Our family has always enjoyed homemade beans served with hot cornbread. I read recently that the lighter the bean, the milder the flavor, so I experimented with a white bean soup and added extra vegetables. 

It’s important to rinse the beans—picking out any small rocks or discolored beans—and then soak them before cooking. You can soak them one of two ways: overnight, covered with cold water in a large soup pot … or you can cover the beans with water, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand at least 1 hour before cooking.

1. Soak, drain and rinse:

1 (16-oz) package of navy beans 

2. Stir together in large soup pot:

Navy beans (soaked, drained and rinsed)

4 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper 

3. Bring to a boil; reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1½ hours or until tender (add more water as needed to prevent sticking or burning).         

4. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat in 1 Tbsp olive oil, sauté 3-4 minutes:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ red bell pepper, diced

4 cups torn fresh spinach

1 large tomato, chopped 

5. Add sautéed vegetables to pot of beans, stirring from time to time until beans are done. 

6. Discard bay leaf. Makes 6-8 servings.