I made this soup today with some modifications and my wife enjoyed it so much she made 3 glowing compliments, which is highly unusual. Instead of garlic powder, I finely mince 4 cloves of garlic and added them along with 3 bay leaves when cooking the ham bones with 1/3 of the beans and 4 Wylers Boulion cubes. When I removed the ham bones I added additional chunked ham, white pepper instead of black pepper and 1/4 tsp of celery salt instead of the celery and a pinch of sea salt. I let it on a high simmer all day. I forgot the onions and it was still good.

Reviewed On: Jan. 21, 2009