Categories: Soups/stews, Vegetables 
      Yield: 12 servings 
  
      1 lb White navy beans                         Salt to taste 
           Water                                    Pepper to taste 
      1    Ham bone (or 2 ham hocks)         1/2 ts Thyme; dried 
      3    Celery stalks; diced               28 oz Tomatoes in puree 
      2    Carrots; shredded                   2 tb Brown sugar 
      1    Lg onion; chopped               1 1/2 c  Spinach leaves; finely shred 
  
  Sort and rinse beans.  Place in soup kettle or dutch oven. Cover with water 
  and bring to a boil.  Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 1 hour. 
  Drain beans and discard liquid. In the same kettle, place ham bone or 
  hocks, 3 quarts of water and beans.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and 
  simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hrs or until meat easily falls from the bone. Remove 
  bones from broth and, when cool enough to handle, trim meat. Discard bones. 
  Add ham, onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper and thyme. Simmer, covered, 1 
  hour or until beans are tender. Add tomatoes and brown sugar. Cook for 10 
  minutes.  Just before serving, add spinach. 
   Yield: 5 quarts.  From Country Woman, Debrah Amrine