This ham and white bean soup is the perfect crock pot meal to fix on a snowy day. Toss everything in the crockpot and go skiing, sliding, skating, or snowshoeing. Or sit back and relax in front of a good movie. It's a stick-to-your-ribs soup that you'll fix again and again. White beansgreat northern or navy beanscook low and slow with canned tomatoes, corn, and fresh carrots and celery. Smoked ham hocks season the beans nicely. If you have a leftover ham bone, use that and add some leftover diced ham along with it. It's a very forgiving recipe, a blank canvas for all kinds of substitutions and additions. If you aren't a fan of carrots, feel free to leave them out or replace them with another vegetable. For color, you might add some diced red bell pepper. Or, instead of all white beans, use one-third to one-half pinto beans or black beans for a two-tone effect. The lima beans add color and texture to the soup, but if you aren't a fan, replace the lima beans with black-eyed peas or add more corn and other vegetables. Chopped fresh spinach or kale can add color and flavor to the soup as well. Serve this great tasting, hearty slow cooker bean soup recipe with hot baked cornbread or corn muffins. Store leftovers in the refrigerator it's even better the next day