Minted Beans and Ham

Name: Minted Beans and Ham
Ingredients: 1 pound dried Great Northern beans; 1 very meaty ham bone and 2 cups of cubed ham (one inch cubes) Note: If you can't get your hands on a ham bone just add another cup of ham cubes.; 1 large onion; 2 medium carrots; 2 stalks celery; 3 large cloves of peeled garlic; 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves; 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika; 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes(or less if you're not a heat freak); 6 cups low sodium chicken broth; Salt and pepper to taste (optional)