I think the slow cooker takes the award for all time favorite kitchen appliance in my household.  Just in the last week we must have used it 6 times! In the winter especially it is perfect for making nice big batches of our favorite soups. Have you ever had homemade split pea soup? If you have not you are in for a real treat. The flavor of this is outstanding considering it calls for really basic ingredients, not to mention takes practically no effort to make. Nothing like a big bowl of this loveliness with some fresh warm bread on a chilly winter evening, I promise.

Ingredients:

1 lb dried split peas, rinsed

1-2 cups cooked ham, cubed

2 carrots, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, fine diced

6 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp Herbs de Provence seasoning

salt + pepper to taste

How To:

Layer the ingredients into your slow cooker in the order listed, starting with the peas in the bottom. If you don’t have any diced ham you can put in some chopped rendered bacon, a ham bone, or make it vegetarian. Keep in mind if you are using low-sodium broth or homemade stock you will need to adjust your salt accordingly.  Pour the broth over top and do not stir. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or overnight.  Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Freeze leftovers into portions for later; just thaw in the fridge overnight and they are ready to go.

Tips:

Next time you have a nice big ham dinner (we always do around the holidays), chop up a cup or two of the leftovers and freeze in a freezer safe container to use in this soup.

I would love to know if you give this recipe a try, just leave me a note in the comments.