Ham and Beans

When I was growing up I dreaded the week after having ham for Sunday dinner because I knew it meant we were going to have to eat ham and beans for dinner at least one night that week.  Somehow this dreaded meal has become one that I actually crave.  I'm not sure when or how this happened, but in my adulthood my taste buds have changed.

Last week I came home from Easter dinner with the ham hock (which I had frozen this week).  My Uncle Gordon applies a sweet mixture to the ham, which is something my dad never does.  I really like the cinnamon/sweet taste this adds to the ham and due to this my Ham and Bean soup that I made today's dinner was out of this world delicious.  It was so good that as I sat eating by myself (I know totally pathetic, I should have thought to have Aunt Leslie join me) I thought how wonderful it would have been to have shared it with someone else.

I pretty much threw this together just before church.  I'm pretty sure it was even better than my mom's, because she doesn't put the sweet potato in it.

1 Can Chicken Broth
1 Chicken Bouillon
1/2-1 cup of Water
2 Cans slightly drained Navy Beans
2 Carrots diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
Celery diced
1/4 onion diced
a few shakes of Thyme
some Parsley (I freeze this when I buy it fresh, so it doesn't spoil and I have it when I need it)
Salt and Pepper
1 white sweet potato chopped (my favorite part of this soup)
Left over Ham and Ham Hock

Cook in crock pot on high for 4-5 hours