Left over Ham bone Soup 1 pound dried small white beans 2 quarts water 1 medium-size onions, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 1 large can (about 7 oz.) diced green chiles ½ teaspoon dry oregano ½ teaspoon ground red pepper or more ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 left over ham bone 3 cups chicken broth (low salt) salt to taste sour cream and shredded jack cheese for garnish In a 3 ½ to 4 quart pan, bring water to boil over high heat. Add beans. Let water return to a boil; then boil, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Or soak beans over-night. Discard water. In a 4 quart of larger electric slow cooker, combine onions, garlic, chiles, oregano, red pepper, and baking soda. Place ham bone on top of onion mixture. Add beans and then broth. Cover and cook at low setting until beans are very tender and ham scraps fall off the bone. (8 to 9 hours) Remove bone and season with salt. Serve with sour cream and cheese. |