Split Pea and Ham Soup Version 3.0

This is the third split pea and ham soup I've posted and while it may seem redundant, they are each different in their own wonderful way which is why I can't just let it slide. It's also a bit on the ugly duckling side of things appearance-wise, so I feel obligated to expose the beauty of its flavor over and over and over until we can all agree that split pea soup is awesome.

This soup is great for many reasons but let me touch on the two most important ones. 1) The flavors only get better with time so one pot of soup will cover at least a few days' worth of lunches or easy repeat dinners. 2) It's really really really easy to make. It takes nearly 3 hours from start to finish, but your actual active time will be more like 10 minutes. This is another recipe that is great to try when you will be home for that amount of time busying yourself with other chores or projects. I made this soup, Asiago French Bread (it makes a guest appearance in this post as a dipper for the soup), did laundry, and organized my craft bins in that 3 hour time. Hooray for multitasking!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 cups dry split green peas
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 cups chopped ham (ends and pieces from your local butcher are perfect for this, meat from a slow cooked ham hock would work, or you can use bacon if you're feeling sinful)
• 2 tsp red chili flakes
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dill
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions: 

1. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter, onion and carrots, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add all ingredients except the balsamic vinegar. Cover with a lid and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally (about once every 30 minutes). If the soup is quite thick, add 1/2 cup of water at a time as needed. Should be smooth, not thich like mashed potatoes!
2. Once the split peas have cooked down (at the two hour mark they should have basically melted apart in the soup) add the balsamic vinegar and give it a good stir. Cover and simmer an additional 30 minutes, then serve hot with crusty bread and a light salad. 

See I told you the soup was not too sexy lookin'. Don't worry, just turn down the lights and enjoy. Just kidding please don't eat hot soup in the dark. Bad, bad idea.

For leftovers reheat the soup with a splash of chicken stock or water to thin it out as needed.

Split Pea and Ham Soup - second version!

My bf's mom makes an incredible split pea and ham soup, and I have used her recipe for a slow cooker version in the past, but today I was feeling adventurous and wild and ambitious and hungry so I decided to use it again, but this time with my secret weapon: Ham Hock. Ok, it's not really my secret weapon since today is the first time I had the guts to actually buy one, but I tell ya, it is going to be my secret weapon from now on. My bf's mom uses ham bones in her soup, and I always knew that my boneless split pea and ham soup was missing something.... ding ding ding! A bone! Well, my local grocery stores don't often have ham bones laying around but they do have ham hocks (which, by the way, are extremely inexpensive so it's hard to come up with enough excuses to skip the hock).

I'll be honest - I was intimidated by the ham hock for a few years, and I'm so glad I got past that fear today because it is so delicious! Plus, this recipe requires a bit of TLC but it's easy so don't be afraid.

Here is my updated recipe for split pea and ham soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb ham hock
• 2 1/2 cups dried split peas
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 8 cups chicken stock

 Directions:

All ingredients together in the pot

1. Place all ingredients in your dutch oven (or a heavy-bottomed pan). Bring to a boil, then simmer with the lid on for 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally. 
2. Remove the ham hock and set in the fridge to cool enough to touch (about 1 hour). Continue simmering the soup. 
3. Once the ham is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin (thick outer layer). Then use a knife to cut away the excess fat (I left a a little on the meat just because I can!), and peel off the meat in small chunks and add to the soup. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, then serve hot. 

 Alternatively, if you don't want to use a ham hock you can use a ham bone with meat on it, or even plain old ham without the bone (this is still yummy, but bones lend a special flavor to soup that you don't want to miss!). 

Corn Chowder

The other day the universe kept presenting corn chowder to me: it showed up on Stumbleupon, all over Pinterest, on my recipe generator... So I knew I had to make it (plus after seeing it over and over I had a serious craving to satisfy!).

Here is my version of corn chowder (feel free to play around with quantities and variations- this chowder is perfect for that!)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup canned diced green chiles
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 slices thick cut bacon, diced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups chicken stock 
• 2 cups cream 
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (think cheddar, pepperjack)
• 3 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tsp cayenne powder

 Directions:

1. Heat a large stock pot to medium heat. Add in the butter, onion, green chiles, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. 
2. Add in the bacon, stir to mix it in, then slowly add the flour to the mix, stirring constantly to coat the bacon and veggies. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, then gradually add the stock and the milk, alternating 1 cup each at a time. Add in the corn, then bring the chowder to a boil. Add in the cheese, taste the chowder, then season accordingly (listed are the amounts I used).  
3. Simmer for 20-30 minutes over low heat so that the chowder can thicken. Serve hot with slices of crusty baguette or alongside a salad. 

This chowder saves well and is excellent for weekday lunches!

Variations:
- use 3 large bell peppers instead of the green chiles for a more mild pepper flavor
- add chorizo or Italian sausage instead of bacon
- serve over a bed of rice with salsa, sour cream, and tomatoes
- add in a can of beans and use vegetarian stock instead of using bacon and chicken stock for a hearty vegetarian twist
- add roasted jalapenos and roasted garlic instead of green chiles and raw garlic

Rice Soup

I first had this soup when I was in Thailand, feeling just terrible. I had been laying on the cool tiles of the patio, trying to cool down my feverish body anyway possible and mentally kicking myself for eating pad thai from a street vendor the night before. Rule #1, don't eat street food. Well, as I was laying in the shade and sipping ginger ale, one of the house keepers brought me a bowl of soup. At first I was like, no thanks I probably shouldn't have any piping hot soup right now considering I'm a furnace all on my own, but she just wouldn't leave until I was sipping the soup so I gave in. I'm so glad I did, because a few bowls later I was golden. It was magic soup!
I had to work on the chef for a few weeks before he'd show me what went into it, and I have made this every time I've been sick since then. I swear by it for upset tummies, nausea, sinus headaches, food poisoning, congestion... pretty much anything that makes you feel like a lump.

 You know what makes this soup even more magical? It is so so so easy. So easy.



Ingredients:

• 6 cups beef broth + 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1 cup cooked rice
• Optional: 1/2 cup cooked ground beef

Directions:

1. Simmer all of the ingredients for 30 minutes, then serve hot.

P.S. I have found that deviating from this recipe is just as delicious, such as using chicken broth or ground sausage, but I prefer the recipe I provided. 

Thai Soup

My mom would make this when I was growing up, and it has always been a favorite. She got the gist of the recipe from a Thai girl named Nook, who was doing a home-stay with a family we'd met in Costa Rica... although when we met Nook they were living in Arizona, and my family had road-tripped from Colorado to their house. I know, I know, my family history makes no sense, but basically if it weren't for them we wouldn't have had this amazing Thai soup that is now one of my favorite "mom" dishes. You know how your own mom makes some things like, so much better than any other mom? This is one of those things.
Anyway, it's a soup that has so many flavors and textures that it's a soup that you can make year-round and not get tired of it! To me, that's a gold star!

Feel free to add in any other veggies or nix ones on this list that you don't like. It's delicious served over rice, or just as a soup!

Makes: 4 soup servings or 6 servings over rice


Ingredients:

• 2 stalks of celery
• 2 large carrots
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 can coconut milk
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 can bamboo shoots
• 8-12 white mushrooms
• 1 cup snow peas
• Green curry paste (to taste, I use 1 tsp at a time!)

Directions:

1. Chop the carrots into 1/4" thick coins, slice the celery stalks lengthwise in half then roughly chop, and cut the mushrooms into quarters. Heat a large pot to medium-low heat, then add your chopped veggies. Add a little canola oil or butter (depending how naughty you feel), then put a lid on and let it cook for 4 minutes. 
2. Chop your chicken breasts into 1/2" cubes, then add to the pot. Turn the heat to medium, and let the chicken cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Don't worry about the chicken being cooked all the way through at this point, you want it to finish cooking in the liquid. 
3. Add the mushrooms, snow peas, bamboo shoots, coconut milk, and 2 cups of chicken stock to the pot (I start with 2 cups and go from there depending on how soupy I want my soup to be...). Turn the heat back to medium-low, and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes. After simmering, add a teaspoon at a time of the green curry paste to taste. The more curry you add the spicier it will be! You can add more chicken stock now if you want your soup to be thinner. Simmer for 15-20 more minutes, then serve hot.

Enjoy!
Hint: this soup makes for excellent leftovers! The flavors just keep on developing, but good luck staying away from it for more than a few days, it's delicious!



P.S. Speaking of my mom, this is her b-e-a-utiful website in case you want to know more about her!

Potato and Sausage Soup

Fall vegetables are great bases for hearty soups that can provide a week's worth of meals. This soup is particularly low-budget friendly and delicious. The ingredients are simple and basic staples which makes this a very low-maintenance meal. The flavors blend with time, so it's a great soup to make at the end of the weekend for easy dinners throughout the week.

Serves 2 hearty eaters, plus leftovers for 6 more modest bowls

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes
• 1/2 cup cream (room temperature)
• 2 cups milk (room temperature)
• 1/2 small yellow onion
• 8 oz. ground pork 
• Dried thyme/rosemary, pepper, cayenne, salt
• Splash of hot sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Light coat each potato in olive oil, pierce with a fork a couple times each, then wrap individually in foil. Bake for 60 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet to medium-high heat and add in the ground pork. Dice the onion and add to the skillet, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. You want this pork to get nice and crispy so it's texture will stand up to the soup. Season the pork with thyme, rosemary, coriander, pepper/salt, and a pinch of cayenne.
3. Once the potatoes are done, unwrap each potato and slice in half lengthwise. Using a large spoon, scoop out the potato into a large pot. Add the cream, milk, and hot sauce. For a smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree the potato. Otherwise, you can use a whisk to break up the potato into the soup. Turn the heat to medium-low and stir in the cooked pork and cook until the soup thickens and is heated through, about 25-30 minutes. 
4. Serve hot!

Enjoy!

This soup is a meal in itself, but if you need some greens add chopped fresh spinach  to your bowl before ladling in the soup. 

Slow-Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

A great way to get the most out of your ingredients is to keep leftovers in mind. I love roasting chickens because I know I can use some of the meat that night, whether it's the drumsticks or the breasts, and the leftovers can be used the rest of the week in a variety of dishes. I use the meat in sandwiches, burritos, pastas, salads... the list is endless! Once I'm getting tired of chicken (usually around day 3 because I use it in my breakfast burritos, my lunches, and my dinners!), I make soup with the remaining meat. The bones from the chicken are also great for making soup, as they lend amazing flavor and nutrients. Chicken noodle is a simple soup that can use up any leftover chicken and veggies in your refrigerator, and it's a filling and relatively low-calorie meal to boot!

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken carcass (I like to keep everything, but you can also just use the bones from drumsticks, wings, etc. if you don't want to bother storing the whole cavity until it's soup-making time)
• Left over chicken, cut up into small chunks
• 5carrots
• 8 stalks of celery
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 bay leaf
• Dried seasonings: oregano, cumin, thyme, rosemary, pepper/salt
• 3 cups boiled noodles, al dente

Directions:

1. Chop 2 carrots and 3 stalks of celery into 3" long pieces, the cut the onion in half. Store the remaining vegetables.
2. Turn the slow-cooker to high, add in the chicken bones, the bay leaf, and the prepared vegetables. Pour in 8 cups of water and cook for 8 hours (tip: do this before bed and cook until morning). 
3. Strain the broth over a large bowl, discarding the cooked vegetables. Dice the reserved carrots, celery, and onion and add them to the slow cooker. Add 6 cups of broth back to the slow cooker along with the pieces of chicken. Add seasonings to taste (go lightly and season again at the end of cooking), then cook the soup for 8-10 hours on low. 1 hour before serving, add the cooked noodles. 

Enjoy!

You can also make this soup in a stock pot, cooking low and slow. I just prefer my crockpot because I can set it and forget it!

Pea Soup with Ham

I went on a little trip at the beginning of the month to Vancouver Island, and while I was there I was given a big bowl of pea soup. Now, unless my memory fails me, before then I had never tried pea soup. What a mistake that was! I know, I know, I keep telling you I'm not a "soup" person, and here I am telling you, "Eat this soup." Trust me, there is a reason for my inconsistencies. It's called deliciousness.

Anywho, I gobbled the bowl of soup and I couldn't stop thinking about the pea soup all day. The recipe is courtesy of my bf's mom--her food is always delicious, and she was kind enough to share her recipe. I made half a batch which is going to be enough for at least a week's worth of lunches/dinners for meeeee. And no one else.

The only differences in our recipes is that I used plain old ham, whereas she was able to find a ham bone and strip the meat off of it for the soup and cook it with the bone for flavor. I also threw everything in the slow cooker for about 5 hours before hitting the stove since I wasn't around long enough to keep an eye on the pot. In the end it was a similar outcome, but hers was better (probably because it was made with motherly love and a ham bone.. that's just my opinion). So, because my recipe was a little on the weird side, I'm giving you her recipe, just how she emailed it to me:

Pea Soup with Ham (created by a mommy, tested by GG)

I put about 3 cups of peas in water - to just cover them - boil that quickly and then put aside for about an hour to soften the peas.

then add to the peas:  

- the ham bone (if you have one - if you have a ham with a bone then cut off as much of the ham as possible and reserve it to put in almost at the end

- a finely diced onion, 

- thyme, 

- garlic powder (or garlic), 

- a bit of salt and pepper 

-  8 cups of water 

and bring all of the above to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 90 mins to 2 hours - stirring occasionally and may have to add more water.

then when peas really mushy almost dissolved add 1 cup shredded carrots and 1 cup diced celery and cook another 30 mins or so until all really mushed together 

add ham and cook a bit more (at any time you may need to add a bit more water)

taste add seasoning to taste more thyme, salt and pepper etc.  

and voila!

It doesn't get much better than this! Of course, if you want you can do all of this in a slow cooker for about 10 hours, but the stove-top method brings more flavor.

Thank the universe for shared recipes! Enjoy!