GIVEAWAY and Split pea soup

Giveaway Closed.  Thanks for entering!


   My mother has made this soup since I was a little girl and I have always LOVED it.  I know I was a strange kid.  It is still one of my favorites and fortunately my husband likes it too.  I think there are two kids of people: those who like split pea soup and those who don't... or they think they don't.   If you have never had it or only had it from a can you are missing out.  You have got to try this.  This is a very basic recipe.  Many people add potatoes too, but I usually opt not to. I am not really a potato girl... I know I know and I live in Idaho....

  I love the lemon juice it really brightens it up and lighten the flavor.  This is a must on a cold day. It is so healthy and just pennies to make.... It would be great in a bread bowl too or top with croutons....mmmm

Ingredients
1 pound split green peas, picked over and rinsed
3 medium smoked ham hocks or ham shanks (what ever look like they have more meat on them)
1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1t dried
salt
2 quarts water
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped medium
2 onions, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped medium
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pepper

Directions
1. Bring peas, ham hocks, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and water to a simmer for an hour in a large dutch oven or heavy pot.  Cook for one hour.
2. Stir in carrots, onions and celery.  Continue to simmer until peas have soften and are broken down. 25-35 minutes.
3. Remove hocks.  When they are cool enough to handle remove any fat skin and bones and separate meat I shred mine and add to soup.  (if your hocks or shanks do not have much meat on them add deli ham.  You can buy it sliced 1/2 inch thick  about 6 ounces then chop up into small chunks.
OR  you can put all ingredients at the same time into the crock pot and leave it for 4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on low!!  How simple is that!

Note:  if you read the label on split peas it always reads sort and wash peas.  I would rinse mine, but never would I sort them..  what did they want me to sort.  It seemed pointless and and extra step I didn't want to take the time.   While I was researching my recipe before I made this soup, I was reading in my  America's Test Kitchen Cookbook that often there are small rocks or pebbles in the peas.... yikes....so I sorted,  who wants to bite into a pebble?... not me... I have expensive teeth.   So guess what I found.... TWO ROCKS!!  well pebbles.  They were easily recognizable as a rock while sorting through.... Moral of the story  if it says sort they is a reason you should sort.  Hopefully you will not find anything, but on times you do you will be glad you sorted.

I got this recipe from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook.  It happens to be exactly my moms recipe as well that she has been cooking for 30 years.   But a side note I LOVE this cookbook,  it has so many helpful hints and tells you why you should do something what the technique is behind it.  You learn so much while reading it.   I often find myself curled up on the couch reading this book.  They also have gadget reviews and recommendations.  I think this is a must have cookbook.  I think you all should have one too!!!  One lucky reader will receive one courtesy of me. I am new to this food blog and I have received so much love and support and I would like to thank you all!!

     This is my first giveaway here on The Very Hungry Caterpillar so please help to make it successful so we can do more.

• All you have to do is leave me comment and tell me what your favorite soup is.
• You can leave additional comments for extra chances to win:
• if you are a follower, 
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• post about my giveaway on your blog or facebook page

  Good luck!! 
  All entries must be submitted by Thursday January 13th.   Please leave your email if your profile doesn't have a way to contact you when you win.