Navy Bean With Ham Soup, By Heather N. - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Ham Stock
3 lbs smoked ham shank
3 quarts water
2 large carrots (unpeeled, large pieces)
2 stalks celery & leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Soup
1 lb dried navy beans (soak 6-8 hours or overnight)
16 ounces cubed ham (I used John F Martin and Sons)
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
14 1/2 ounces new potatoes
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
15 1/2 ounces great northern beans (optional, pureed and added if you want to thicken soup)

Preparation

Place beans in bowl, add just enough water to cover. Soak 6-8 hours or overnight.
Stock:
Place ham shank in crockpot and add just enough water to cover,.
Add coarsely chopped carrots and celery.
Add salt.
Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Makes about 2 quarts of stock.
Remove bone and meat, reserve. Strain broth into container. Refrigerate.
Soup:
Add beans to crockpot.
Skim fat off of stock. Add all stock to crockpot.
Add chopped carrots, celery and diced onion.
Add in 16oz cubed ham.
Return bone and meat from shank to crockpot.
Cook on HIGH for 3.5 hours then reduce to LOW for 6.5 hours.
Remove Ham bone. And serve.
If you prefer a thicker soup you can puree a can of great northern beans and add to crockpot to thicken.