Mm Pea Soup

I will try to recreate this recipe that I made over the weekend:

Get a big cast iron or ceramic pot. Put 7-8 strips of bacon in and turn on to medium. Fry the bacon until crisp. Try not to burn it!

Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Drain off the fat, reserving 1/4 cup in the pot. Add half an onion and some diced carrot (2 carrots) and sauté until soft.

Add 1 lb split peas. I fried them a little in the bacon fat before adding 2 1/2 quarts (that's 10 cups!) of liquid. I used half chicken stock and half water. Add a tsp of salt and a bay leaf. Add a ham hock if you have one lying around, which I didn't.

Simmer for ~2 hours. Blend some of it, and/or add some cream or half & half if you want. Serve with pepper and some of the crumbled bacon you fried earlier. Good with bread too!

Totally yum, especially when it's 15 degrees and gale force winds outside.