So I heard the groundhog saw his shadow and we’ve got some more cold weather coming?  Well, I’ve got just the thing to cure you from the cold weather blues!  If any of you have ever been to Pensacola and had dinner at McGuire’s Irish Pub, you may have already had this amazing soup.  I spent $35 on the cookbook JUST so I could have this ONE recipe!  But it needed a ham bone and I didn’t get ahold of one of those until Christmas which is when I made it.  But apparently Honey Baked Ham gets ham bones you can buy, but they go fast so you’ve gotta call and be prepared to rush over there!  (I still haven’t gotten one from them, but I want some more soup NOW so I’ve been calling everyday!)

I had a feeling this soup would be amazing, so I was a dork and documented my cooking journey.  Ready to enjoy?

Senate Bean Soup

1 lb. dried navy beans*                                                  1/2 cup chopped onions

4 quarts water                                                                2 stalks celery, roughly chopped, including leaves

1 bay leaf                                                                         2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

3 whole cloves                                                                 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

16 turns freshly ground black pepper                        One large ham bone, preferably with bits of meat on it

*You have to soak the beans overnight, so don’t just run out and buy all these ingredients and plan on soup for dinner tonight!  It’s worth it I promise!

1.  The day before, rinse the beans and place them in a large bowl.  Add the water and allow the beans to soak, covered, overnight.

2.  The next day, make a cheesecloth pouch containing the bay leaf and cloves.  Drain the beans and place them in a large stockpot with the ham bone.  Add cold water to cover plus an extra 2 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat.

3.  Add the spice pouch, onions, celery, carrots, salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the meat is falling off the bone, about 3 hours.  Add hot water if the level gets too low.

Finished product!   

4.  Remove the spice pouch and the bone.  Shred the meat from the bone and add it to the soup before serving.

I probably should have taken a nice picture of a garnished bowl of soup, but what can I say?  I’m not a food photographer.  But you get the idea right?

If you guys like the recipes I can also post mine for guacamole!  It’s a good one!  Let me know if you try the soup, you won’t be disappointed!  🙂  Happy Groundhog’s Day!