Old-Fashioned Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried Great Northern beans
10 c. water
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c. chopped celery
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 Tbsp. oil
1 meaty ham bone or smoked ham hock
3/4 tsp. thyme, crushed
3 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Rinse beans; combine with water in large pot.
Heat to boiling; cook 2 minutes.
Turn off heat; cover.
Let stand for 1 hour.
Saute onion, garlic, celery and carrots in oil for 10 minutes.
Add to beans and liquid, ham bone and thyme.
Heat to boiling; cover.
Simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender.
Remove bone and dice meat.
Spoon about 2 cups beans and 1/2 liquid in processor or blender.
Stir back into pot along with the ham.
Add salt, pepper and cheese.
Heat slowly until hot.