Nana's Bean Soup (Family Recipe)

    A cold day and a bowl of hot soup are a great match.  Digging into my Nana’s recipe box once again, I found this family favorite.  I vaguely remember her making this soup as we rarely visited Pennsylvania during the cold months – I always stayed a few weeks during the summer!  I do however remember Nana teaching my mom this recipe.  It was one of my parent’s favorites.  Funny that as a child I didn’t care for soup so much but as an adult I absolutely love it, and these family recipes are the best.  Even though I didn’t eat the soup as a child, the smells that fill the entire house bring back all those memories of family togetherness….

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. dried Navy Beans (rinsed and soaked overnight)

1 small head of cabbage (finely chopped)

2 ham hocks or ham bone with some left over ham. (I usually use the latter)

3 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)

1 large onion, chopped

Water to cover ham bone or fill ⅔ pot 

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.    Place ham bone/hocks in large soup pot add the water, set on stove on high. 

2.    Add beans, onion, potatoes, cabbage and salt and pepper to taste. 

3.    Bring to a boil, then turn to simmer for 3-4 hours.

4.    Stir occasionally, add water if necessary.

ENJOY!