Old Fashioned Bean Soup

Total Time: 4 hrs Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb great dry northern beans
• 2 smoked ham hocks (2 1/4 lb)
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup mashed potatoes (leftover or instant)
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrot
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Recipe

• 1 wash beans, discarding imperfect ones. cover beans with 2 1/2 quarts water; refrigerate, covered, overnight.
• 2 next day, turn beans and water (there should be 6 cups) into 6-quart kettle.
• 3 add ham hocks, onion, garlic and bay leaf. bring to boiling; reduce heat, and simmer, covered tightly, about 2 hours, or until the beans are almost tender.
• 4 add mashed potato, celery, carrot, salt and pepper. return to boiling; simmer, covered, about 1 hour longer, or until beans are tender.
• 5 remove ham hocks; cut off meat. dice meat, and return to kettle. just before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley.