Bean Soup
by MarieAlice

1 lb. or 2 cups navy beans, dried
1 meaty ham bone
1 cup cubed potato
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 cup sliced carrots
1 small bay leaf

Cook beans in 2 1/2 quarts of water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand 1 hour. Add ham bone, minced garlic and bay leaf to beans. Cover and simmer 2 hours or until almost tender. Add vegetables, salt and pepper to taste, simmer 1 hour more. Remove ham bone and cut off meat. Dice meat and add to beans. Reheat to almost boiling. Remove bay leaf.

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