Crock Pot Spit Pea Soup with Ham Hock

 Prep Time:  5 minutes   Cook Time:  10 hours    

16 oz bag of dried split peas

1 tsp olive oil

1 medium chopped onion

2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

1 smoked ham hock, about 11 ounces (assuming 4 oz meat removing bone and skin)

6 cups chicken broth

black pepper, to taste

salt (add if not using ham hock)

1.  Wash and drain the peas in a colander.

2.  In a small skillet, saute onions and garlic in oil over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes.

3.  Transfer to the crock pot and add peas, carrots, ham hock and chicken broth, cover and cook on LOW 10 hours, until the peas are tender.

4.  Remove ham hock and season with black pepper.

5.  Discard the skin of the ham hock and shred the pork off the bone, and back to the soup.

Notes:

IF you can't find smoked ham hocks, use a leftover ham bone or ham steak.

IF you don't eat pork, you can swap the ham for a smoked turkey leg.

TO make this vegetarian, leave the ham out, swap the broth for vegetarian broth and add more salt.

TO freeze pea soup, let the soup cool then transfer to freezer safe containers in portions and label the soup with the date and time.  To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat on the stove or microwave.

Recipe: by skinnytaste