When soaking beans overnight, use 2½ to 3 cups of cold water per cup of beans. When boiling them, a standard test is to take out a few on a spoon and then blow on them. If the skins wrinkle or peel back, then they are done. Mash a few to see if they're tender enough for you though. You won't find exact amounts of water to use because it varies with the type of bean and the age of the bean. Old beans are tougher and take longer to cook. Always boil the beans before adding salt, fat or meat since these items will actually hinder the beans from becoming tender.

Baked Bean Dip
Yield: 1¼ cups

Ingredients
1 c. mashed baked beans 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp catsup¼ c. minced onion 1/8 tsp celery salt

Combine ingredients and keep refrigerated till serving.

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Bean Soup
Tools: Kettle or crockpot

Ingredients
1 c. dry Navy or Great Northern beans 1 ham bone 1 medium onion, chopped ½ cup diced carrots	½ cup chopped celery 3 sprigs parsley, finely chopped 1 cup peeled, diced potatoes .

1. Soak beans overnight in cold water.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer till nearly done, then drain.
3. Put beans with all other ingredients in a kettle (or crockpot on high setting) and cover with water.
4. Simmer till vegetables are tender.

Black Bean Dip

Tools: Blender or food processor

Yield: 1½ to 2 cups

Ingredients
1 med. onion, finely chopped 1 sm clove garlic, minced ½ stalk celery, minced 2 tbsp lard (or bacon fat)	1 c. black beans, cooked 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce	1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce 1 tbsp sugar salt to taste .

1. Saute onion, garlic and celery in lard till wilted.
2. Combine with beans and other ingredients and mix in blender till well pureed.
3. Simmer over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, being very careful it does not scorch. Add milk if puree gets too dry, or till it has the consistency of a dip.
4. Serve hot or cold with potato chips, crackers or tortillas.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients
1½ lbs dry black beans 1 ham bone 2 oz salt pork 1 clove garlic 1 bay leaf	¼ tsp thyme 2 medium onions 1 small sweet green pepper 1 carrot salt and pepper to taste	½ cup sherry (or wine of choice) cooked, long-grain rice 1 lemon, thinly sliced 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced .

1. Soak beans and bone overnight in water.
2. Bring to boil and simmer in same water (add more as necessary to cover) with minced salt pork, garlic, bay leaf and thyme for 2 hours.
3. Chop onion, sweet pepper and carrot and add to beans and simmer for 1 hour longer.
4. Remove bone.
5. Put mixture through blender, a small amount at a time till smooth.
6. Return to kettle and reheat.
7. Add salt, pepper and wine.
8. In heated soup bowl drop 1 generous tbsp of rice; then pour bean soup over rice and garnish with thin slices of lemon and egg.

Boston Baked Beans #1

Pans: Bean pot

Oven: 250°F

Ingredients
4 c. Navy beans 3 tsp salt 1 onion, chopped	4 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp dry mustard ½ lb. salt pork

1. Soak beans overnight.
2. Drain, cover with fresh water.
3. Bring to boil and simmer till tender, then drain.
4. Pour ½ of beans into bean pot.
5. Combine remaining ingredients and add to pot.
6. Pour in remaining beans.
7. Cover with boiling water and bake 8 hours at 250°F; watch and add more water if necessary.

Boston Baked Beans #2

Pans: Bean pot or suitable baking dish

Oven: 250°F

Ingredients
2 lbs dry Navy or Pea beans ¼ to ½ lb salt pork, scored to the rind ½ to 1 cup maple syrup	1 tsp dry mustard salt and pepper to taste boiling water

1. Soak beans overnight.
2. Bring to a boil in the same water and simmer till tender (1½ to 2 hours).
3. Preheat oven to 250°F.
4. Put beans in baking dish or bean pot; place salt pork in the center; add the maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper; cover with boiling water.
5. Bake for 8 hours (add water if necessary to keep covered).

Crockpot Beans
Tools: Crockpot

Ingredients
2 c. (1 lb) dry beans 3 strips bacon, cut in pieces ½ tbsp salt ½ tsp pepper 1 tbsp dry mustard	¼ c. molasses 1/8 c. brown sugar 1/8 c. vinegar ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 bay leaf (optional)

1. Soak beans overnight.
2. In morning boil till tender and skins peel back when blown on.
3. Drain beans, reserving boiling water, and place in crockpot.
4. To beans add remaining ingredients.
5. Add reserved water (can also be fresh water if desired), plus any additional water to cover beans well plus another inch more.
6. Cook on HIGH setting for 6 to 8 hours.

Ham & Bean Dip

Tools: Crockpot

Yield: About 1½ cups

Options: To change color or flavor use Pinto, Christmas Lima or other beans. You can also add chopped green pepper rather than onion or celery; you can use ½ cup of pork fat or pork rind in addition to the ham.

Ingredients
1 c. dry Baby Lima, Navy, Great Northern or other white beans 2½ c. water (add more as beans cook, if needed, to keep covered) 1 c. ham ½ c. chopped celery 1 medium onion, chopped ½ tsp salt

1. Wash and sort beans and place in crockpot with other ingredients, except the salt.
2. Cook on LOW setting for 12 to 15 hours (or presoak beans overnight, then add to other ingredients except the salt, and cook till beans are soft).
3. Drain and reserve liquid.
4. Remove ham and set aside.
5. Put remaining cooked ingredients through a food mill and press out the pulp.
6. Finely mince ham by hand and return to pulp.
7. Blend the pulp thoroughly and add salt to taste.
8. If dip is too thick add a bit of the bean liquid.
9. Serve hot or cold with chips or crackers.

Maine Beans & Apples

Pans: Bean pot or casserole dish

Oven: 325°F

Ingredients
2 c. dry Navy beans 1/3 lb salt pork, sliced and cubed 3 c. sliced, cored apples	1¼ tsp salt 1/3 c. molasses pinch of ginger (optional)

1. Wash beans and cover with water.
2. Heat to boiling; cook about 1 hour or till tender (will depend on variety and age of beans used).
3. Drain, saving liquid.
4. Preheat oven to 325°F.
5. Arrange beans, part of the pork and all of the apples in layers in a casserole dish or bean pot; season each layer with salt and molasses.
6. When finished, top with slices of pork.
7. Pour 2 c. cooking liquid over top (sprinkle ginger on top if desired).
8. Bake till tender for about 1½ hours; check several times; if beans become too dry, add more cooking liquid.

Pasta E Fagioli

Ingredients
1 lb dry Navy beans 3 quarts water 1 beef bone 3 tbs oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped	1 onion, chopped ½ green pepper, chopped 2 c. tomatoes ½ tsp basil .	½ tsp oregano salt and pepper to taste 1 c. macaroni, cooked (or more for a very thick soup) Parmesan cheese .

1. Soak beans overnight. Drain soaking water into a large kettle and add enough water to make 3 quarts.
2. Place beef bone in water and bring to a boil.
3. Slowly stir in beans and simmer till tender.
4. Heat oil in skillet and saute garlic, onion and green pepper; add these to beans along with tomatoes, herbs, seasonings and the drained macaroni.
5. If mixture is too soupy, remove some of the beans, mash them and then return to the pot to serve as a thickening agent. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Three-Bean Salad

Ingredients
1½ c. green beans 1½ c. yellow beans 1½ shell beans slivered green peppers	slivered onions 2/3 c. wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) 1/3 c. sugar ½ c. oil	1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1 clove garlic, minced .

1. Combine vegetables in a bowl.
2. Blend together vinegar, sugar, oil, salt, pepper and garlic.
3. Combine and allow to stand for 5 minutes before adding to vegetables.
4. May be served immediately or allowed to steep first for several hours. If allowing to go overnight place in refrigerator.

US Senate Restaurant Bean Soup

Ingredients
2 lbs dry Navy beans 4 quarts water 1½ lbs smoked ham hocks	1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp butter salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak beans overnight.
2. Add ham hocks and enough water to cover.
3. Bring to boil and simmer, covered, for 3 hours. Braise onion in butter till light brown, then add to soup; season and serve.