White bean pizza? You bet. Topped with pesto and fresh tomatoes, this unusually delicious pie makes a hearty meal.

Using fully cooked ham and precooked or canned beans, you can prepare this hearty soup in under a half hour.

This version of the traditional Greek soup was inspired by the one Effie Tandy often makes.

Soup needn’t take hours to prepare. Here’s an example of one that can be on the table in less than 15 minutes.

When Ellen Schoen Brockman was a child, her Grandma Little made this hearty soup for her. Ellen, a friend of Bonnie’s, loved buttersoup b...

Shelly Johnson, Bonnies sister, provided the inspiration for this hot, spicy, and satisfying soup thats rich in beta carotene.

Here’s a simplified version of an old hearty Italian favorite. Instead of cooking each component separately, they’re all prepared in one ...

With a quick glance, this may seem to have a long list of ingredients. But basically, its just some beans and pasta, with lots of vegeta...

Although you may not think of soup in the summer, this one’s delightful as light fare on a cool summer’s eve. It’s stocked with lots of f...

Ribollito is Italian for reboiled. In this quick-to-make soup, you add mashed, already cooked beans-hence, the name. This addition not on...

The addition of fresh peas and pea pods gives a new twist to this split pea soup.

These tiny red beans of Asian origin are packed with nutrition. Their nutty flavor makes this chunky dip a hit.

Serve these, pickled black-eyed peas as an appetizer, a side dish, or a dressing over garden lettuce.

Adjust the consistency of this lemmony hummus by adding water or additional lemon juice. Use it thick as a dip for fresh vegetables or pi...

Bean dips needn’t be laden with fat calories. This one’s not.

What could be quicker than combining cooked beans with your favorite salsa or picante sauce? No need to chop jalapeno peppers to increase...

When you have a bit more time, instead of mashing the beans, just toss them with your favorite salsa, along with some corn, fresh peppers...

This is one of Joanne’s family’s favorites.

A simple-to-prepare, delectable salad that will convert almost anyone into a bean lover. Combining the dressing with warm beans lets them...

With the current focus on broccoli’s healthful properties, most everyone’s looking for new ways to serve it. Here’s a spicy side salad co...

A chilled version of the French bistro favorite.

This delicious quick-to-prepare bean salad, with its Southwest flavor, fits perfectly on a buffet, at a picnic, or at a barbecue.

This is the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats.

North meets south in this classic Norwegian herring and potato dish, turned into a bean one. It’s quick to make and, although it sounds l...

The spicy flavors of this salad will seem to rumba through your mouth. If you want to slow down the dance, just lessen the heat by reduci...

This traditional recipe is sometimes made with yellow (wax) beans in place of the limas.

A refreshing light entree that’s a snap to prepare-especially if you stock your freezer with cooked beans.

A quicker version of the beans prepared by old-time chuck wagon cooks.

Served with brown bread, these molasses-flavored beans make a traditional New England Saturday night supper.

When served at a bean tasting while creating the recipes for this book, these beans, fragrant with sweet chutney, disappeared faster than...

Joanne remembers enjoying these at family reunions when she was a child. Our thanks to her aunt, Ruth Hollenbeck, for knowing the recipe.

The aroma of maple fills your kitchen as these bake.