Ingredients
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1 (1 lb) bag regular 15 bean soup mix or 1 (1 lb) bag cajun 15 bean soup mix
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1 large onion, chopped
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4 garlic cloves, minced
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1 (15 -30 ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed
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3 stalks celery leaves, included chopped
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2 -3 ham hocks or 1 ham bone, with meat still on it
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1 tablespoon dried parsley
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1 teaspoon dried rosemary (crush with fingertips before adding this releases the flavor)
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1 teaspoon black pepper
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salt
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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2 chicken bouillon cubes
Instructions
- Wash the beans; put in large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil; stir and remove from heat. Cover and let sit 1 hour. After that hour, drain beans and set aside.
- Add oil to pot. Sauté your ham hocks, onion, and celery until tender.
- Next add garlic and sauté 2 minutes more.
- Add your beans and cover with water (about 2 inches over top of beans).
- Add tomatoes with the juice, parsley, rosemary, black pepper, bouillon cubes, and about 1 teaspoon of salt to start with.
- Mix well. Bring to boil; stir, reduce heat cover and simmer for 2 to 21/2 hours or until all the sizes of the beans are tender.
- Keep watching it and stirring it every once in a while. You may need to add more water; you want it to keep a consistency a little thicker than a soup.
- Taste it after it cooks--you may need more salt or pepper.
- During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the flavor package that comes with the beans.
- Serve by itself or over rice.