The base of this soup is a good ham bone. In this recipe we started with the spiral cut ham bone left over from last week. Simmering the ham bone over a number of hours adds great flavor. You don’t need much seasoning such as salt because there is lots of flavor already in the ham. I use a salt free seasoning because I like the herbs in the blend. The work for you is to find the right combination that works for your taste. This soup is a meal itself. Add a grilled cheese and you have a wonderful meal.

Bean Soup
prep time 30 min
cooking time 4-5 hours

Ingredients
1 lb great northern beans soaked over night
1 Ham bone with some ham still on it
salt free seasoning to taste
salt/pepper to taste
1 cup diced carrots
4-5 stalks celery diced
1 medium onion diced
1 14 oz. can tomatoes diced

Take large stock pot and saute onion, celery and carrots in 1 tsp olive oil until onion is translucent. Add beans to pot and mix in with vegetables.  Add ham bone and cover with water. Add seasoning and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and cover simmer on low for 3-4 hours. During the last hour remove the ham bone and set on a plate to cool. Add the can of tomatoes. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your desire. Continue to simmer the soup for another hour. Remove ham from bone and cut into bite size pieces. Return ham to soup pot. Heat thru and serve.

This week we use the bone from the spiral cut ham and let it simmer for a few hours along with some beans (I used great northern) to make a hearty soup that will not only provide for a few meals this week but can be frozen for a quick meal in the future. I found a pork tenderloin on special that along with baked acorn squash makes a nice fall meal on Saturday. This is the third week in a row for salmon but I am trying to put more fish in this diet and the package of frozen wild salmon I found on sale provided enough for four weeks of meals. When planning a budget look out at what an item you are buying today can do for you tomorrow. For instance at one store I found a two pound bag of the great northern beans. It was a good price and I only used one pound saving the other pound for a future meal.

SUNDAY
Brunch Breakfast hash, toast w/ jam, orange juice
Dinner Bean Soup, salad, fresh fruit

MONDAY
Breakfast Cereal, orange juice
Lunch egg salad sandwiches, carrot sticks
Dinner  Broiled Salmon, salad greens, fresh fruit

TUESDAY
Breakfast cereal, orange juice
Lunch Bean Soup Soup, fresh fruit
Dinner Roasted Chicken and vegetables, fruit

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast cereal, orange juice
Lunch Pb&j sandwich, carrots
Dinner Turkey burger, salad greens, fresh fruit

THURSDAY
Breakfast Breakfast sandwich, orange juice
Lunch  chicken sandwich, carrots
Dinner Turkey rice and Peas, fresh fruit

FRIDAY
Breakfast cereal, orange juice
Lunch egg salad  sandwich, carrots, fresh fruit
Dinner Bean soup and grilled cheese  (make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie)

SATURDAY
Brunch Breakfast sandwich, orange juice
Dinner pork tenderloin, baked acorn squash, salad greens, fresh fruit

SHOPPING LIST

ground turkey,whole chicken cut up,small pork tenderloin, acorn squash , onion, carrot sticks, dried beans, eggs, cereal, frozen peas, potatoes, sliced swiss cheese, head of lettuce, assortment of root vegetables such as new potatoes parsnips, or any vegetable you like to roast,bread, orange juice, milk, fresh fruit