12 bean soup with ham and kale...meals for pennies

Can't get a much heartier soup than beans and ham and it is mighty affordable, too. Especially when made with dried beans. Though, I suppose if you add the cost of Beano...

I made a ton after Christmas as hams were on sale (they have great, extremely affordable spiral cut hams at Aldi's and after the holidays, they are often reduced further...usually $5 off). I go for their top-price holiday ham (usually under $2 a lb. and comparable to the $6 a lb. ham at a 'regular' grocery store) and it's still a bargain. Couldn't really taste the difference between Aldi's and the expensive leftover ham my sister gave (expensive to her...free to me). I made gallons of soup and divided it into two different batches to season differently so we wouldn't get too bored. Most of it went into the freezer to be brought out bit by bit. I used a curry mix in one half and the other was "plain." The carrots and maybe some of the onions were from my garden. With Spring coming, we're finishing up the last of it as we'll be in the mood for something lighter (the chicken veggie soup I made the other day will be more fitting).