Pinto Beans With Sausage and Ham

This recipe started out on FaceBook in our recipe swap group posted by member Vicky. Originally this recipe called for Kidney beans and Hamburger meat which I replaced the kidney beans with Pinto Beans, and used ham instead of Hamburger meat, (adding the ham instead of hamburger was by mistake). I was trying to remember the ingredients by heart. I put this pot of beans on cooking this morning while my neighbors were over helping me get things arranged in the house for the big Super Bowl Game tomorrow. I managed to set aside a bowl to take to work with me next week, thank goodness I did because the next time I saw the pot one of my neighbors was mopping the inside of the pot with a slice of bread.....all the beans were gone!

• Ready In: 5 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 2  cups dry pinto beans, washed
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces
• 1  quart whole tomato (or 2 small cans)
• 3  garlic cloves, of roasted garlic mashed (I usually keep leftover cloves of roasted garlic in a small bowl in the fridge)
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon  creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
• 1  lb bulk sausage, browned (I use mild but if you like the heat use hot)
• 1  cup  cubed ham (I used left overs from a ham I had baked and froze)

Directions

1. In a large pot add pinto beans, and fill with water.
2. Add salt, pepper and baking soda. Over medium high heat bring to a rapid boil.
3. In a medium fry pan, crumble the bulk sausage and brown. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and add to the beans.
4. In the same fry pan with the sausage grease add chopped onions, chopped bell peppers, and both fresh and canned mushrooms.
5. Saute the vegetable mixture over medium heat until the onions are clear and the fresh mushrooms have cooked, about 15 minutes.
6. Add the vegetable mixture, grease and all to the beans.
7. Add cubed ham.
8. Add mashed roasted garlic, creole seasoning and the oregano.
9. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 3 to 4 hours adding water a cup at a time as needed it will form a thick broth. Beans are done when you can mash one easily with no resistance.
10. You can also add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low for 12 hours 6 hours on high.