Amish Bean Soup
Simple, hearty food. A great use for the ham bone leftover from the holidays.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb navy beans, dried
2 1/2 qt water
1 large meaty ham bone
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small bay leaf
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, cubed
pinch salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil the beans in the water for 2 minutes before removing them from the heat to let stand for 1 hour.
2. Then add the ham bone, garlic and bay leaf to the beans, and cover and simmer them for 2 hours or until the ingredients are almost tender.
3. Add the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer them for 1 hour longer.
4. Remove the ham bone, cut off the meat and dice it to add to the beans. Reheat the soup almost to boiling, then remove the bay leaf.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Serves: 8