Split Pea Soup

1 Bag of Green Split Peas (1 lb.)
8 cups of water
1-2 ham hocks or meaty ham bones
2 bay leaves
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Wash, sort and drain the split peas. Combine all ingredients in a large pot with lid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered, approximately 1 hour or until cooked through; stir occasionally. Before serving, remove ham hock or bone. Dice meat and add back to soup if desired. To make soup thinner, you can add some water, chicken broth or undiluted evaporated milk at the end. This soup is high in protein, fiber and Iron.

I usually chop up extra celery, garlic and onion and put it in a ziplock bag in the freezer for the next time I make the soup. I also use Bishop’s Storehouse chopped carrots in all my soup recipes because it eliminates all the carrot chopping.