O.K. I don't work to regular recipes just add as I go. Last night I took the butt/hock? from a spiral sliced ham leftover and sliced the obviously excess meat into bits, then threw the bone portion into water with garlic, celery, lots of onion and garlic. Cooked the marrow out and the meat off. Had a good stock then added some chicken stock, the rest of the ham, beer, bay leaf, tomato paste, more garlic, some basil and of course plenty of lima beans (dried and soaked) added salt and pepper and let it simmer close to 3 hours. As the juices cooked down added some (God forbid) catsup for final flavor. Made a huge pot and have several meals frozen for the future. Plus this time I made extra stock to use for a future adventure. A healthy (except the catsup) hearty meal good on protein and you can't beat the cost per serving.

Depending on the salt and catsup use it is very heart healthy.

p.s. tomorrow I'm going to find another bean to add to the pot before freezing....butter beans, navy beans any suggestions??????

MMMMMMMMM, butter beans, can't wait till they come in season here!

That sounds really good Jim!
Unfortunately, I'm the only person I know (family & friends) that actually likes lima beans!
I absolutely love them, but the only way I get to eat limas now is to heat up a small can for myself!
Don't think I'd get any takers if I made it, except myself... No one else would never even consider tasting it!

BUT, on the other hand, we just got a whole bunch of FRESH English Shelling Peas yesterday at the farm stand down the road!
Big Fat Pods!
I love the fresh pea season! Lot of work to shell them, but Deb & I just sit at the kitchen table and do it while watching TV...
so worth the effort for fresh peas!
I eat them raw, like candy! also great in Macaroni Salad, slightly blanched and chilled...
or cooked and mixed with mashed garlic potatos!

BTW... I'm with you... I rarely use a recipe as given... I adjust as I see fit... I consider a recipe only a "guideline" to my imagination...