Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry navy beans
• 4 cups water
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds smoked pork hocks or one 1- to 1 1/2-pound meaty ham bone
• 1/2 cups sliced celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

1. Rinse beans. In a large saucepan combine beans and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (Or, skip boiling the water and soak beans overnight in a covered pan.) Drain and rinse beans.
2. In the same pan combine beans, 4 cups fresh water, pork, celery, onion, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer about 1 hour or till beans are tender. Remove meat. When cool enough to handle, cut meat off bones and coarsely chop. Discard bones and bay leaf.
3. Slightly mash beans in saucepan. Return the meat to saucepan. Heat through.
4. Shortcut Ham and Bean Soup: Prepare as above, except omit dry beans. In a large saucepan combine 3 cups water, pork, celery, onion, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut meat off bones and coarsely chop. Discard bones and bay leaf. Return meat to saucepan. Stir in one 15-ounce can undrained navy or great northern beans. Heat through.
5. Tomato Ham and Bean Soup: Prepare as above, except add half of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) tomato paste with hocks or ham bone.