Split Pea & Ham Soup

I made a commitment to clean out the kitchen freezer of left overs this week. Seriously. I was having to open and grab what I needed fast for fear of something sliding out and falling on my toes! The first challenge was a big ol' meaty ham bone left over from a Sunday ham dinner.

Split Pea & Ham Soup

1.) To a large dutch oven add:

• 1 (thawed) meaty ham bone
• 2 large carrots shredded
• 2 stalks of celery chopped
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced or 1 teaspoon garlic from a jar
• 1 lb. of split peas
• 6 cups of water

2.) Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to a simmer.

3.) Cover and simmer for an hour or until peas are soft, stirring occasionally.

4.) Remove ham bone, cut the meat from the bone and dice it. Return the meat back to the soup.

We chose to serve the pea soup with toasted Chiabatta rolls and tall glass of milk. It was a satisfying dinner for 6 - 8 people.

Note: Split pea soup will thicken upon sitting or during refrigeration. To thin, heat slowly and stir in small amounts of water, chicken stock, light cream or milk until desired consistency is reached.

This definately falls in to the 4 spoon rating - Yummy and Useful!