The Best Bean and Ham Soup

1. Take the beans you have soaked in water overnight, and drain the water off. Place them in a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and then simmer on low for at least 20 minutes, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. Chop the veggies, and add everything to a very large crockpot. Add in the beans. The liquid should cover the ingredients. (I have a large crockpot, and it was full! I had to siphon off about 1/2 cup of liquid, and add it back in later).

3. Set your crockpot on high for 6-8 hours. Stir every few hours- do it quickly so the lid isn’t off too long. The more time the lid is off, the longer it takes to cook!

4. Remove the ham bone and the bay leaves prior to serving.

5. Optional step: Take a hand or immersion blender, and blend 1/4 – 1/2 of the soup. It ended up giving it a grainy-looking texture, but the taste was a lot smoother.