You Will Need

• Minnesota Heartland Eleven Bean Soup Mix
• 1 Smoked ham hock (substitute a smoked turkey leg)
• 12 cups Water
• 1 Can Italian plum tomatoes, cut up (29 oz.)
• 2 cups Celery, sliced (about 4 stalks)
• 2 cups Onions, chopped (about 2 onions)
• 1 Green pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Chicken breast pieces, raw or cooked
• 1 Package smoked Kielbasa sausage (14-16 oz.)

Here's What You Do

Preparing the beans:

1. Pick through the beans. Remove discolored, shriveled beans and any foreign material. Rinse well.
2. Place the beans into a 6-8 quart pot with ham hock and 12 cups cold water.
3. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 3 hours.

Preparing the soup:

1. Add contents of soup mix seasoning packet, tomatoes, celery, onion, green pepper, garlic and salt. Bring soup back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 1 hour.
2. Cut up chicken and add to soup pot.
3. Slice kielbasa sausage lengthwise into quarters. Slice crosswise to make little wedges. Add sausage to soup pot.
4. Return pot to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
5. Remove ham hock from pot. Dice meat and return meat to soup pot before serving.