Split Pea Soup

The beginning of fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The falling of leaves, change of weather, and rainy days is a nice change from the horrible Texas heat. I love the chilly days with the crispness of the cool air on your skin and covering up with a sweatshirt. During this time of year, I love to cook different types of soup. It is so comforting to enjoy warm soup on a chilly day.

I found a great farmer's market in Plano, TX other day that sold tons of dry beans. I bought some dry split peas to make split pea soup. Split pea soup is one of my favorite types of soup. The split pea soup I made had carrots, onions, and piece of hams. It was soooo yummy and, I want to share my recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/3 pound of chopped ham steak
• 1/2 large chopped red onion
• 32 ounces of chicken broth
• 32 ounces of water
• 3 pounds of split peas
• ground pepper to taste
• 2 chopped large carrots

Begin by chopping the carrots and onions. Saute these vegetables in a little olive oil for a few minutes.

Then, add the water, broth, split peas, and ham. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a medium heat and allow it to cook for 2 and half hours. Check on it every 20 to 30 minutes while it is cooking to stir the soup. Enjoy the soup warm with croutons or toasted bread.