Navy Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups dried navy beans or 1 1/4 cups lima beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces salt pork or 4 ounces fully cooked ham, , chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups nonfat milk
2 tablespoons butter

Preparation

Place navy beans in large saucepan, add enough water to cover beans.
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour (Or, cover beans with water and soak overnight).
Drain beans and return to saucepan.
Stir in 2 1/2 cups water, salt pork, onion, oregano, salt, ginger, sage and pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat.
Cover and simmer 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
(If necessary, add more water during cooking).
Add milk and butter, stirring until mixture is heated through and butter is melted.
Season with additinal salt and pepper.
I have made this soup with a leftover ham bone with a little meat left on it instead of the salt pork or chopped ham.
Place the ham bone in the pot before bringing to a boil and remove after the 2 1/2 hours of simmering, scrape and chop any meat left on the bone into the soup.
Discard bone.