Bean's Bean and Bacon Soup

This is one of my favorite soups, not only because it tastes so delicious, but because it is so simple to prepare! I got the recipe from my friend Bean, who also has posted it on her blog, Coyote Craft. This is one of those foods that even after you've eaten as much as you could and are over-the-top full, you find yourself picking up the crust your daughter peeled off from her bread and left behind on her plate and dipping it into the remnants in the bottom of the soup bowl as you simultaneously clear the table.... and still taking yet one more spoonful to savor, as you put the lid on the Tupperware container that holds the leftovers.... it's that good.

Enjoy-

Ingredients:
1/2 lb bacon, cut up into small pieces
2 C. water
2 C. chicken stock
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cans Canelli (white kidney) or Great Northern beans
2 tsp salt
2 bay leaves



Directions:
Cook bacon until crisp in large pot.

Drain off excess grease and reserve 1/3rd of your bacon for serving.

Add water to the bacon in the pot, and scrape the bottom of your pot with a wooden spoon, releasing any bacon that stuck during cooking into the soup.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover and let simmer for for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve hot with biscuits or bread, and garnish with reserved bacon and a little shredded Parmesan if desired. Serves 4-6.

This recipe can be easily made in a crock pot, as well.