Recipe(tried): Post-Holiday Ham - Navy Bean Soup with Ham, Cinnamon Spice Rolls

It was a happy Christmas, but just the two of us for dinner this year on the Eve - I had to work a 24 hr shift on Christmas Day. The ham looked a little daunting after the few slices we ate!

So I made a breakfast lasagna -with ham! - and took it into work for all of us on Christmas morning. I made ham spread and we've eaten it for lunch. Then I made ham balls in a vinegar/brown sugar sauce in the slow cooker for a breakfast buffet. Last, but not least - soup!

Bean soup has a hundred iterations online, so I tried to use the best of their tips. I had leftover chicken broth, and fresh thyme, basil, and bay leaves - but I bet you can use whatever you have in the fridge, and dried herbs, to make a great soup, too.

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Navy Bean Soup with Ham
Rye rolls, with butter
Homemade Applesauce
Cinnamon Spice Rolls

NAVY BEAN SOUP WITH HAM - Slow Cooker
A delicious soup that freezes well

1 lb dried navy beans, picked over for stones/bad beans
8 cups water, low-sodium chicken broth, or a mixture
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 ripe fresh tomato, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
I meaty ham bone
1 tsp white pepper
2 bay leaves
1 "branch"fresh thyme
6-8 basil leaves - leave on stem
Optional: Salt, Chopped parsley

Place beans in a large saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Cover pan and let sit for 1 hour. Then drain in a colander and rinse well.

[Or, alternatively - place beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by several inches, then cover the bowl, and let rest 8 hours before draining/rinsing, and proceeding with recipe.]

Meanwhile, remove ham bone from refrigerator to come to room temperature.

Prepare vegetables and herbs; place in slow cooker. Pour in broth/water, add pepper. Stir well. Add prepared beans, stir again. Push ham bone down into pan until almost covered by water. Cover and cook on "High" setting 2 hours. Then decrease to "Low" setting for 6 hours.

When done, uncover and remove bone to plate. Remove bay leaves and any herb stems. When the bone is cool enough to handle, remove ham from bone and chop into small pieces, adding back to the soup.

Spoon out about 1/3 to 1/2 of the beans and mash with potato masher or immersion blender. Mix back into soup to thicken it slightly. Taste soup, add salt if needed. Ladle into soup bowls and top with parsley, if desired. Serve hot.

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HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
[see my What's For Dinner entry from 3.2.10]

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CINNAMON SPICE ROLLS
Not too sweet, since the dough has no sugar, these are slightly chewy and delicious anytime

1 lb pizza/bread dough [try your local bakery]
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turn to coat. Cover bowl and set aside to rise in a warm place, until doubled. Mix together sugars and spices, set aside.

Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Roll into 12x18 rectangle, stretching gently as needed. Cut in 1/2 lengthwise.

Spread butter onto dough. Sprinkle evenly with sugar mixture. Roll dough up tightly from the long side. Using a sharp knife, cut into rolls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide.

Spray 2 [9 inch] pans with cooking spray. Place rolls in pans. Cover lightly, place in warm area to rise. When the rolls hold a "dimple" when touched [40 to 60 minutes], preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bake the rolls 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and done to touch. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate.

Wonderful plain, or with a little butter, these are rich enough not to need icing.

Enjoy!