Navy Bean Soup & Buttermilk Cornbread

This is a quick satisfying soup for days when you are feeling too lazy to cook a real meal. 
Navy Bean Soup

• 4 cans Navy Beans, do not drain
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 C chicken broth
• ham cut into bite size pieces
• Stick margarine or butter (1/2 C)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Melt butter in dutch oven and sauté the ham and vegetables until the veggies are translucent.  I added the garlic last so that it doesn’t get bitter from cooking too long.
Next add 3 cans of the beans and about a cup of chicken broth, you can add more broth to adjust later if needed.  Season and simmer for about 30 minutes or so.  Take the last can of beans and drain and mash with a potato masher and in and simmer a while longer.  Enjoy with cornbread.  Yum!
The Queen’s Cornbread
1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together.
Measure buttermilk and milk in a measuring cup. Stir in the egg  and milk.  Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until combined.
Preheat the iron skillet and oil.   Pour the batter into the hot skillet and spread to even out the surface. Bake for about 25 minutes.