Best Ever Navy Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups dried navy beans (white beans)
8 cups water
2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped (slice the leaves into it too)
1 ham, bone & leftovers
4 slices bacon, cut up
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon thyme (optional)

Preparation

Pick over and wash beans. Soak overnight in water in large cooking kettle. In morning, add onions, garlic, celery and ham bone. Put kettle on medium heat, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 3-4 hours More water may be needed but should be quite thick. Taste soup and season: salt needed will depend on ham bone's contribution.