Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 16 ounces dried green split peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups diced ham
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 8 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced, plus extra for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place dried split peas, ham, potatoes, carrots, and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour in chicken broth. Stir in bay leaf and parsley. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours (or on high for 4 to 5 hours). Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Tips, Tricks, & Variations

You can shred your carrots if you prefer less noticeable bites of carrot that practically melt into the soup. 
The amount of liquid in this recipe should be more than sufficient, but any time you cook a dried bean recipe in the crock pot for the first time, you'll want to check your water/broth level every once in awhile to make sure too much hasn't been soaked up by your beans/peas. If it has, just add more water/broth and stir. Some crock pots run hotter than others.