There is nothing my husband loves more than a dinner of plain ol’ pinto beans and cornbread.  In fact, his family still loves to tease us, saying that they know I was “the one” for him when I sat down on a dusty roadside at a fall festival a few months after we first met, and ate pinto beans and cornbread with him for lunch.  I didn’t think much of it at the time – I just thought it was a pretty yummy lunch.

So here is the recipe that my husband loves most.  Enjoy!

Pinto Beans and Cornbread

2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed with cool water
Water
3/4 cup diced ham
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped onion
Cornbread

Pour your rinsed beans into a large pot.  Cover with water about 2-3 inches above the tops of the beans.  Cover and allow to soak overnight.

The next day, drain the beans in a colander.  Return them to the pot, and cover with fresh water, at least 1 inch above the tops of the beans.  Add the diced ham.  Simmer the beans on low for 4-5 hours, or until the beans are nice and tender.  Alternatively, you can cook the beans on low in the crock pot for about 6 hours.

After the beans have cooked, season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, sprinkle each serving with salt on top and fresh diced onions.  Serve with cornbread to soak up all the delicious broth!