Butter Bean Soup

This large scaled recipe can be easily halved. Frozen limas can be used instead of canned.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 quarts chicken broth
• 4  tablespoons  chicken base (not boullion...too salty)
• 2  bay leaves
• 4 (15 ounce) cans butter beans, drained
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  small onion, diced
• 3  celery ribs, diced
• 3  carrots, peeled and diced
• 2  cups  diced ham
• 2  teaspoons garlic granules (I prefer a few minced cloves of fresh garlic)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon thyme
• 1  tablespoon parsley, minced

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil.
2. Add base, bay leaves and beans.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer.
4. In a skillet or sauté pan, heat oil until shimmery, and add diced onion, celery and carrot, and cook until soft, 10 minutes or so.
5. Add diced ham to the pan and sauté until ham begins to brown.
6. Add garlic, salt, thyme and parsley to pan, and continue to cook about 10 minutes.
7. Scrape contents of pan into the stockpot with the soup and beans.
8. Continue to simmer about 2 hours.
9. Remove bay leaves before serving.