French Market Bean Soup

Simmer  -

32 - 48 oz can chicken broth

Fill the broth can with water twice

Large piece of smoked ham or smoked ham hock

Cook above covered for 1 hour, remove ham, skim off fat from broth

Cut ham into small pieces and return to kettle

Add -

4 stalks of celery chopped fine
1 large onion chopped fine (or more)
3 cloves of crushed garlic
1  14 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
1  28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (add 1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp oregano)

Add dried beans -

1/4 cup each -
yellow split peas, green split peas, barley
1/3 cup each -
baby lima, great northern, pinto, black eyed peas, cranberry beans, black beans

Rinse beans with cold water until water runs clear and check for small pebbles

When all is added to stock, cover and simmer for almost 3 hours.  We change to half cover for the last hour.  Lima beans seem to take longer to cook so we add them to the broth and cook 15 minutes before adding the other ingredients.  You can change amounts and substitute your favorite beans.  Start checking for doneness after 2 1/2 hours to your preference.  Freezes well.