Ingredients

1 pound diced, cooked ham

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large can (approximately 28 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 can (approximately 4 ounces) green chiles

1 pound dried bean mixture with the following*:

• Navy beans
• Pinto beans
• Lima beans
• Green split peas
• Lentils
• Black-eyed peas
• Great northern beans
• Garbanzo beans
• Red beans

Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Rinse dried beans well, cover with water and soak for about 8 hours or overnight.

2. Drain beans in a colander, rinse and combine with all other ingredients plus 5 cups of water in a 4-quart or equivalent Dutch oven or pot.

3. Cook on low heat for 1 to 2 hours, until beans are soft.

The extra bean mixture can be stored in a container and used at another time or placed in decorative jars with the recipe attached as a gift.

* If preferred, other dried bean varieties can be added or substituted.