Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 4 1/2 – 5 hours
1 bag dried bean mixture (I like the 15 bean mixture)
1 meaty ham bone
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 dashes Tabasco sauce
Rinse beans thoroughly. Place in Dutch oven with 4 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil and boil for two minutes. Set aside for two hours. Drain and rinse beans. Clean Dutch oven and place beans back in pot. Add two quarts of water, ham bone, onion, celery, can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and bay leaf. Bring to boil – then simmer slowly for 2 1/2 hours.
Add carrots, lemon juice and Tabasco and simmer for another half hour. Remove ham bone and cut off any ham still clinging to bone and chop it up and add to soup. Serve with a salad and a nice crusty bread.
