A recipe. And photos!! :D

This is Amerie.  Eating Ham and Bean soup.

This is Lexi.  Eating Ham and Bean soup.  It's good.

This is Ham and Bean soup after it's been eaten by a 2 year old, and you decide to take a picture for your blog.

It's also Ham and Bean soup in terrible color, becuase you don't own a camera, only an old iPhone.

It looks much better in real life.

Really.  It does.

See?  Gooood...

Ham and Bean Soup

2 lb. bag Great Northern or Navy beans

2 tbsp. baking soda

1 ham bone, lots of meat still attached (think leftover christmas ham)

2 quarts chicken stock

1 cup chopped carrots, or as desired

1 cup chopped onion, or as desired

3/4 cup chopped celery, or as desired

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1 tsp dried oregeno

black pepper, to taste

salt, if desired (I added some, but thought it ended up kinda salty, 'cuz of the salty ham)

Soak beans overnight in enough water to cover them by a couple inches.  In the morning, add the baking soda and bring to a boil.  Skip the foam off the top, and simmer until the beans are starting to soften, about an hour.  Drain some of the water, and add the chicken stock and ham bone.  Bring to a boil, and simmer until the meat is falling off the bone, about 1 hour.  Remove the meat and bone and allow to cool. 

While the ham is cooling, heat the the oil in a large skillet and add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic.  Sautee until slightly softened, about 5-10 minutes.  Add to the chicken stock and beans, along with the parsley, oregeno, pepper and salt (if using).   Remove the (cooled) meat from the bone, chop, and add to the soup.  Simmer one hour.

Then ladle into a chipped bowl, because you have kids and it's what they do.   

;-)