Senate Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. dry Great Northern beans
1 qt. water (for soaking overnight)
1 smoked ham hock
1 medium potato, finely diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 c. celery, diced
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley

Preparation

Soak beans overnight in 1 quart water.
For quick soak, bring beans and water to a boil.
Boil 2 minutes.
Cover and let stand 1 hour.
Then continue with recipe.
Drain beans and measure liquid. Add enough water to make 2 quarts.
Place soaked beans, water and ham hock in kettle.
Cover and simmer 2 hours.
Add potato, onion, celery and garlic powder.
Simmer 1 hour.
Remove ham hock and cut up meat.
Remove 1 cup beans and some liquid and puree in blender. Return meat and pureed beans.
Heat; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with parsley.