Split Pea Soup, February 22, 2016

I will never understand how my wife can love split pea soup, but hate lentil soup. She hates anything lentil, while I love lentils. One of my favorite things we ate when I was a kid was lentil pilaf. She thinks they taste like dirt! Anyhow, I am grateful she loves split pea soup, at least. Last night, I was especially pleased because she declared of my pea soup, "This tastes like my dad's!" Her dad was an excellent cook of a wide variety of things. He loved to really get fancy and make Beef Wellington and other classic 1960s special occasion dishes. He was also extraordinarily adept at Southern comfort food, dishes like biscuits and gravy, having been raised poor in Kentucky coal mining country. In their household, Jeannene's dad was the primary cook, although her mom made a mean pecan pie and excelled at fried chicken. The first meal of Travis' I ate was Easter dinner and I was impressed. I somehow never got to have his soup, though. Maybe it wasn't special enough for company?

Anyway, I sliced up a couple of pears and made a batch of spoon rolls to go with my soup. What a cozy, yummy dinner!

Split Pea Soup

1/4 lb. bacon, chopped 

2 potatoes, peeled & chopped

2 carrots, peeled & chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, peeled & chopped

64 oz. chicken broth (I like the low-sodium kind)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb. split peas

Cook the bacon in a soup pot until crisp. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Cook veggies in bacon fat for a few minutes. Add broth and salt. Bring to a boil. Add split peas and cooked bacon. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer an hour or so. Serves 6. 

Spoon Rolls

1 envelope yeast

2 c. lukewarm water

4 c. self-rising flour

1/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix yeast and water in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add the other ingredients and mix well. Place in well-greased muffin tins. Bake about 20 minutes, until golden. Makes 2 dozen.