US Senate Soup

The Senate Stands for many things...One is its bean soup---Bernard Clayton Jr.

Apparently, the Senate actually passed a resolution to serve this soup every day in the Senate Dining Room. This recipe varies slightly from others found online because it includes mashed potatoes. I have also adapted it for the crock pot.

1 pound dried navy beans. (only soak overnight it you don't plan to use the crock to cook this)
12 cups cold water
2 lbs meaty ham hocks
3 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup mashed potatoes
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup minced parsley

Put beans and hocks in the crock pot and cook on high about 5 hours. Skim the surface occasionally to remove fat.
Take the hocks out and cut off all the meat you can. Out hocks, meat and remaining ingredients back into the crock. Cook another 3 hours on low. Serve with salad and crusty bread