thyme
black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 whole red pepper (unbroken)

Preparation

Wash beans.
Soak dried kidney beans for 2 hours in 2 cups of cold water.
Cook beans until they are beginning to get soft.
(You may pressure cook the beans for 15 minutes instead of soaking.) Stir well.
Add ham bone or pieces of ham (fat removed) and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
(You may use beef instead of ham.)
Add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
Add carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.
Simmer until everything is tender.
Stir often.
Add unbroken hot pepper.
Let simmer and avoid stirring. Pepper should not break in soup.
Serve warm with slices of whole wheat bread or hard dough bread or rolls.
Enjoy!