Pinto Bean Soup (Pintos & Ham)... Simply Delicious

• 1 leftover meaty ham bone (or 2 Ham Hocks)
• 24 ounces dried pinto beans, sometimes I use 2 to 1 ratio of pintos to white beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1/2 teaspoon extra spicy Mrs. Dash seasoning mix
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt (or less if salt is a concern... still delicious)
• 1 -2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 yellow onion, coarsely chopped (or sliced)
• 1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped (or sliced)

1. Sort dry beans removing broken beans and any foreign debris. Rinse the beans.
2. Soak overnight in a large bowl covered by 2-inches of water (slow soak) -or- put in a stock pot covered by 2-inches of water; bring to a boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat and leave covered for 1-hour (quick soak).
3. Drain and rinse the beans. Return to a stock pot covered by 1-inch of water.
4. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the ham bone; stir to mix well.
5. Nestle the ham bone into the bed of beans, cover and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to a low simmer for about 3 hours,occasionally stirring gently in the beans under the hambone -or- until the beans are tender.
7. Carefully lift the ham bone (or hocks) from the soup and place on a board so the lean meat can be cleaned from the bones. Return the lean meat to the soup. Discard the bones.
8. Enjoy with hot cornbread!
9. Freezes well.

ham bone, pinto beans, tomatoes, seasoning mix, garlic powder, onion powder, fresh ground black pepper, salt, parsley flakes, yellow onion, red onion

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/pinto-bean-soup-pintos-ham-simply-delicious-446203 (may not work)