Amish Bean Soup

1 lb (2 cups) navy beans; dried
2 1/2 qt Water
1 Meaty ham bone; 1 1/2 lbs
1 cl Garlic; minced
1 sm Bay leaf
1 c Cubed potatoes
1 c Celery; thinly sliced
1 c Onion; finely chopped
1 c Carrots; cubed
Salt and pepper; to taste

Boil the beans in the water for 2 minutes before removing them from the hea to let stand for 1 hour. Then add the ham bone, garlic and bay leaf to the beans, and cover and simmer them for 2 hours or until the ingredients are a tender. Add the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer them for 1 hour longer. Remove the ham bone, cut off the meat and dice it to add to the beans. Reheat the soup almost to boiling, then remove the bay leaf.

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