Bean and Ham Soup

1 Ham bone with some ham attached
1 package navy beans or great northern beans (dried)-rinse several times or until water is clear, remove any discolored beans
1 large onion-chopped
1 clove garlic-chopped
3 stalks of celery-cut in small pieces
3 carrots-peeled and cut in small pieces
5 pepper corns
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (this will vary depending on the saltiness of the ham)
ground pepper to taste
1 can Swansons chicken or vegetable broth


Directions and Story: add water and vegetable broth to almost cover ham bone. Simmer on stove in large stock pot. Add onions, garlic, pepper corns, carrots, celery, bay leaves, salt and pepper. After this place beans in kettle with 6 or so cups of water and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and allow beans to cook on low for 1 to 1 1/2  hours. The beans will be soft. drain the water and add beans to the ham mixture. Allow to simmer for another hour or so or until the soup thickens some. The soup is great the next day.

Story-I have loved home made bean soup, but haven't found a recipe that tastes as good as I think it should. After our 2011 ham Christmas dinner, we experimented with the ham bone and dried beans. This is what we came up with and it seems to taste really pretty good. Good enough to be called a successful recipe!! and earn a place on the blog.