Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

1- 2 lbs chopped up left over ham ( and the bone if you want )
1- 2 cans cannellini beans ( white kidney beans ) drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 cup apple cider
4 cups chicken broth
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
4 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried marjoram
2 TB dried parsley
1 cup baby spinach cut into chiffonade ( ribbons )

Place all the ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low 8 hours.

To cook on the stove top:
Put ham bone and ham in the pot and add broth, cider and tomato sauce and bay leaf. Simmer on low for one hour.
Saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add beans, tomatoes, sauteed vegetables, and herbs to the pot. Bring soup back to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes stir in spinach and parsley and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove ham bone and serve with a crusty bread.

NOTE: Do not leave out the apple cider, you can't taste it in the soup but if left out it is certainly missed!