I had jars of leftover dried beans from recipes over the years and I decided to get rid of them.  I put them together in a pot, soaked them over night and then cooked them for 3 hours on simmer.  Then I drained them and looked for a recipe.  I came upon this one in the WS Soup cookbook.  I am having in my world what is called a leisurely week.  Monday we got all the Guild books out.  Tuesday I only had 2 meetings, and tomorrow through Saturday, nothing scheduled.  Tomorrow I should get mailed some of the Thanks for joining the guild notes that I write to all new members.  So far I have gotten 16 new members from the wine and cheese event.  We have decided to have another one in February.  

Back to the beans.  I decided on the following recipe which I sort of followed.  It was good.  Jim like it.  There are 2 servings left, so I could do lunch or dinner Wednesday.  Jim is playing golf, has a 4:00 dance lesson, and then a wine club board meeting.  The president is serving dinner.  So I can do whatever I want tomorrow.  That will include a lot of sleeping as I don’t seem to be able to shake this cold and sore throat.  

Ingredients:

4 slices thick-cut bacon (I used regular)

1/2# cooked ham steak, cubed (I used the 1# package)

1T EVOO

1 small yellow onion (I used leftover frozen baby onions from the freezer)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 ribs of celery diced (used up a package)

2 C chicken broth (used 1 qt. of mine)

2 cans (15 oz.) white beans drained (I had more than 30 oz. of beans)

FOR THE CORN BREAD CROUTONS:

1 T unsalted butter

1 small loaf corn bread, cut into 1/2” cubes (I made a package of Jiffy corn bread.)

Directions:

1. If you don’t buy the cornbread, start that first and get it baked.
2. Set a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Let cook, then crumble into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside in a bowl.  
3. Add the ham to the pot and cook, stirring often, until browned, about 4 minutes.  Add the ham to the bowl.
4. Add the oil, onion, garlic, and celery to the pot and sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.  
5. Add the broth and beans and bring to a boil.