HAM AND BEAN SOUP CROCK POT RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Place the soaked and rinsed beans in a 5- or 6-quart crock pot. Look them over one more time for any bad beans or foreign matter.
• Add chopped carrots and onion.
• Pour chicken broth (pan drippings/chicken broth combination if you're using it) over beans, carrots, and onion. Mix gently.
• Add ham and stir again.
• Throw in ground thyme, basil, and ground black pepper. (Measurements in ingredients section are a guesstimate, I hardly ever use measuring spoons when cooking, I just make a cup in my hand and eyeball it.) To my tastebuds, a little thyme goes a long way so you may wish to add more than 1/2 teaspoon. Stir again.
• Add bay leaf and push it gently under the surface of the broth so it doesn't float.
• Cook on high for 1 hour, then low for 8 hours, stirring once in a while if you can. You could probably just cook on low for 8-9 hours if there's nobody home to change the setting. I just like to get things heated up and moving so I do high for an hour on just about everything I put in a Crock Pot.
• Remove the bay leaf.
• Add salt just before serving to the whole pot or individual bowls.
• This may taste good with a drop of Dijon mustard in individual bowls or even a tablespoon or two of cream.
• If it's too thin, just take the lid off for a while.

Steps:

• Place your beans in a large bowl; cover with water and soak overnight. After soaking, pick through and discard any stones or shriveled beans. Rinse thoroughly and place in an 8 quart crock pot. Add all remaining ingredients except for the chopped ham, unless you aren't using a bone. I just use the bone and its meat for cooking, then add other cubed ham at the end.
• Once all ingredients are added; stir as best as you can - mainly to mix in the bouillon. Place on the lid. Turn pot on low and cook for 6 - 8 hours or on high for 4 - 5 1/2 hours; or until the bean are creamy. All pots cook differently. I started mine on low for the first 4 hours, then turned to high for another 3 1/2 hours...was perfect..