Ham and Navy Bean Soup

Notes: Recipe serves 12 or more.

Ingredients:

1 pound navy beans

2 quarts boiling water (use a teakettle)

2 ham hocks or a meaty ham bone

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

chopped ham and/or ham from the meaty bone

black pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash beans in a colander. Place in a large stock pot and add boiling water. Let beans soak for a few hours. Simmer ham bone or hocks with the beans until beans are tender. Remove bones and chop ham. Add chopped onions and celery. Add water to make about 1 gallon. Add ham meat. Season with black pepper to taste. If it is too salty, add more water. Cook about 30 minutes longer.