Southern Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 c. dried Northern beans
12 c. water
1 meaty ham bone, trim fat if possible
1 c. finely chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 small bay leaf
1 c. cooked mashed potatoes
1 c. thinly sliced celery
1 c. diced raw carrots
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. evaporated skim milk or more to taste

Preparation

Pick and wash beans; add beans to water.
Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes only.
Cover and remove from heat and allow to stand 1 hour.
(This is equal to 12 hours of soaking in cold water.)
Add ham bone, garlic and bay leaf to water and beans. Bring back to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer about 2 hours or until beans are almost done.
Add remaining ingredients.
Cover and simmer another hour.
Remove ham bone and cut off meat and return meat to pot.
Add skim milk.
Delicious soup.