Senate Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. Navy or Great Northern beans
1 smoked ham bone or hock
3 potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 c. chopped celery
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 minced cloves garlic
1 c. chopped onion

Preparation

Served daily in U. S. Senate dining room.
Wash beans and soak overnight in large kettle.
The next morning, add enough water to make 5 quarts.
Add ham bone or hock and simmer about 2 hours or until beans begin to be mushy.
Add potatoes, onions, celery and garlic.
Simmer for 1 hour.
Remove bone, dice meat and return it to soup.
Add salt and pepper.
Makes 4 to 5 quarts.