Hearty Bean Soup

Ingredients

• dry pinto beans or black beans
  2 cups
• chicken broth or ham broth
  1½ quarts
• water
  1 quart
• smoked ham hocks or leftover ham bone with bits of meat
  1½ pounds
• chopped onion
  1 cup
• sliced carrots
  2 cups
• garlic

  crushed
  4 cloves
• hot peppers to taste (optional)
  1 unit
• salt to taste (optional)
  1 unit
• dry sherry
  ¼ cup
• hot cooked rice
  4 cups