Busy Day Split Pea Soup

I've been making this split pea soup for years. It's amazingly easy to make. We are talking five minutes of prep time...And you can leave it alone for hours. I am always surprised at how flavorful cooked split peas are--this soup needs very little seasoning other than salt and pepper and maybe a few small pinches of garlic powder and onion powder. Pork neck bones also enhance the flavor, and I'm pretty sure that eating this soup counts as consuming "bone broth" which is all the rage right now. You can use fresh garlic, of course, but who wants the smell of garlic on their hands when heading out the door on a busy morning? This is an easy soup that you just throw together and it comes out great!

Ingredients:

1 bag of yellow or green split peas
2 pork neckbones
2 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 of a medium sized onion, diced
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 cups of water
1 to 2 teaspoons of salt (to taste)

Directions:

Rinse split peas in a colander (strainer.)

Place all ingredients except for the salt in a crock pot or whatever other brand of slow cooker.

Cook on low for 8 or 9 hours. Soup is done when it thickens and the pork is falling off of the bones.

Stir in salt to taste, adding a little at a time.

Remove bones and allow soup to cool a little before serving. It will thicken a little more upon standing. In fact, it will be "as thick as pea soup."

Busy Day Split Pea Soup made with yellow split peas

Serve with bread or crackers for a more complete meal.