HOMEMADE BEAN WITH BACON SOUP

This is probably one of our favorites! We've always loved Campbell's Bean with Bacon soup.
So when I saw this recipe over at the W@H board, I knew we'd like it. Here is the origional recipe:
HOMEMADE BEAN WITH BACON SOUP
Soak 1 bag of navy beans in water for 3 hours (or overnight). Drain & add 9 cups of low salt chicken broth. (you can use boullion but it is too salty, if you use this, use only 5 cubes per 9 c. water.)
Meantime, melt 1 stick butter & saute 1 chopped onion & 5 chopped carrots. When onions start to carmelize, dump it all into the pot of beans & chicken stock.
Fry up half a pound of chopped bacon. Drain the grease & dump the bacon into the pot of beans.
Add 2 dashes of liquid smoke.
When boiling, cover & simmer for 4 hours or so, until thick & the beans are tender.


I always double this recipe, but I don't double the stock.
I use 2 bags of navy beans & 10-12 cups chicken stock. I usually have homemade stock in the freezer, but when I don't have enough, I have added canned & it's fine. So I double everything but the stock. I think 18 cups of stock would be too much. (we like thick soup)
Also, I put my beans to soak when I go to bed. I rinse them around noon & start the soup by 1 or 2:00 in the afternoon.
You cannot believe how this smells when it's cooking. Oh.My.Word. It is OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!!!
A doubled recipe makes a large stock pot full. It's just perfect for a family of 4 for 2 days, with maybe a little left over to freeze for a rainy day.
And like most soups, it's even better on day 2. Sitting in the frig overnight the beans soak up more liquid & it gets really thick. You can even see how much thicker it is in this picture, taken on day 2: