QandAs: Food

Amish Bean Soup

Ingredients
2	cup	navy beans, dried
2 1/2	qt	water
1	each	ham bone (1 1/2 lbs)
1	each	garlic, clove, minced
1	each	bay leaf
1	cup	potatoes, cubed
1	cup	celery, thinly sliced
1	cup	onion, finely chopped
1	cup	carrots, cubed
1		salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Boil the beans in the water for 2 minutes before removing them from the heat to let stand for 1 hour. Then add the ham bone, garlic and bay leaf to the beans, and cover and simmer them for 2 hours or until the ingredients are almost tender. Add the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer them for 1 hour longer. Remove the ham bone, cut off the meat and dice it to add to the beans. Reheat the soup almost to boiling, then remove the bay leaf.