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Linda Blair’s Crockpot Split Pea Soup
(from an old family recipe nully created a few years ago...)

Ingredients

2 cups dried split peas, (≈1 pound), sorted and rinsed
6½ cups liquid (water or chicken broth)
¾ cup chopped large onion, about 1 large onion
¾ cup finely chopped celery, about 2 medium stalks
1 tsp salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1¼ cups carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices, or julienned, about 3 medium carrots
1 ham bone or 2 lbs shanks or 2 lbs smoked pork hocks

Steps

1. Clean and soak peas overnight in plain water, drain and rinse.
2. Add 6½ cups liquid (water or chicken broth).
3. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 3 hours.
4. Use an immersion blender to coarsely break up the peas.
5. Add all ingredients except ham in slow cooker. Add meat on top.
6. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 5 to 7 hours.
7. Remove meat from cooker; place on cutting board. Pull meat from bones, using 2 forks; discard bones and skin. Stir shredded meat into soup. Stir well before serving.

Expert Tips

• Preparing split peas for cooking is easy! Just pick over the dried split peas and discard any grit or discolored peas. Place the split peas in a bowl, and cover them with water. After a minute or two, remove any skins or split peas that float to the top. Finally, rinse the split peas in a colander. For peas that have been stored for years, soak overnight, drain and rinse before use.
• If desired, spice with 2 cloves minced garlic, ⅓ tsp dried thyme, ⅓ tsp crushed dried rosemary before cooking.
• Serve a grainy cornbread (don’t forget the honey butter or drizzle of maple syrup) and a spinach salad with fresh grapefruit or mandarin segments with the soup. The tart freshness of the citrus contrasts nicely with the rich, thick soup.
• We like ours with a lot of black pepper on the top and a splash or two of Tabasco!

I just finished a bowl of leftover soup. Even better than last night!