Split Pea Soup

Cheap Eats  >>  Split Pea Soup

3-4  Slices Bacon, cooked crisp  -OR-  3/4  Cup  Diced Ham

6  Cups  Water or Soup Stock

1  large  Onion, chopped

1  stalk  Celery, chopped fine

1  Carrot, grated

1-1/3  Cup  Dry Split Peas

1/2-1  teaspoon  Salt

1/4  teaspoon  Pepper

1  Bay Leaf

1/3  teaspoon  Garlic Powder  (that would be a heaping 1/4-teaspoon)

1/3  teaspoon  Dried Oregano  (ditto that measurement)

Cavender's Greek Seasoning, for serving

Saute Bacon in a 4-quart pan.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Remove Bay Leaf before serving.  Sprinkle each serving with Cavender's Greek Seasoning.  Serves 6 to 8.

This recipe is from my Mom.  It is so simple to make and I usually double it.  I really recommend that you do use that Cavender's--this soup somehow doesn't taste as good without it.  But be forewarned:  the fifth ingredient in Cavender's is MSG.  As an aside, do you know how Very Hard it is to photograph an appealing picture of Split Pea Soup?  I didn't either, until I tried!

"We are troubled on every side,

yet not distressed;

we are perplexed,

but not in despair;

Persecuted,

but not forsaken;

cast down,

but not destroyed;

Always bearing about in the body

the dying of the Lord Jesus,

that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body."

2 Corinthians 4: 8-10

May Jesus Christ be praised!