Turnips 2 Tangerines: White Bean and Ham Soup

On the Menu Today~
White Bean and Ham Soup

Today is another chilly day here in Northern WI.
Temperatures are in the low 30's with more rain and
a few flurries farther north.
It won't be long now and
the clocks with "fall back"
The evening darkness will arrive by 4:15 pm and
now that the colder weather is here to stay,
it's officially Soup Time!

White Bean and Ham Soup is Delicious.
We recently put a ham on our Ronco Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ Oven.
About twice a year,
we get out our Ronco Showtime Rotisserie,
and cook a ham.
In our humble opinion,
it's the best way to cook a ham.

There are so many things you can do with ham.
Not only are ham sandwiches delicious but
so are omelettes, scalloped potatoes and ham,
and of course soup.
Another way to use ham is to grind it in a meat grinder.

Deviled ham sandwiches and
ham croquettes are a great and
different way to eat left-over ham.
I like to save the meaty ham bone and
freeze it until I'm ready to make this soup.

White Bean and Ham Soup

Ingredients

1 pound dried great northern beans
1 meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks
8 cups vegetable broth
6 cups water
3 medium carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons creole seasoning
1/4 teasppon pepper
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons liquid smoke, optional

Cooking Directions

Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add enough water to cover by 2 inches.
Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Drain and rinse beans; return to Dutch oven or soup kettle; add ham bone or ham hocks. Add vegetable broth and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 hours.
Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, green pepper, red pepper and can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Add seasonings and liquid smoke, if using. Simmer 1 hour longer. Remove meat and bones from soup. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones; dice and return to kettle. Simmer an additional hour. Discard bay leaves before serving.