Ham Hock And White Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb white beans, rinsed
2 quarts water, plus additional
2 -3 lbs ham hocks or 2 -3 lbs ham shanks
2 teaspoons italian seasoning
1 cup diced onion
1 cup chopped celery (optional)
1 cup chopped carrot, peeled (optional)
2 -3 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste (optional)

Preparation

Fill large pot with water and as it starts to boil, add dry beans and onion. Cook on medium-low till beans are soft, about 2 hrs., adding water as needed to keep beans covered.
In another pan fill with water and add the ham and seasonings. Cook till meat falls off the bone.
When beans are soft, remove the bones from the ham pot and add pot contents to the beans, including the water and the seasonings in the pan.
Add the carrots and celery-cook on low till veggies are tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add hot sauce at serving.