Best Ham & Bean Soup

This recipe comes from my dear friend and forever neighbor, Kristi (you know, the chicken enchilada rock star)! I make this delicious ham and bean soup every year after Chirstmas and Easter with our left over Honey Baked Ham. Best. Soup. Evah!

Kristi's Ham & Bean Soup
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups diced ham
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
4 cups ham stock (recipe to follow) or chicken broth
2 cans great northern beans, not drained
4 Tablespoons tomato sauce
pepper

*Here's a link to a good ham stock recipe.  I do half water and half chicken broth to boil the ham bone, but otherwise I follow this recipe to make my ham stock.
www.food.com/recipe/ham-stock-107885

• Make ham stock or if using only chicken broth, skip this step.
• Heat oil in large soup pot. Add carrots, onion, celery and onion. Saute 4 minutes. Add ham and saute 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. 
• Add 3 cups of stock. Bring to a low boil for 10 minutes. Stir one or two times. 
• Meanwhile, in a blender, combine 1 can of beans and tomato sauce. Process until smooth. Add remaining 1 cup of stock to smooth mixture. 
• Add to pot. Add remaining can of beans. Bring to a low boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 
• Ladle into bowls and serve :-)

Enjoy!

~The Lemonista

The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

Do you want your dyed eggs to be as pretty on the inside as they are on the outside?  You know, that perfectly cook egg white wrapped around a bright yellow yoke.  Just follow these simple instructions for beautiful hard boiled eggs every time.

• Place your egg in saucepan and cover with cold water.
• Bring water to boil and boil egg for 3 minutes.
• Turn off heat and let egg set in hot water for 8 minutes.
• Remove egg from pan. 

That's all folks :-)


*If you are using farm fresh eggs or extremely fresh eggs, any boiling method will make them difficult to peel. Super fresh eggs should be steamed for easy peeling. You can find great instructions on steaming here: http://thebarryfarm.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/hard-boiling-fresh-eggs/

Enjoy, 

~The Lemonista