Oh my! This was the absolute favorite of a very dear friend who ordered it EVERY time he was in the senate cafeteria. I've never seen the actual recipe. Thanks so much!

Just made it -- it's excellent! I used instant mashed potato flakes, stirring them in when the soup was done. That worked out very well.

I doubled this recipe tonight for tomorrow's dinner, and froze the rest for future dinners. It turned out so much better than my old bean and ham soup recipe that I will make this again and again. A side of home made corn bread, and we're set for dinner! Thank you for the great dinner.

It sounds very delicious. I would also try adding a can of diced tomatoes to this recipe. Depending on how much to taste you would want a large or small can. I would also cook the onions and celery in the pot first. This would enhance the flavor.