Ham and Bean Soup

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

·         8 cups water

·         1 pound Great Northern beans or navy beans

·         2 cups cubed ham

·         1 ham bone or ham hock, optional

·         1/2 cup chopped onion

·         1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste

·         1 bay leaf

·         3 carrots, chopped

·         3 ribs celery, chopped or sliced thinly

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

Bring water and beans to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.

Stir in ham, ham bone or hock, pepper, bay leaf, carrot and celery. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are tender (skim foam from top), about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If soup is too thick, add a little water.

Remove ham bone or ham hock (if used) and trim meat from bone. Return meat to soup with tomato sauce and salt; simmer for about 15 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf.
Ham and bean soup serves 6.