Great Northern Bean Soup

• 10 cups water
• 1 lb dried great northern beans (about 2 cups)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 lb bacon, diced (or ham, etc.)
• 1 lb whole tiny potato, unpeeled
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons instant beef bouillon (I used Herb Ox)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, mashed
• 4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup milk

1. Rinse and drain beans.
2. Heat water, beans, bay leaves, onion, bacon and potatoes to boiling in 8-qt. stock pot; boil 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.
3. Add tomato sauce, instant bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic and half of the carrots and celery to beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst).
4. Stir remaining carrots and celery into soup. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in additional 1 or 2 cups water for thinner consistency.
5. Using a slotted spoon and a wooden spoon, scoop potatoes against inside of pot and smash them, letting smashed potatoes drop back into the soup.
6. Stir in butter and milk and serve immediately.

water, beans, bay leaves, onion, bacon, potato, tomato sauce, instant beef bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic, carrots, stalks celery, butter, milk

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/great-northern-bean-soup-276783 (may not work)