Hey! That's soup-er!

It has been a mild winter here thus far, but the chill is starting to set in,
and that puts me in the mood for big pots of soup bubbling away on the stovetop.
I fondly recall the taste of creamy bean and salty ham in the soup that my dad would cook in big batches. His would always have waaaaaaay more ham than bean, and was so packed with stuff that it was really more of a stew than a soup. We would eat it for days, then freeze the rest for a snowy Sunday night.
For this go 'round, I tweaked my dad's version to include some carrots and celery (a girl has to have her vegetables)  and a little more broth.

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup cubed carrots (about 2-3 carrots, depending on size)
15oz can of white beans (I use navy beans)
2 cups cooked, cubed ham
32oz. vegetable broth (you could use chicken broth instead)
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

-in a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium low
-add the diced onion and saute for 2 minutes
-add butter and saute for 2 more minutes
-add celery and carrots, and saute additional 5 minutes, stirring often
-transfer veggie mix to a small stockpot
-add vegetable broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
-bring to a boil
-reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes
-add beans and ham
-simmer for an additional 30 minutes, up to 2 hours
-serve with crusty bread and plenty of butter (and maybe a glass of red wine:) (or two)