Split-Pea Soup

Fall is here and that always puts me in the mood to make big pots of soup. Nothing is more comforting to make and eat. I'll add other soup recipes as the months go on, but let me start with this one.

1/3 pound of smoked ham
1 tablespoon each of Tastefully Simple Onion, Onion and Garlic, Garlic seasonings (http://www.tastefullysimple.com/default.aspx -- search for Michelle Lacey as your consultant)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 bag of dried split peas
48 ounces of chicken broth (if you must use store-bought broth, Swanson's low sodium is my favorite but use whichever one you like best)
1/4 cup of cream (optional)

Heat up the olive oil over medium heat and when it's warm, add the ham, which should be chopped into fairly small pieces. Let it cook for a while -- till it starts to toast and brown, and leave some yummy brown bits on the bottom of your pan. Once it becomes nicely browned, add the Tastefully Simple seasonings and toast them for a minute (try a taste of them too -- it's delicious!!!), and then add the peas, stirring to coat them all with the oil. Then add the broth and pepper, bring it up to a low boil, cover the pot, and turn it down to a very low simmer. Cook for at least 90 minutes and every half hour, stir the soup until it reaches the texture you like best. If you cook it for 3+ hours, it'll be very smooth, but some folks like it with the peas a bit more in tact. If the soup gets too thick, just add water until it reaches the desired texture. You can also add water when reheating if you need to thin it out. If you'd like the soup to be extra rich, add the cream just before serving, but you won't miss the extra calories if you don't take this last step.

If you don't have the TS spices, then dice one small onion and 4 cloves of garlic and add them to the ham once it's browned up. Cook until they are also slightly brown and soft, but don't let the garlic get too brown, or it will get bitter.

Enjoy!