By Becki Sanders
FoodConnect San Francisco
becki.sanders@foodconnect.com

Ham and Bean Soup

After I got back from traveling for a few months this summer I was amazed to see how prices for groceries had gone up. I have been doing some thinking on what are the best meals my mom used to make when money was tight. One of our family favorites was a huge pot of bean soup. Growing up in the Midwest, this is a traditional recipe from generations back. Here is an easy recipe and at a manageable size:

Ingredients
2 c Dried northern beans
12 c Water
1 c Thinly sliced celery
1 Meaty ham bone
1 c Diced raw carrots
1 c Finely chopped onion
2 Cloves garlic; minced
1 sm Bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Wash beans. Bring water to boiling point; add beans. Boil for 2 minutes only; cover; remove from heat; allow to stand for 1 hour. This is equal to 12 to 15 hours soaking in cold water. Add ham bone, onion, garlic, and bay leaf to beans in soaking water. Bring to boiling point; reduce heat to simmer. Cover tightly and cook for about 2 hours or until beans are almost tender. Add celery and carrots. Bring to boiling point. And salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour longer. If desired, you can remove the ham bone and cut off the meat but we always left it on and picked around on it. Reheat to just boiling, stirring carefully to avoid breaking beans. 6 servings.

Delicious with homemade cornbread!