Ham and Beans with Cornbread

We enjoy a lot of soups during the winter months. 

Nothing warms up a cold night better than a cozy bowl of soup!

 

We cooked a ham at Christmas time and I froze the bone.  Last weekend, I used it to stir up some Ham and Bean Soup.  This recipe takes awhile to make, mainly rehydrating the beans, but it's so delicious and hearty it's worth it!

 

Here's the basic recipe:

• 1 lb. of white beans (Cannellini or Great Northern), about 2 1/2 cups
• 1/4 lb. of green lentils, about 3/4 cup
• 4 quarts of boiling water, divided
• 1 large cooked ham bone, plus about 1 cup diced cooked ham chunks
• 2 teaspoons Tuscan or Italian Seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2-3 cloves chopped garlic
• Tabasco sauce
• Salt and Pepper
• Ketchup, optional

 

1. Fill a pot large enough to hold the beans with 2 quarts of water and set to boil.  Turn the heat off and add the beans to the boiling water and let soak two hours.  Drain.
2. While the beans are soaking, cook the ham bone in a large pot with 2 quarts of water. Add the Italian seasoning. Heat on high until the water comes to a simmer, then lower the heat, partially cover and maintain the simmer for about an hour.
3. Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more.  Take off heat and set aside.
4. Once the ham bone has cooked about an hour, add the drained beans and lentils, the onions and garlic and the celery and carrots and the cup of ham chunks.  Cook another 30 - 40 minutes, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender.  Remove the bone and let cool a few minutes to handle.  Cut off the rest of the meat and discard the bone.  Return the meat to the soup.
5. Add several shakes of Tabasco sauce and salt and pepper, to taste.  Ladle soup into bowls and serve with a generous 'squirt' of ketchup.

We like to eat cornbread with this soup and I recently learned an easy trick that takes regular boxed cornbread (like Jiffy) to the next level!   I bake my cornbread in a small cast iron skillet.  Spray it first with non-stick spray.  

Prepare the cornbread mix as directed then add a small (8.5 oz.) can of creamed corn.  That's it, bake the cornbread as usual.  

Use a toothpick to check for doneness.  The creamed corn make the cornbread moist and oh, so sweet! 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Let me know what deliciousness you've

been cooking this winter.

 

 

Linking to:

 

Tuesdays at Our Home @ Our Home Away From Home

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olsen

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm
Home Matters @ Life With Lorelai