Better Homes and Garden Split Pea Soup in a Crock Pot

I've gotta whole lot of ham left over from Christmas and no one willing to eat it! I hate to waste food so I decided the only way I was going to get rid of it was to put it in something else. This recipe is perfect for Sunday dinners because I'm home enough that I can just throw things in a crock pot and check on it periodically. With the weather being cold and frosty, this is a great recipe to warm you up on the inside and it takes very little preparation.

One thing you have to note about this recipe is that it needs salt! Throw a few shakes in while it's cooking and be sure to taste and season when it's done. Also, I threw in chunks of ham instead of a ham bone and it made the soup that much more tasty.

Ingredients:

2 & 3/4 cups water
1 & 1/2 cups dry split peas
1 14.5 oz can of chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 ham bone (if you don't have this, throw in some chopped bacon or bits of ham)
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped carrot (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

Preparations:

1. In 4 or 6 quart crock pot, combine peas, ham, spices, carrot, celery and onion.
2. Pour water and broth over over all ingredients. Stir.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. 

Keep an eye on your peas and make sure they don't run dry. You might need to add an additional cup of water towards the end.