Great Northern Bean Soup

• water↗10 cups
• dried great northern beans (about 2 cups)↗1 lb
• bay leaves↗2
• large onion, roughly chopped↗1
• bacon, diced (or ham, etc.)↗1⁄2 lb
• whole tiny potato, unpeeled1 lb
• tomato sauce↗1 can

  15 ounce

• instant beef bouillon (I used Herb Ox)↗3 tablespoons
• salt↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• pepper↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• garlic cloves, mashed↗3
• carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces↗4
• stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces↗4
• butter↗3 tablespoons
• milk↗1⁄2 cup

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Rinse and drain beans.

2. 2

   Heat water, beans, bay leaves, onion, bacon and potatoes to boiling in 8-qt. stock pot; boil 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.

3. 3

   Add tomato sauce, instant bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic and half of the carrots and celery to beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst).

4. 4

   Stir remaining carrots and celery into soup. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in additional 1 or 2 cups water for thinner consistency.

5. 5

   Using a slotted spoon and a wooden spoon, scoop potatoes against inside of pot and smash them, letting smashed potatoes drop back into the soup.

6. 6

   Stir in butter and milk and serve immediately.