green soup at its best

Its rainy and cold where we live at the present.  One might say..."It's soup weather!"  At My Kitchen Addictions...I declare this soup week, so check back for more soup recipes this week.  I had heard about split pea soup before, but honestly over the years...I had never made it until now.  On a road trip to the Iowa State Fair recently, my husband, sister and her husband came across this quaint, little Amish store and I'm so glad we did.  I bought a couple of bags of dry, split peas.  My sister, Debbie, told me she had an awesome recipe for split pea soup, so there you go!!  I was on a mission to make it myself.  My brother-in-law says that he loves this soup.  Well guess what?  My husband says he loves it as well.  

 1 pound dry, split peas

 Aren't they cute?

 Not so pretty...but an important ingredient!

 Ham...glorious ham!

 Soup pot work begins.

 Colorful, good-for-you vegetables.

 Have I mentioned...

This is one of my favorite kitchen tools?

 Colorful!

 A little bit of this.

A little bit of that.

 A key ingredient!

 We're ready to boil.

 Bay leaves adds so much flavor!

 Soup bowl...

meets soup!

Split Pea Soup

(Printable Recipe)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb smoked kielbasa, chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped

1 dry, split peas

8 cups water

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse, black pepper

2 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS

Prepare all meats and vegetables by chopping fine.  Add all ingredients to a large soup pot and bring to boil.  Lower heat to simmer and cook until peas and vegetables are tender approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Remove bay leaves before serving.  

Makes 8 servings or 2 quarts