Boiled Lima Beans

1 quart green Lima beans Or 2 cups dried

1 Tbsp. fat

Salt and pepper

1 cup milk or cream if desired

If the green beans are used, put them into just enough boiling water to cover, and boil slowly until tender. Salt the water just before cooking is completed. Add fat and salt and pepper to taste. If desired, a cup of milk or cream may be added, and the beans allowed to simmer in it, for a moment.

If dried beans are used they may be soaked in plenty of cold water, and boiled in the same water with one eighth teaspoon of soda added for each quart or water; or the process may be hastened by soaking them for one hour and simmering them for two hours. If they are not soaked at all they can be made tender by simmering for two and one-half hours. The water should be drained off before the milk or cream is added.