Splitting town with Split Pea Soup

Mmmm Mmm Good! I love soup. It's so comforting and filling, not to mention the fact that there are about a million and one kinds of different soups out there...a flavor for every tast. I am a big fan of the progressive soups that have ZERO WW points, but I also love their low fat lentil soup.

I mentioned that we had ham for Christmas dinner and of course inside every ham is a ham bone. I remember growing up how much my dad hated peas!! But somehow he loves pea soup (his own of course). So we both agreed that a batch of homemade pea soup was a must make.

We started out with two bags of yellow peas (he prefers the yellow over the green), and set that to boil in about 12 cups of water. Later my dad mentioned that his intention was to use homemade turkey stock in lieu of water but i jumped the gun and started the peas while he was a church! opps. No worries. He also mentioned that he would have put the ham bone and rest of the add ins right into the water with the peas (I waited no knowing the plan). So, as soon as they got home from church we quickly added in diced onions, celery, garlic, two bay leaves and the star: Ham bone. The peas had probably already been in the pot for about two hours. (again you can start with everything in the pot at once!). I probably would have added carrots as well but not everyone at home is a fan of them. You can really add just about anything you wish. it's your soup!!

Since we were headed to another Christmas get together that night we put the soup outside (natures fridge) and planned on warming it the next day. This really let all the flavors stew in one another. The next day it was reheated and yummy. We each had a bowl along with some of my grandma's leftover rolls.

I forgot to take a picture before eating so this is the leftovers that erin and I are taking as we hit the road tomorrow morning.

There is nothing like soup after a long week of feasting!!