Slow Cooker White Bean and Ham Soup

This is what I cook  this morning and my family loves it..Nothing beats the flavor of this hearty slow-cooked soup, perfect for a stick-to-your-ribs autumn or wintertime supper.

Ingredients

Directions

- 2 ham hocks, ham shank, or other ham bones - 1 quart chicken stock or broth, or vegetable stock - 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced - 3/4 cup celery, diced - 1 large sweet onion, chopped - 2 cloves garlic, chopped - 2 potatoes, peeled and diced - 2 bay leaves - 15 ounces tomato, diced (drained if desired) - 45 ounces Great Northern or Navy beans, drained - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin - 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste

Place all of the ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on the high temperature setting for about 4 hours or cook on the low temperature setting for about 8 hours. Remove the ham bones from the slow cooker, cool slightly, and remove the meat from the bones; then discard the bones, fat, and skin, and add the meat back into the slow cooker. Reheat the soup for an additional 30 minutes prior to serving. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 4 hours Tip: Make this soup ahead, if possible, because it tastes better on the second day. Tip: A ham shank will provide more meat and flavor.