Great Northern Bean Soup

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 10 cups water
• 1 lb dried great northern beans (about 2 cups)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 lb bacon, diced (or ham, etc.)
• 1 lb whole tiny potato, unpeeled
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons instant beef bouillon (i used herb ox)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, mashed
• 4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup milk

Recipe

• 1 rinse and drain beans.
• 2 heat water, beans, bay leaves, onion, bacon and potatoes to boiling in 8-qt. stock pot; boil 2 minutes. turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.
• 3 add tomato sauce, instant bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic and half of the carrots and celery to beans. heat to boiling; reduce heat. cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst).
• 4 stir remaining carrots and celery into soup. heat to boiling; reduce heat. cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. stir in additional 1 or 2 cups water for thinner consistency.
• 5 using a slotted spoon and a wooden spoon, scoop potatoes against inside of pot and smash them, letting smashed potatoes drop back into the soup.
• 6 stir in butter and milk and serve immediately.