I have a bag of dried beans,they're white and look like they're dried lima beans?

YUP! Those are the centerpiece for making homemade boston baked beans. I am assuming you have a whole pound and instead of "baked beans" you could soak them overnight covered in 2quarts of clean water after you've picked out the damaged, discolored and stoney pieces. In the morning you can drain the water and cover again in a stockpot with enough water to come up to the second line of your middle finger. Add one large yellow or sweet onion, about 1/2t cinnamon, 2T of cumin, 2T salt, 1T black pepper and about 1/4c of honey or 1/3c brown sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and cook for about 1-2hours(i know it's a big gap but i dont know your stove!) and check them frequently for tenderness. I would add about a few tablespoons of olive oil to them as well and you can add anything you want from there though I would stay away from starchy vegetables. If you want an eastern taste id add some ginger root and some flat leaf parsley and some scallions with some finely shredded napa cabbage. If your tastes are more american I would add some garlic(crushed) a good can of whole/chopped tomatoes and a pinch of cayene and some bell pepper. From there the choice is yours. Keep in mind it is not necessary to add any meat as the beans are a rich source of protein to begin with, but if you must you could crumble in some cooked bacon or some finely chopped ham or even pork(note; if you use salt pork you will need to decrease the salt and the olive oil). Always salt sparingly as you can add more to the end result but it's a pain to try and take it away! Sea slat is best as it does have a low sodium content without losing the taste! Good luck!

wash them, remove any rocks. Put in a kettle and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil and cook at a slow boil until tender, about 2-2 1/2 hours. No need to soak them either. I have made 25 pounds of garbanzo beans into hummus every other week at a restaurant I worked at for years without soaking. Ditto any dry bean for soup. They all can be cooked the same way. the only difference is some beans cook faster than others and they must remain under water during the cooking process. I never add ANYTHING until the beans are tender, then anything goes.

pick through them to make sure there are no rocks and other debris mixed in. rinse them and place in a kettle. cover with water and boil, adding more water as needed. they will be tender in about 1 1/2-2 hours.

Mean while, chop some onions and peel a couple of potatoes and if you have any, dice some ham or your favorite sausage.

When the beans are soft, add the onions, potatoes, meat and some bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste, Simmer for another 1/2 hour to 45 minutes or until your veggies are finished cooking. Add a can or 2 of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce and adjust seasoning.

You just made a simple and filling bean soup.

Wash beans well and place into a crockpot. Cover with water. Add chopped onion and chopped ham. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Add more water as the beans absorb it. Season to taste and serve with cornbread.

You can also make baked beans. Cook as above without the onion and ham. Drain when tender and add brown sugar, ketchup, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Spread into a glass dish and bake in oven until slightly dry.

Bean with Bacon Soup

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) package dried beans

9 cups water

1 lb bacon

2 onions, chopped

4 tsp chicken bouillon

1 bay leaf

1/3 tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes

4 cups water

Directions

Boil the beans in 9 cups of the water and then let sit for one hour. Drain and set aside.

Cook the bacon to your desired texture (it can be soft or crisp, whatever you prefer). Coarsely chop the bacon.

Add the onions to the reserved grease and bacon and sauté until soft, do not drain. Add the chicken base or cubes, 4 cups water, beans, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and cloves, and simmer for 2 hours.

Stir in the tomatoes with their juice. Serve.

Bean soup is one of my very favorite soups! Its so warm and hearty!

Make the famous Senate Bean Soup!!!!!! You can use your Great Northern Beans - they work just as well in this soup as Navy Beans.

About the soup:

"Bean soup is on the menu in the Senate's restaurant every day. There are several stories about the origin of that mandate, but none has been corroborated.

According to one story, the Senate’s bean soup tradition began early in the 20th-century at the request of Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho. Another story attributes the request to Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota, who expressed his fondness for the soup in 1903.

The recipe attributed to Dubois includes mashed potatoes and makes a 5-gallon batch. The recipe served in the Senate today does not include mashed potatoes, but does include a braised onion."

The Famous Senate Restaurant Bean Soup Recipe

2 pounds dried navy beans

four quarts hot water

1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

Wash the navy beans and run hot water through them until they are slightly whitened. Place beans into pot with hot water. Add ham hocks and simmer approximately three hours in a covered pot, stirring occasionally. Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Dice meat and return to soup. Lightly brown the onion in butter. Add to soup. Before serving, bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Serves 8.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_item/bea...

They are used to make baked beans as well as many other bean dishes.

Diane's Baked Beans With Sauerkraut

36 ounces great northern beans, mostly drained

16 ounces sauerkraut, not drained

8 ounces bacon, raw and cut-up

8 ounces Polish sausage, cubed

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons ketchup

Preheat oven 350.

2Miix well.

3Pour in cassserole dish.

4Cover.

5Bake covered for 2 hours.

6Uncover and bake for 30 minutes.

7I sometimes use turkey polish sausage.

Soak them overnight, cook em, add them too the soup. You can cook them in the soup but they will absorb a lot of liquid.