Dried white beans and leftover ham are cooked slowly in a savory broth to make this hearty and comforting soup. Ingredients: 1 lb dried white beans, rinsed and sorted 1 ham hock or leftover ham bone 1 onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 carrots, diced 2 celery stalks, diced 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste Fresh parsley for garnish optional Instructions: In a slow cooker, put everything but the parsley For 8 to 10 hours on low heat or 4 to 6 hours on high, until the beans are soft and the soup tastes good To make the soup more filling, shred the meat and add it back to the ham hock or bone Delete the bay leaf Depending on your taste, add salt and pepper Serve hot, and if you want, top with fresh parsley