Ingredients

1 pound dry navy beans
2 quarts water
1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes

Procedure

Place beans and enough water to cover in a Dutch oven or soup kettle. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and discard liquid. Return beans to kettle; add water, ham hocks, onion, parsley and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until beans are tender. Add carrots, celery and potato flakes; mix well. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf. Remove ham hocks; allow to cool. Remove meat from bones and cut into bite-size pieces. Discard bones. Return meat to kettle; heat through.