My Mom's Bean Soup

Although we lived in Alabama, my parents were from Ohio. I guess the northerners eat bean soup as a sign of high and prosperity in the New Year because that's we always had come January 1. It wasn't until I married a Georgia born and bred boy that I learned the southerners ate black eyed peas on New Years Day. After being married for 30 years, I still have to make black eyed peas AND bean soup on New Years. Traditions die hard. Enjoy!

MY MOM'S BEAN SOUP (feeds 4)

Ingredients
 
1/2 lb dry navy beans
Ham with bone
1 stalk celery
1 small onion, grated
1/4 tsp soda
3/4 c. tomato juice
2 med carrots, grated
Salt to taste
Bisquick

1. Soak beans for 2 or 3 hours or overnight. Add soda to water and simmer (not boil) for 1/2 to 1 hour. Drain and rinse well.

2. Cover beans again with water and add the ham and bone. Cover pan and cook slowly for 3 hours.

3. Add carrot, celery, onion, tomato juice and salt to taste. Continue cooking for 1 more hour.

4. Add Bisquick dumplings (1 cup Bisquick with enough water to make a dough) in the last 20 minutes. Cook with lid on the pan to help steam the dumplings.

Enjoy!