Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lb. Great Northern beans
1 1/2 lb. smoked ham hock
4 qt. hot water
1 or 2 grated carrots
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
salt and pepper
leftover diced ham (optional)
Dumplings (optional)

Preparation

Wash beans in hot water; drain.
Combine in large soup pot, beans, ham hock, carrots and 4 quarts of water.
Cover and cook slowly 3 to 4 hours or until beans are tender but not mushy. Toward end of cooking time, saute onion in butter or margarine 5 minutes, then add all to bean soup.
May add leftover diced ham also.
Taste mixture for seasoning.
Add salt and pepper if needed. Cook over moderate heat 10 minutes longer.
Serve in warmed bowls. Makes about 6 servings.