Is there anything better on a chilly evening than a bowl of homemade soup?! It warms your heart as well as your tummy. Making a great pot of soup has always made me feel like such a nurturer. I remember my mom making ham and bean soup when she had a ham bone left over from a ham dinner. This recipe is similar to the one I remember fondly from my childhood; I have added extra vegetables for color and flavor. If there is a bone-in ham in your near future, perhaps for Easter lunch, this would be a wonderful way to "recycle" the ham bone.

Recipe for Ham, Bean and Vegetable Soup

2 cups dry great northern beans

1 large meaty ham bone

6 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)

4 cups water

1 Tbsp. Better-than-Bouillon chicken soup base

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

1/2 tsp. dried sage

2 dried bay leaves

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. salt

3 celery ribs, chopped

4 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh parsley 

Place the beans in a Dutch oven; add water to cover the beans by two inches. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans. To the Dutch oven add the chicken broth, water, beans, ham bone, soup base, and seasonings. Bring this mixture to a boil; cover and reduce heat to simmer for 1 hour. 

In a large skillet, over medium heat, drizzle a bit of olive oil and sauté the celery, carrots and onions for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the soup pot. Cover the pot and simmer for another 45 minutes. Remove the ham bone; pull the meat off the bone and cut into small bite-sized pieces. Add the ham to the soup. Stir in the fresh parsley. Skim any fat that may have formed on the top of the soup. Wonderful served with corn bread! Yields 8-10 servings.