Mom's Senate Bean Soup

This is a wonderful soup I love to make on cold winter nights! It takes awhile to prepare, but it's absolutely worth the wait!

• Ready In: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  lb navy beans
• 12  cups water
• 1  ham bone (some meat attached)
• 2 1⁄2 cups mashed potatoes
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1  onion, chopped
• 2  stalks celery, chopped
• 1  garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. Heat navy beans in 12 cups water until boiling. Boil for two minutes, then remove from heat, cover and let it stand for one hour.
2. Add the ham bone, reheat to boiling.
3. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for two hours.
4. Stir in all other ingredients and simmer for one more hour.
5. Remove ham bone and trim the ham from it to return to the soup.
6. Discard ham bone.