Daddy's Bean Soup

My daddy would cook for us when he had the time, and it was sure a treat! One of his favorite dishes to make when the weather turned cool and cold was bean soup. He often used Lima beans in the large variety and baby Lima beans in his soup. Sometimes, he would buy a package of the 15 Bean Soup beans. Daddy would start cooking early in the morning and let it cook until it was time for supper. What I wouldn't give to have a bowl of his soup again.

Ingredients

2 c. Lima beans (big Lima beans, baby Lima beans, or a mixture of both)
5 cups water
ham bone with meat on it, or ham hock
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Wash, and sort the beans in a colander.

Put beans, water, meaty ham bone or ham hock, and onion into a large pot.  Bring to a boil and then boil for 2 minutes. 

Put a lid on the pot and turn the heat to low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed. After the first hour or two of cooking, add the salt and pepper.  Cook until the beans are soft and tender.

Serve with homemade bread.