1 lb. lima beans
2 qt. chicken stock
2 qt. water
1/2 lb. pork hocks, cut into 1/2" slices
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 yellow onions, peeled & sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 celery stalks, sliced thin
3 ripe tomatoes, diced
3/4 lb. Italian cheese & sausage
2 bay leaves, whole
1/2 c. chopped parsley
Salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan or Romano cheese, freshly grated for topping

Place beans in large pot of water and bring to boil. Boil for 2 minutes; cover, let set for 1 hour. Drain and discard the water. Return beans to pot and add the stock and water. Throw in the pork hocks and bring to a simmer, uncovered.

In the meantime, heat large frying pan and add the olive oil. Saute the yellow onions and garlic until clear, then add the celery and tomatoes. Saute for 10 minutes longer. Add the contents of the frying pan to the soup pot.

Pan fry the sausage until the meat begins to separate. Drain the oil and discard. Add meat to the pot, along with the bay leaves and parsley. Bring the pot to a boil and turn to a simmer. Simmer uncovered until all is tender, about 1 1/2 hours total cooking time. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with grated cheese on top. Serves 8-10.