I've Bean Wanting Some Bean and Sausage Soup...

It's cold outside (-5 degrees) and I wanted to use up some things so I put this together. This made a lot of soup. I'm just guessing on the number of servings. Since I'm just cooking for myself, I hope that I'm not eating it the rest of the winter...

• Ready In: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 (1 lb) bag  16  dry mixed beans
• 2  tablespoons  oil
• 4  carrots, diced
• 1  green pepper, diced
• 3  stalks celery, leafy part included, chopped
• 1  onion, diced
• 2  bay leaves
• 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 3  chicken bouillon cubes
• 2  tablespoons  chicken base
• 6  cups water (or more)
• 2  tablespoons  chopped garlic
• 1⁄4 lb ham, diced
• 1⁄2 lb  Cajun-style sausage, sliced
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Soak dry beans overnight in water.
2. Drain and rinse beans well.
3. Add oil to a large pot.
4. Cook onions, green pepper and celery until translucent.
5. Add diced ham and sausage to the vegetables and cook until some of the fat has been released from the sausage.
6. Skim off the fat from the mixture.
7. Add remaining ingredients and cook over a low-medium heat for approximately 2 to 3 hours, adding additional water if necessary. Remove the "foam" that accumulates.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.