15 Bean Soup — Great supper on a cool fall evening.. There’s two versions here!!

I bought Hurst’s Ham Beans® Brand..

Soak the whole bag of beans overnight in cold water…

Drain water add beans to a soup pot..

Add two quarts of chicken broth, and about 1-2 cups of cooked chicken.

Bring the beans and broth to a boil and simmer for 2+ hours..

Add 1 large onion cut into small pieces, 4 cloves of garlic, 1- 20 oz can of crushed tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper, continue for at least another 1/2 hour or until all the beans are cooked.

This soup may be served with a tablespoon of sour cream, if you wish.  I  served baked beans for an appetizer..

The bag came with a packet of ham flavor, but I declined to use it this time. I’ll save it for another soup…

So I made this soup again at Christmas.

Use a package of 14 or 15 bean soup.  Soak the beans overnight. Drain, and fill a pan with water and add beans and 1 teaspoon of Baking soda. Cook for 10 -15 minutes . Scrape off the froth.  Drain the beans and rinse them.

This time I cooked a ham bone with 2 Bay leaves and 4  whole cloves.

I took the bay leaves and the bone out and cut up the ham pieces. I left the cloves in the broth, and it made a wonderful taste to the soup..

While I was cooking the meat.  I cut up onions, shallots, garlic, carrots, parsnips, celery, yellow, and zucchini squash, saute all the vegetables in some olive oil.  You can use these or fewer vegetables depending on what you like to eat..  Add the prepared beans and the vegetable mixture to the ham water and cook until everything is cooked. It will take between 2 and 4 hours..  Enjoy!!!

You can serve this with whatever you like, but I bought some pumpernickel bread and a rye with sunflower seeds.. They are both delicious with this soup!!!!