Hungarian Ham Soup

If you use dried beans, cook them the night before. I add 2 quarts or 2 teapots of boiling water to 3-4 cups sorted rinsed beans with 5 bay leaves and 5 fuzzy onion tops (saved from the last 5 onions I chopped) in the crock pot on low. They’re done by morning, then I rinse them.

Chop your onion and garlic and add to your soup pot or large Dutch oven on medium heat with the olive oil. Saute until translucent. Add all other ingredients and cook to your preferred consistency.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if you like it.

Note: these measurements are all approximate. I rarely measure when cooking, baking is a different deal . . . I think this could be made with canned kidney beans. I would use about 4 cans rinsed beans with this quantity.