Split Pea Soup

 You know your recipe for Split Pea Soup is tasty when your son asks for it for his 9th birthday!

Ingredients:

1/4 C butter

2 C chopped onion

1 C diced carrot

1 C diced celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp black pepper

1 pound dried split peas, rinsed and sorted

1 meaty ham bone

1 large bay leaf (or 2 small)

2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

6 C chicken stock

2 C water

2 C diced ham

Directions:

1.) In Dutch oven, melt butter. Saute onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until tender.
2.) Stir in black pepper and split peas.

3.) Add ham bone, bay leaf, thyme, chicken stock and water.

4.) Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.

5.) Allow to simmer for about 2 hours. (Add additional liquid for desired consistency.)

6.) During final 15 minutes of cooking, remove ham bone and bay leaf. Then, add diced ham.

Serves 8.