My Ham and Bean soup

Ham and Bean Soup

3 cups great northern beans or the small white ones
about 3 quarts water
1 - 4 lb of left over ham or ham hocks, or bacon,
1 large onion - chopped or dehydrated onions
1 1/2 c. carrots, chopped up
1 c. chopped celery
3 med. sized potatoes - peeled & diced, any kind
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper1 bay leaf
about 1 t. garlic, minced or pd.
1/2 t. rosemary

Fresh from the garden!

Frying the bacon up!

Be sure to rinse the beans. Put the beans and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove  from the heat. Cover and let stand for a couple hours. Drain, then rinse beans. Cut up the carrots , potatoes and onions. Add about 3 quarts new water, ham , carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat; Cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours or until beans are tender. Remove ham from bones, put in the compost pile, cut up the  ham and return to pot, add the garlic, rosemary. Cook an additional half hour before serving.

Using canned or jarred great white beans or navy or small white beans:

Put enough  water to cover ham bone to a boil,

Add bay leaf,
Turn down after starts to boil and simmer for about 4 hours
Cut up onions and celery, fry till a bit soft
Add to the pot after its been cooked for the 4 hours
Also add potatoes, carrots, salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic
Bring to a boil again, and boil for about 7-10 min. till carrots are soft

When almost time to eat, about an hour before or so, add the  beans, from jar or can. Bring to a boil again, turn down and simmer for about 30 min.

Take out bay leaf and eat!

Great served with nice fresh rolls or some nice Italian or french bread!