Split Pea Soup

IngreI

This recipe is a family favourite.  I got it many years ago from my most used cookbook.  If you can only own one cookbook, it should be a Betty Crocker cookbook.  All of the recipes that I've tried from this now-sad looking cookbook have been what my family has dubbed "do-overs".  This split pea recipe is no exception.  

With our fresh snow and cold temperatures today, this soup is perfect.

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients: 

   2 1/2    cups dried split peas, (1 pound), sorted and rinsed

          8   cups water

          1   large onion, chopped (1 cup)

          2   medium celery stalks, finely chopped (1 cup)

       1/4   teaspoon pepper

          1   ham bone or 2 pounds shanks

          3   medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices (1 1/2 cups)

Directions:

1. Heat peas and water to boiling in 4-quart Dutch oven. Boil uncovered 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.
2. Stir in onion, celery and pepper. Add ham bone. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 1 hour 30 minutes or until peas are tender.
3. Remove ham bone; remove ham from bone. Trim excess fat from ham; cut ham into 1/2-inch pieces.
4. Stir ham and carrots into soup. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes or until carrots are tender and soup is desired consistency.

Serves 8

                    Enjoy!

                     Ingrid