Split Pea Soup

Wal-Mart (one of Havre, Montana's two grocery stores) advertised half-hams for $1.43 per pound.  My gardener asked me to get one so he could smoke it.  He loves ham... me, I'm kind of ehhh, I'd rather have a cigar.

It was a warm day last Saturday (got clear up to 41 degrees).  My gardener brought a pack of little white papers into the kitchen.  Then he cut some ham off the bone and started wrapping it up in the paper.  He licked one end of the paper and struck a match and started smoking this homemade ham cigarette!

I said, "What are you doing, son???"

He said, "I told you I was going to smoke this ham."
The last I saw him he was downtown licking the movie house windows.

Aww, you know I'm kidding.  My gardener got the smoker out and put that ham in there and four and a half hours later we had the most beautiful smoked ham you ever saw!

Plans were to have it for dinner with some stuffing (yes, Stove Top) and braised cabbage.  While I was slicing up the ham, I just couldn't help but take a nibble here and there.  I finished my dinner at the counter eating bits of ham.  I have never enjoyed ham this much.  It was smokey and tender and moist.

What does all of this have to do with Split Pea Soup, you ask?  Well, there was a bone in that ham and that's what I used for the soup.

So, here we go!

Chop some onion, celery and carrots and garlic and saute in butter until softened.
Add dried green split peas, a ham bone, chicken stock and water.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for a few hours.  You can puree this (I used my boat motor) or leave it as chunky as you like.
I made some homemade croutons to go with this soup.  Croutons are so easy to make, I wonder why anybody would ever buy them.  Melt two tablespoons of butter in a frying pan.  Cut up two slices of sourdough bread (or as much as you want) into cubes.  Put the bread into the butter and sprinkle with granulated garlic, black pepper and dried parsley.  Toss and turn until the croutons are crisp and brown.

My gardener loved this soup.  We're going to go to Wal-Mart and get a couple more hams for the freezer!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, Merry-and-Happy-Whatever-you-Celebrate-or-Don't and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all.  Thanks for reading my blog this year.  I appreciate all of your comments and look forward to re-visiting all of you and meeting more blogging buddies in 2010!


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