Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Tasty Tuesday: Pa's Pea Soup!

This recipe was written by my father many years ago and given to my mother's cousin Mildred, or Silly Milly, as she was often called. After my father's death, she sent me the original version which he had typed up for her on his trusty Woodstock. In her letter, she asked that I never let it be lost, and since the internet is forever, here it is.

I have transcribed it exactly as he wrote it, (including his footnote) but it loses a little something for not being on the original paper, which has yellowed with time but still reflects the force with which he would strike the keys. A much more accurate typist than I am, there's not a single mistake on the page.

Not being as big a fan of country ham as Pa was, I prefer to use regular ham chunks with little or no fat. Plus, I like to serve it with grated cheese on top, which thickens the soup like magic when you stir it up.

However you make it, it's an unbeatable tummy warmer for a cold night.

Enjoy!

SPLIT PEA SOUP

(Made in a 3 1/2 quart crockpot)

4 cups split peas
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 shakes of Cayenne pepper
1 to 2 cups chopped onion
Country Ham - as desired **
When all ingredients are in crockpot, fill with water to within 1" of top and cook on "low" about 6 hours or until peas are as soft as you like.

**Since I'm on a low fat diet, I only use about a 2" x 3" slice of Hickory Mountain ham with all fat removed. I use scissors to cut it into narrow strips and cut the strips into little cubes and fry it before putting in crockpot. Obviously, more and fatter country ham will improve the flavor, but I make some concessions in the interest of longevity.

17 comments:

  1. That soup sounds delicious. I really need to start cooking all the recipes you've posted on here Cheryl XD

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  2. I love a good split-pea soup--and I'm gonna try your recipe, mixed with my own one. Back when I lived with a wood stove, I always had a pot of beans simmering away on the back of the stove, and I learned to love all the things you can do with legumes of all sorts. They're healthy, cheap, and truly satisfying.
    In't it wonderful to have recipes that are passed along in your family??!

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  3. Thanks for sharing your family recipe with us. I love that you can use them and feel the love of the person that gave it to you even though they may no longer be with us. And yes...I too think that the old paper and handwriting, or in this case, typewriting adds something to it :)

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  4. Morning Girls!

    I love all types of soups but there is just something about a split pea soup that never fails to make my mouth water. Yumm!!! Thanks for sharing it Cheryl I’ll make it this weekend for my family. They’ve been complaining recently about missing my cooking.

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  5. Oh, that sounds (and LOOKS) delicious! I love recipes that other people have written out for me, especially the ones my gramma has given me. Makes them more special, I think:-)

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  6. Good morning, ladies!
    It's cold and rainy here in Indiana, and a good time for some pea soup! I just so happen to have some leftover in the fridge all ready to go.

    I love making soup. I love the way you can take anything you happen to have on hand, put it in a pot, spice it up, and let it simmer all day and it will taste like something you slaved over.

    I've done a little cooking on the woodstove, too, Suzy. I rescued an old dutch oven that the Boy Scouts didn't even want (mainly because it has a smooth bottom rather than feet) cleaned it up and reseasoned it and it's great for cooking on the woodstove. It's rustic and homey and just looking at it makes me feel good.

    Another thing I like about soup is that you can mix the leftovers together, add some new seasoning, and it tastes like a whole new dish.

    Some of my best recipes came from my family. Whether they invented them or not, they are still the source, which makes them family recipes and well worth passing on, whether to my own sons or to my online "family." It gives me great joy to share them with you and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

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  7. This is special recipe. I will enjoy making it. It brings back good memories and it warms your heart and tummy. Yummylicious!!!

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  8. Mmmmm! That does sound good! When my grandmother died, my sister took a bag of her recipes (literally a black trash bag full) to organize and keep for prosperity. Many of them were recipes my granny had cut out of the newspaper or magazines but there were several that were hand written or at least had her notes about changes she might have made to the recipe. Unfortunately, her recipe for Devils Food Cake (from scratch) was not in the pile, nor was the one for her Prune Cake, which probably sounds gross to most, but I can honestly tell you was simply delicious!

    Thanks for sharing Cheryl! And it's a crack pot recipe to boot, love a one dish meal!

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  9. Hi Cheryl. I have to admit I have never had pea soup. I don't like peas so I figure I proably won't like them in soup either.
    But I do love when you share your recipes because even if I don't eat pea soup I know friends who do and I can pass on your recipe!
    Hope you're having a great day!

    By the way...I have an interesting post about my Christmas list to Santa on my blog today. *grins*

    :o)

    MsM

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  10. MsMoonlight, your blog post today is hilarious. Excellant choice for your one and only Christmas gift from Santa.

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  11. hehehe, thanks Sharon! Glad you liked it, I had a whole lotta fun creating it.

    :o)

    MsM

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  12. Thanks, Donna. I hope you enjoy it!

    Lisa,
    The trouble with grandmothers is that they make things from scratch and never write down how they do it! I have a friend whose grandmother won't let anyone watch her make her famous mashed potatoes, so that recipe will probably die with her someday.

    MsM,
    The funny thing about pea soup is that it isn't a bit like eating peas, which I don't particularly like, either.

    Loved your blog today, BTW. Too funny!

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  13. Oh Ms. M, You have the best Christmas list. One for all the Cougars in us.
    We always go to Pannekouken for Dutch Pea Soup. When My Daughter was Married to Nork from Enidhoven, Netherlands. First Christmas and New Years he spent with us in States he made Traditional Pea Soup. He always said. It's made right if the spoon stands up. Sorry, Honey, that was way to thick for me. And for New Years he made these Deep fried Fruit Balls. "Ollebollen" Kinda a Fruity Doughnut rolled in sugar. That was Yummy.
    Oh dear. Now I'm hungry.

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  14. Thanks Cheryl. That music video "Howl" over on Kendra's blog today reminded me of our "Mia's Men" story - that song would go well with it.

    :o)

    MsM

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  15. Question? How the heck did we start with Pea Soup recipe and moved to Mia's Men with Sexy Horny Wolves singing and Howling at the Moon? LOL!!!
    Somebody is on some serious cold medicine. I'd like some of that!

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  16. Donna, I am sitting at my PC LMAO at your last post. Just when I thought you couldn't outdo yourself, you did.

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  17. I'll second that, Sharon. It could only happen here....

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