Wash beans well and allow to soak overnight. Next day drain and wash again. (If you forget to soak overnight, after washing beans put water into pot with them until it comes about 4 inches over them and add 1 tsp baking soda and cook over a high fire until beans rise to the surface of the water, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and wash beans, proceed with recipie.) Add enough water to beans so that water comes up about 4 inches above beans in pot. If you use a 4 quart dutch oven you'll have plenty of room to stir. Add onion, herbs, and meat. Cook on high fire until beans come to a boil then lower fire to medium. Do not leave beans unattended while fire is on high because they just love to boil over if you're not looking! Simmer on medium or medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until beans are done. (Cooking time varies with the different beans as lentils take as short as 30 minutes and kidneys could take more than 2 hours.) Add water to beans as needed. You know your beans are done when some have broken up and formed a gravy while others are still whole but tender. Add salt and pepper to taste near end of cooking time. Consistency should be that of thick pea soup. Serve over hot rice. This is just a general guideline for cooking dried beans the way I like to cook them but you can change things around to suit your own tastes (or that of your family). Dried beans are a good source of protein so sometimes I do not make a meat dish to go with them. Meat and herb suggessions 1 lb navy or great northern beans: ? lb Salt pork, Ham, or cooked Fresh sausage; 1 tbl Dry parsley, add at end of cooking time. 1 lb pinto beans: 1 lb Salt pork or browned Ground beef; 2 tbl Chili powder; 2 tbl Paprika 1 lb kidney (red): 1 lb Smoked sausage; ? Bell pepper, chopped; 1 stick Celery, chopped; 2 Bay leaves 1 lb lentils: ? lb Salt pork or ham 1 lb field peas: ? lb Salt pork or ham 1 lb baby green limas: ? lb Salt pork or Ham; 2 tsp Sugar 1 lb large white limas: ? lb Salt pork or Ham; 1 stick Celery, chopped 1 lb blackeye peas: ?-1 lb Salt pork or Ham; 1 stick Celery, chopped; ? Bell pepper, chopped Salt pork and ham should be cut into 1" cubes, fresh sausage cut into 1" slices, and smoked sausage into ?"-1" slices.