Andy's no-bean bean soup

Andy's no-bean bean soup

1 ham hock with meat or ham bone plus 1 lb. ham scraps
3 qts. water
4 med. potatoes, cut in cubes
3 onions, chopped
vegetables to preference (carrots, celery, corn)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. black pepper (to taste)

Boil ham in water with the pepper and onions, do not add salt at this time. Simmer for two hours if ham is already cooked, three hours should be sufficient if it is not cooked. Add potatoes and other vegetables and continue to simmer until vegetables are done (approximately an hour). After adding the vegetables, its time to start tasting the broth and adding any salt (or other seasoning, if you like) if necessary. Depending on how fatty the ham hock is, cooling the soup to let the fat congeal, skimming the fat off, and warming the soup back up may be a good idea.