Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. pkg. Great Northern beans or pinto
1 1/2 c. diced ham
1 c. chopped onions
3/4 c. chopped celery with tops
5 tsp. chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. cooking oil or butter
10 c. water
2/3 c. mashed beans (for thickening)

Preparation

Rinse and sort beans.
Place in large, heavy soup kettle. Cover with water and start to cook over low fire.
Saute ham, celery, onion and garlic in oil; add to beans and cook about 2 hours.
If necessary, add water while cooking, then add other ingredients with the exception of the mashed beans and cook 10 minutes more.
If the soup is not thick enough, remove some of the beans and mash them and stir in.
Regardless, cook 10 minutes more. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Freezes well.
Serve with green salad and corn bread.