Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound green split peas
• 2 quarts water
• 1 meaty ham bone
• 1 1/2 cups sliced onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrot

Recipe

If I buy ham for the holidays (usually a half) I get one with the bone in. Once you slice the ham, leave a fair amount on meat on the bone and refrigerate until you are ready to make the soup.

Cover peas with 2 quarts cold water and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Add bone, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer (don't boil) for 1 & 1/2 hour. Stir occasionally. Remove bone. Cut off meat, dice and return to soup. Add the celery and carrot. Cook slowly, uncovered 30 to 40 minutes. Add salt or pepper to taste.

Tom likes to make homemade drop noodles that people can add or not.