One of my family’s favorite suppers is bean soup on the cheap.  Perfect on a rainy day, the hearty stew makes a delicious filling meal.    I love it because I can throw it all into the slow cooker (or even in a stockpot if I started late in the day) and it always, always turns out yummy.  It’s so inexpensive, too!  Sometimes my kids ask me to bake a side of yeast rolls to go with it.  A warm meal full of starch is the perfect end to a rainy day, don’t you think?

My secret to great ham soup is to start with a ham bone from Honeybaked Ham.  The meat is slightly sweet and makes a savory combination when slow-cooked with the beans and onions.   The ham bone has plenty of meat for the soup left on it, and the bone adds great flavor.  If you don’t have a Honeybaked Ham location near you, ask your local deli or maybe another ham-catering store.  I also buy the bean mix from Honeybaked Ham, adding in my own chopped onion, garlic, and bay leaves, but you could just as well use a bagged bean mix from the grocery store.

We usually purchase the ham bone for around $4 and the beans are about $3.  After tax, our meal is usually less than $10 and makes at least 8-10 servings.  Plus, the leftovers freeze well.   Enjoy!