Recipe: How To Make Split Pea Soup With Leftover Ham

A few weeks ago I was able to pick up a ham & 3 boxes of rice at Albertsons for $1.97.  My plan was to carefully hide the ham in the back of the fridge until Christmas and cook it then.  My plan worked, the HH never found the ham, most likely because I hid it so well and also it was not at eye level nor did it have Doritos written across the front of it.  Had that have been the case, things would not have worked out so well.

If you have never made homemade split pea soup before and you have a leftover ham in the refrigerator than I highly suggest giving this recipe a try.  In my opinion, a fresh bowl of piping hot pea soup is even worth hopping into your car and driving to the grocery store for a 1lb or two of split peas the day after Christmas.

As for the rest of the ingredients, you probably already have carrots, onions and a few cloves of garlic somewhere in your pantry or crisper drawer, so really, you have no excuse not to make this delicious soup.

Trust me.  It’s worth the whole 12 minutes of prep time it will take you to make it.

Split Pea Soup With Ham

Ingredients

1lb of  leftover Christmas ham that has been picked over and set aside
1 1/2 lbs of dried split peas
2 chopped carrots
1 chopped onion
3 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Rinse, drain and pick over your peas.  Add peas to crock pot, cover with 3″ warm water and turn crock pot on high.  Add ham and cover.  Saute carrots and onions in olive oil until lightly browned, add minced garlic and saute for one minute longer.  Toss sautéed goodness over ham and pea mixture.  Add salt, pepper and thyme. Stir and replace lid.

Set it and forget it.  Come back 6 hours later and eat until your belly is nice and full.  Serve with leftover rolls you brought home from your Mother’s Christmas Eve dinner party.  Enjoy.