Great Northern Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

10 cups water
1 lb dried great northern beans (about 2 cups)
2 bay leaves
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1/2 lb bacon, diced (or ham, etc.)
1 lb whole tiny potato, unpeeled
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons instant beef bouillon (I used Herb Ox)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 garlic cloves, mashed
4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk

Preparation

Rinse and drain beans.
Heat water, beans, bay leaves, onion, bacon and potatoes to boiling in 8-qt. stock pot; boil 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.
Add tomato sauce, instant bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic and half of the carrots and celery to beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst).
Stir remaining carrots and celery into soup. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in additional 1 or 2 cups water for thinner consistency.
Using a slotted spoon and a wooden spoon, scoop potatoes against inside of pot and smash them, letting smashed potatoes drop back into the soup.
Stir in butter and milk and serve immediately.