Kiss the Cook: Come home to a comforting ham and bean soup

My schedule has been very busy lately. It makes it hard to find time to cook when you are working and dealing with home remodeling.
During those times, I still like to eat well and avoid fast foods. This is a great time to pull out the slow cooker and let it cook a fantastic meal all day while I’m busy. It’s great to walk into the house after a long day and smell good home cooking just waiting for you.
Below is a very simple ham and bean soup that fits the bill. It’s easy to make and a healthy meal at that. There is no salt or pepper added until the end, so you can set that to your preferred taste. I used northern beans in my last batch, but the preferred bean is navy beans. Both work just fine.

Comforting Ham and Bean Soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 hrs
Ingredients:
1 lb. dry navy or northern bean
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 stalks of celery-diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups of cooked ham (I used smoked)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Place the beans in enough water to cover and allow them to soak overnight.
2. Drain the beans and place in a slow cooker. Cover with water and add the celery, carrots, potatoes, onions and ham.
3. Cook in the slow cooker, covered for 1 hr on high, turn the heat to low and cook for another 9 hrs. The flavor improves the longer it cooks, but the beans, potatoes and carrots get very soft.
4. Salt and pepper to taste when serving. Enjoy!