Butter Bean Soup

• 3 12 quarts chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons chicken base (not boullion...too salty)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 (15 ounce) cans butter beans, drained
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 cups diced ham
• 2 teaspoons garlic granules (I prefer a few minced cloves of fresh garlic)
• 12 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon parsley, minced

1. In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil.
2. Add base, bay leaves and beans.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer.
4. In a skillet or saute pan, heat oil until shimmery, and add diced onion, celery and carrot, and cook until soft, 10 minutes or so.
5. Add diced ham to the pan and saute until ham begins to brown.
6. Add garlic, salt, thyme and parsley to pan, and continue to cook about 10 minutes.
7. Scrape contents of pan into the stockpot with the soup and beans.
8. Continue to simmer about 2 hours.
9. Remove bay leaves before serving.

chicken broth, chicken base, bay leaves, butter beans, vegetable oil, onion, celery, carrots, ham, garlic, salt, thyme, parsley

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/butter-bean-soup-119691 (may not work)