Soup season is here, and the Southerner in me cannot wait for endless bowls of hearty beans. This navy bean soup, simmered low and slow with a smoky ham hock, is definitely on the list of yummy things to consume as much as possible. If you’d like to make your soup creamier, mash some of the beans with a potato masher or fork against the inside of the pot. You can also scoop out a small portion, run it through a blender, then return the blended beans to simmer a little more. And, of course, taking a few swipes through the pot with an immersion or hand blender works as well. What are Navy Beans? Other popular white beans you may see in your grocery store besides navy beans are cannellini, baby limas, and Great Northerns. Navy beans, aka pea beans, are the smallest of the four, and therefore cook …