split pea soup

another recipe...this has become one of my favorite soups to make. the first time i made it was the first time i'd ever made soup myself from scratch...i was sooo proud of me! :) ok, the first time i made it, i made it with bacon, but i think i liked it better this time, so that's the ingredient list you're getting.

-32 oz swanson chicken broth
-1 pound split green/yellow peas, soaked in water overnight the night before
-1 cup or so of diced onions...really however much you want
-1 can sliced carrots, which i then roughly cut into smaller pieces
-1 cup ham, cubed (if you want to go with bacon, omit the butter and go with a little over half a pound, cut into small pieces, then sautee with the onion as below)
-1 chicken bouillon cube
-butter...kind of however much you want, really
-garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste
-cornstarch/water, if you feel it needs it

as in the directions, soak the split peas the night before. there are quicker directions, but honestly i haven't tried them, so i can't really recommend them.

melt butter in the bottom of a large stockpot or dutch oven...i used about half a stick this last time, i think...sautee the onions and the cubed ham together. when the onions start to get fairly uniformly clear, pop open that box of swanson broth and pour it in. follow that up with the split peas, the carrots, and the bouillon cube.

from here on out, the rest of it is to taste...i wait to put in the salt, pepper and garlic powder until closer to the end, and both times that i've cooked this, i've let it cook alllllllll day. usually starting it around 11 or so, and dishing it up for dinner around 6 or 7 in the evening. i've never done the bit with the blender or the hand blender, because frankly, after letting it simmer for that long, the peas do their split pea thang, and the texture is just right. if you feel that it's still a little on the watery side, cornstarch works its miracle as always and doesn't affect the flavor in the slightest.

if you try it, hope you enjoy!