Bellingham winters are usually grey and rainy, but today we got 6 inches of snow! And everything shut down.

It reminds me of being snowed in at our family cabin in northern California. My mom would make a version of split pea soup that made everything in the world seem right. There is nothing like hearty soup on a snow day, so I decided to pull out this classic easy split pea soup recipe. Rich, smokey, sweet, everything you need for a cozy evening by the fire.

Again, this soup starts with the classic base of sauteed onion, celery, carrot. I probably buy a package of Hempler's bacon once every 6 months, and freeze it in tin foil, taking out small pieces to chop up for soup seasoning. Bacon is not the healthiest choice, but a tablespoon of chopped bacon in this soup is no big deal, adds a lot of favor, and is of course totally optional. Many other split pea soup recipes will call for 1 1/2 - 2 pounds of ham hock, here I opt for a lighter version.

EASY SPLIT PEA SOUP:

YIELD: 8 servings TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
1/2 small piece of Hempler's bacon, chopped
1/4 cup sherry
2/3 pound smoked ham hocks
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t ground pepper
2 cup green split peas
8 cups water
2 cups stock

METHOD:

Heat olive oil and butter in large pot or Dutch Oven, over medium heat and saute onion, celery, carrot, bacon until soft, 10 minutes.
Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup sherry and simmer until nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes [this step optional].
Add smoked ham hocks, oregano, basil, pepper, split peas, water and stock.
Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer, covered, for 60-70 minutes.
Garnish with dollop of sour cream and parsley if desired. Even better when eaten in a snowy cabin by the fire

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Calories 273 / Carbs 26g / Fiber 11g / Fat 9.7g / Sat Fat 3.1g/ Protein 19.7g / Sodium 225mg / Sugar 4g High in Vitamin A and Iron.