Cidery Ham and Bean Soup
A belated happy Canadian Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canucks! I hope your day was as stellar as ours was. It was warm enough that we could eat outside without freezing the tips of our ears. Since our group is thirteen people, I was grateful that we could do that and stay within our current provincial restrictions of twenty-five people outside. We turned the celebration into a one year birthday party for our youngest grandchild with a pretty nifty Pumpkin Harvest cake and her own little cupcake to smash. These followed a delicious ham dinner that everyone contributed to, including dressing (Mennonite Dressing, not Amish), brussels sprouts, acorn squash rings, a potato casserole, and an autumn salad. Needless to say, we were stuffed to the gills.
Harvest Pumpkin Cake 
The sweet little one-year-old. 
Yay! Presents!
After every celebration meal, there are leftovers to deal with and this was no exception. I’ve been wanting to try a new soup and the leftover ham and broth seemed ideal for that. So, on Monday night I started googling ham and bean soups and came up with several options. As I usually do, I combined what I liked about one recipe with what I liked about another recipe and came up with my own customized version. I loved the idea that the soup can be done entirely in the crockpot. I added a splash of our own cider because how could that not improve the flavour? And, surprise, surprise, I added a teaspoon of smoked paprika for the same reason. Substitute potatoes or other vegetables for the beans if you can’t stand them.
I served the soup with homemade biscuits on a perfect fall evening. Ahhh. I do love a good soup.
This post is sponsored by Martin’s Family Fruit Farm. The retail store has reopened and it is lovely. Check it out!
Martin’s apple cider is made with carefully chosen apples and is cold-pressed for optimum flavour. We use several varieties of apples to create a beautifully blended taste.
Cidery Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker except for the green cabbage, kale, ham, beans, and salt. Turn cooker on high and cook for 5 to 7 hours or until the vegetables are soft. Add the cabbage, kale, beans, and ham about 2 hours before serving. Test for salt and pepper before serving and add if needed. Serve with fresh bread or biscuits.
Orchard News and Chews 
October 14, 2020 at 2:14 pm
Lovely post in all the ways. For some reason, the splash of sunlight on the pumpkin in the cider jug photo gave my soul a little thrill. I’m sure that when I make the soup, it will give my stomach a little thrill, too.
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October 14, 2020 at 2:30 pm
Thank you! I loved that splash of sunlight on the pumpkin too. It seemed to fit the fall vibes so well.
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October 15, 2020 at 9:46 pm
This looks scrumptious. I am intrigued with the cider idea. I shall try this recipe one of these dreary autumn days….after my ham is baked.
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October 15, 2020 at 10:44 pm
Sounds good! Let me know how it turns out.
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