Baby Lima Bean Soup

This is a hearty and delicious soup that is fairly quick to prepare as lima
beans take only about ½ hour to cook. Enjoy with some good bread and a
salad, perhaps.

Recipe:
1 cup baby lima beans
3 cups water
½ cup celery, sliced
½ cup carrots, half-moon slices
¼ cup corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
¼ cup green peas (frozen or fresh)
2 to 3 tbs butter, margarine, or olive oil
¼ tsp thyme
¼ tsp rosemary
a hefty pinch of black pepper
salt to taste ( ¼ to ½ tsp)

Wash lima beans, put in a suitable pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a
boil, turn down to medium to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

While beans are cooking, prepare other ingredients. Slice about one
stalk of celery into 1/8 inch pieces. Slice one or two peeled carrots
lengthwise and then cut into 1/8 inch half-moons. Put these both in a bowl
with ¼ cup corn kernels and set aside. Put ¼ cup peas in another bowl and
set aside. Put spices in another bowl and set aside. ( to bring out the
flavors of the spice, melt butter or margarine in a small pan and add
spices. Bring up to just barely hot and set aside.)

By now, the lima beans should be about cooked. They should be tender.
Add the bowl of celery, corn, and carrots. Add the heated or dry spices and
simmer for five minutes before adding the peas. Cook another five minutes.
Pour a cup or so of the soup in a blender and puree. Put back into the pot
of soupto thicken a little. Add salt to taste and enjoy !