Crock Pot Navy Bean Soup

2 cups dried navy beans or great northern white beans

1/2 cup onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

1 ham hock (or spiral sliced ham leftovers/WalMart)

1 tsp. sage

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 16-oz can chicken broth

1. Place all of the ingredients in the crock pot.
2. Add enough water to generously cover the beans.
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-6.
4. Remove ham hock.
5. Discard fat and bones and return the meat to the soup.
   
   
   I added a chicken bouillon cube for every cup of water I added. And I used thyme instead of sage. Geoffrey pronounced this soup very good.
   
   
   Right now I am trying this version on the stove. I soaked four cups of white northern beans overnight and doubled the rest of the recipe. And I added 6 sliced carrots, too -- for color. :-)