Delicious Ham and Bean Chowder

Beans...
For some crazy reason I have always loved and been intrigued with the thrift of beans.

Even when I was a little girl I loved beans and when my mom asked me what kind of Campbell's soup she should cook up for lunch, I always chose "Bean with Bacon".

I love taking something that can keep in your storage room for 10-15 years, soaking them overnight and then
cooking them until tender and having a
yummy, economical and nutritious meal to feed my family.
This makes me happy every time!


This yummy meal is one of Tracy's favorites and if I might add...mine too.
Tracy just quoted on Facebook a few weeks ago the following after we had this for lunch.

"Homemade ham & bean chowder with cornbread... at this moment, all is right with the world"!

Ham and Bean Chowder

1 pound dried great northern beans (2 cups)
1 meaty ham bone (OR, 1 cup chopped ham)
2 tbsp melted butter
1 or 2 chopped onions (depending upon how much onion flavor you like)
1 cup chopped celery
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (OR 2 bouillon cubes in 2 cups water)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 whole clove
salt/pepper

Soak 2 cups of great northern beans overnight—
drain off water and add fresh water and
cook until tender. Drain off water.

Then melt 2 Tbsp. Butter in Sauce pan and add: Onion, celery and garlic---
Sauté until tender…..
Then add beans, ham bone, water, broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, clove and salt/pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours (stirring occasionally).
Remove ham bone, bay leaf and clove. (also remove meat from ham bone, cut into small pieces and add back to soup).

This is a yummy soup
and is great served with corn bread.
You can also garnish with grated cheese, OR,
my family's favorite...COTTAGE CHEESE.

How Frugal is this meal?
Dried beans--.68
Tomatoes--.79
Celery/onions and garlic--1.00
ham--.25
broth, bay leaf, clove--.25
........................................
Total--$2.97

We fed 4 people 1 dinner and 3 people 1 lunch for this price.