Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 med yellow onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 4 med carrots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 med smoked ham hocks
• 1 lb. dry 16 bean mix
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chicken base or bouillon
• To taste salt and pepper

Directions

1. The night before, rinse the beans well and sort them, discarding any little stones or stray bits. Transfer them to a large container, cover with 2x the amount of water, and put them in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Cut the onion, carrot, and celery into dice, then finely chop the garlic. Add those 4 prepped ingredients to the bottom of the slow cooker, and tuck 2 ham hocks into the vegetables.
3. Drain away the bean soaking liquid, then rinse the beans once more. Add the drained beans to the slow cooker over the ham hocks and vegetables. Sprinkle in the chicken base (1.5 Tbsp), 2 bay leaves, thyme (1 tsp), oregano (1 tsp), and a few grinds of black pepper. Pour in 6 cups of water, then stir gently just to move the seasonings around without shifting the vegetables and ham hocks too much.
4. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours, until the beans are tender and have taken in most of the liquid.
5. Stir the soup, then lift out the ham hocks. Pull off any meat and add it back to the soup. Taste and season however you like with salt, pepper, hot sauce, Tony Chachere’s, smoked paprika, or anything else that sounds right. Serve hot with any garnishes you want, such as sour cream, cheese, green onions, or crusty bread.