Country Style Split Pea Soup

Country Style Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups dry green split peas
8 cups hot water
1-2 lbs ham hocks or regular sausage roll
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 medium onion, grated
1-2 stalks celery and tops chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped
1 large potato, chopped in 1" chunks
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Spices: crushed red pepper, paprika etc

Directions:
1. Sort and wash peas in a colander under cold running water

2. Combine all ingredients. Heat to Boiling. Reduce Heat and simmer or until peas are very soft and soak up all the water. (About 1 hour) The longer it cooks the thicker it gets.

3. When done cooking, take out ham hock and cut up -- add back to soup. I like to buy either chunks of ham or smoked sausage to add at the end. Heat long enough to cook the meat.

OR
Cook meat on stove. Put everything in crockpot until desired thickness is reached.