HAM AND BEAN SOUP

HAM AND BEAN SOUP

8 cups water
1 pound Great Northern beans or navy bean
2 cups cubed ham
1 ham bone or ham hock, optional
½ cup chopped onion
¼ tsp. pepper or to taste
1 bay leaf
1 carrot chopped
1 rib celery, chopped or sliced thinly
½ tsp. salt
1 can (8-oz.) tomato sauce

Bring water and beans to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, let stand 1 hour.
Stir in ham, ham bone or hock, pepper, bay leaf, carrot and celery. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are tender (skim foam from the top), about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. If soup is too thick, add a little water.

Remove ham bone or hock (if used) and trim meat from bone. Return meat to soup with tomato sauce and salt; simmer for about 15 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf.

Yield: 6 servings.