Shaker Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. Northern beans
2 ham hocks (small ham chunks optional)
1 onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, shredded
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. shredded spinach leaves (fresh)

Preparation

Cover beans with water and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.
Drain beans.
Put beans and ham hocks in 3 quarts of water.
Bring to boil, then simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove bones.
Then add onion, ham, celery, salt, pepper and thyme.
Simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
Add tomatoes and brown sugar.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Just before serving, add spinach.
Yield: 5 quarts.