Cathy's Navy Bean Soup

This soup is so hearty and delicious, and it's high in protein, fiber, and all those nutritious vitamins and minerals in the beans. I'm sure it would be great without the ham, if you prefer. It freezes well too.

     2 c. (1lb.) Navy beans or small white beans

     1  ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks, or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks

     12 c. water

     2  1/2c. mashed potatoes

     2 tsp. salt

     ½ tsp. pepper

     1 lg. onion chopped (1c.)

     2  stalks celery (1c.)

     1 clove garlic, finely chopped

     Optional 1-2 carrots, sliced

Crockpot directions:  Heat the water to boiling first, then add it to everything else in the crockpot together and cook all day.

Stovetop directions:  Heat beans and water to boiling. Boil uncovered 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Add ham bone.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 2 hours or until beans are tender.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 1 hour.

Remove ham bone; let stand until cool enough to handle. Remove ham from bone. Remove excess fat from ham; cut ham into 1/2-inch pieces. Stir ham into soup.  Sometimes,  to make it creamier,  I use a potato masher to mash some of the beans against the bottom of the pot.