Ham and Bean Soup

Several days after we had ham for Christmas dinner, and despite that we fried up leftover ham with eggs for breakfast and had made dozens of ham sandwiches, I still found myself with a sizeable container of leftover ham.  So... the only logical thing left to do here was to make Ham and Bean soup!

This is a super simple recipe that can be whipped up from start to finish in 30 minutes thanks to using time-saving canned beans.  Of course though, as with all soups, the longer you let it simmer the better it gets!

Gettin' started!

Simmering away!

Ham and Bean Soup

2c leftover cooked ham, cubed

3T reserved fat/drippings (or butter)

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

½ medium onion, chopped

1t minced garlic

4 – 15 1/2oz cans great northern beans (drained and rinsed)

4c chicken broth

1t chili powder

1/4t pepper

Bay leaf

1 - In a stock pot or other large pan, sauté the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the reserved fat and drippings until tender. (Substitute butter if no fat/drippings are available.)

2 -  Remove the sautéed vegetables to a blender and add approximately 1 cup of the broth.  Puree until smooth to get rid of any visible evidence of vegetables and then return to the pot.  (If your family isn’t averse to chunks of vegetables then skip this part! )

3 – Add all remaining ingredients to the pot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes.  Remove bay leaf before serving.

Served with some crusty bread and butter