Green Bean Soup

Put the ham bone, onions and garlic in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 4-5 hours.

About an hour before dinner, remove the bone and any ham that’s fallen away. Clean the bone and shred the ham, then return it all to the pan.

Turn the heat up to boiling, add the bag of green beans and let it come back to a boil while you get the eggs ready. Once it boils, turn the heat to medium and cook until the beans are tender.

Remove the bone(s) from the broth, turn the heat back up and slowly pour the eggs into the broth, stirring while you do. You want it to resemble egg drop soup.

Let the eggs cook for a couple minutes, turn the heat off and stir in at least 8 ounces of sour cream (more to taste).

This is not a thick broth, but it’s yummy! If you want it thicker, use the cornstarch and water slurry – mix the two ingredients together in a small bowl, then add it to the soup. You can add pepper to taste, but I don’t salt it because of the ham.

We eat this with a big loaf of hard bread smothered in butter.

P.S. If you have leftovers, do NOT boil the soup to reheat it. You can heat it, but if you boil it, the sour cream will separate. If you want to freeze some, do so before adding the sour cream. Also, I keep all of the juice from the pan after I’ve roasted the ham and add that to the broth as well.