U.S. Senate Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 c. navy beans
2 ham bones (with some meat)
3 qt. water
1/2 c. mashed potatoes
3 onions, finely chopped
1 bunch celery (stalks and tops), finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Wash beans. Cover with cold water and soak overnight, then drain. Turn into heavy kettle with ham bone and water (3 quarts). Simmer 2 hours.
Add mashed potatoes, onions, celery, garlic and parsley. Simmer an additional 1 hour or until beans are soft and tender. Remove ham bone. Cut off meat and chop coarsely. Return to soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.