Recipe: Split Pea Soup

Warm and Hearty Split Pea Soup

Yesterday I used up our leftover Easter Ham. What was on the menu? Split Pea Soup with ham! Yum-O! I invited my hubby's parents over and we enjoyed a wonderful meal of soup, crusty bread, salad and strawberries. 

Split Pea soup is very simple to make. If I don't have a ham bone or even ham hocks I pick up a pack of pre-cubed ham. 

Split Pea Soup

1 pkg. ham hocks (or leftover ham bone, ham or pre-cooked cubed ham)

4 potatoes peeled and cubed

2 c. diced carrot

1/4 onion finely chopped

1 bag split peas

salt

pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

In a large saucepan place a bag of green split peas and cover with about 6 cups of water. If you're using ham hocks or a ham bone place that in the pot as well. Then add chopped onion. Cook for about 45 minutes on a low boil. The beans will start to soften and the soup will thicken. 

Add diced carrots and diced potatoes. To season it, I used salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Simply season to taste.

 If I'm using cubed ham or in my case some leftover chopped ham I put it in right towards the end just so it can heat through but not over cook. If you're using a ham hock remove it at this point and take the ham off the bone and had back to the soup. Same with the ham bone. You can usually get quite a bit more ham off the bone once it's cooked a bit longer. 

There is nothing like yummy crusty Artisan bread and a crisp salad to top off a soup meal. Yesterday was a bit chilly too, so this meal really fit in well.