US SENATE BEAN SOUP

1 pound dried white beans, Great Northern or navy water to soak 1 meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks 3 quarts water, to cook 1 medium onions, chopped finely 2 carrots, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 stalks celery, finely chopped ¼ cup finely chopped parsley 1 cup cooked mashed potatoes or 1/3 cup instant potato flakes 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon thyme crushed 1 bay leaf ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper snippets of parsley or chives, to garnish	Soak beans overnight in water to cover 2 to 3 inches above beans, to allow for absorption. Drain the beans, discard the water and cook. Or, if time is a factor, the beans may be quick-soaked by covering them with water and bringing to a boil for 2 minutes. Set aside and allow soaking for 1 hour. Drain and discard the water. Drain the beans and place them with the ham in a large (5-quart) soup kettle. Add 3 quarts of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 2-hours. Skim if necessary. In the meantime, chop the onions, garlic, celery and parsley. When the beans and meat have cooked 2 hours, add the chopped vegetables, thyme, bay leaf and the potato to the pot. Simmer for 1 hour longer or until the beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bones and meat from the soup. Dice the meat into ½-inch pieces and return to the pot. Discard the bones and bay leaf. Reheat to serve. Serves 6 to 8.
Serving Ideas: Garnish with snippets of parsley or chives.
Comments: Outstanding.