BEAN SOUP

DUB EGBERT

1 lb Pink beans, sorted and washed
5 slices of bacon
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 leek, cleaned and chopped
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk with top, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 tsp. Salt
Pepper

Cover sorted and washed beans with water.  Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.  Cover and let stand for 1 hour.  Drain.  Cover with water and bring to a slow simmer for 1 hour.  Fry bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon, chop into pieces and add bacon and tomatoes to beans.  Slowly fry, for about 20 minutes, the onion in the bacon grease.  Add leek, parsley, carrot, garlic, Bell Pepper and celery.  Continue to slow fry for 15 minutes.  Add about 1 1/2 cups (or to your liking) of this mixture to the beans (freeze remaining for use another day).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer soup for 1 1/2 hours.