Crockpot Split Pea Soup for a Wintery Day

We've been enjoying some nice weather this week.  Yesterday, it was almost 60 degrees and sunny.  Absolutely beautiful day.  Last night, things took a turn.  Around midnight, the wind started howling, the trees were swaying and whoosh!  Here comes Winter!  Today, it's around 25 degrees.  Perfect for soup.

I've been hording a gigantic ham bone since Yule and it's now in the crockpot, along with some carrots, potatoes, and green split peas.  YUM!  Don't let the simplicity of this recipe fool you.  This  soup is filling, inexpensive (a 1 pound bag of split peas in OKC was only $1.49), uses up those leftovers and is absolutely delicious!  Can't beat that!

I did not add salt to the soup as the ham gave it just the right amount of seasoning.  If you need more, wait until soup is finished then salt to your preferences.  Salt can cause beans/peas to remain hard and we definitely do not want that! 

The biggest question when it comes to Split Pea Soup is:  Chunky or pureed?  I let my sweet Hubs dictate this decision as I like it both ways.  His choice?  Pureed. 

Crockpot Split Pea Soup
1 16-oz bag Green Split Peas (If they have yellow split peas, they are delish too)
1 meaty Ham Bone (If you don't have a bone, use some ham hocks or chopped up ham)
1/2 bag Baby Carrots
1/2 very large Onion, chopped (1 medium)
1 large Potato, cubed
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves
2 Bay Leaves
1 tablespoon fresh ground Pepper
6 to 7 cups Water

Wash and sort peas & put in Crockpot.

Add carrots, onion, potato, celery, garlic, bay, and pepper.

Stir to mix.

Lay ham bone on top and push it down into the mixture.

Add water.  Make sure it's just enough to cover the bone and pea mixture.

Set on HIGH and cook until peas, carrots, and potatoes are soft.

Take out ham bone and big ham chunks and set aside.
You can leave it chunky or if you prefer, you can puree it together for a smoother texture.  Be careful with the hand mixer.  Make sure to keep the head completely submerged; otherwise, you'll have pea soup splatters everywhere!

Separate ham into small pieces and stir back into soup once it's pureed.

Dish up a serving and enjoy!  You can sprinkle some crispy bacon or shredded cheese on top if you like.  We were hungry so we just dug in. 

Had to show off the top of the bread, fresh from the bread maker.  Yummmm!
Serve with some fresh Honey Oatmeal Bread and butter, or as I did, honey butter.  Divine!