Our main staple in our home during the winter, and spring and fall, is soup. Hearty soups. Full meal soups usually with as many food groups as possible.

I usually make these soups in the crock pot, but I was unorganized this morning and didn't begin cooking until noon, so today I made my soup on the stove top.

First off, let me confess that I really did try to get a 'pretty' photo of the finished soup, but there just wasn't much hope with bad lighting (it was dark) combined with pea green... You'll have to forgive me for the unappetizing appearance of the bowl of soup above. I promise you it tasted MUCH better then it looks.

First, the water. I usually fill my pot or crock pot over half full. I don't really measure this. We have 7 in our family, so I try to make enough for one full meal, seconds if they want it, and possibly enough for lunch the next day. If I'm sure everyone will want more, I'll fill the pot 3/4's full, being sure to leave enough room for all the additions to the soup. I put the water on to boil and begin adding everything else. If I'm using a crock pot, I put it on high and add everything else the same way.

Then I add a soup 'base'. I cheat this way. I really enjoy the taste of the soup base I use and I am sure to check my labels and only buy soup base that I can actually read. You'll have to use what you feel good about. This is my little cheat and it's the base of almost all my soups, whether I'm using chicken soup base or beef soup base.

I simply add soup base by 'instinct' but the package will usually give you a good guide line to follow depending on how much soup you're wanting to make.

I stir the water until the soup base disolves.

Then I grab my bag of dried split peas.

Because I knew I would be sharing the recipe, I actually measured out how much I put in this time. lol

I poured in about 4 cups of the split peas.

Then I added some cubed ham. Every time we eat ham, I make sure I cook up extra, then I cube some and put it in the freezer for future pea or bean soups. This was still frozen when I put it in because I hadn't pulled it out last night like I meant to. It worked out fine though.

Then I chopped up some celery, especially the leafy parts.

Then I chopped up some onion. About 1/3 to 1/2 a large onion.

Thew them both in the pot.

Then I added about a 1/2 teaspoon of celery salt.

Stirred everything up real good, and this is what it looked like.

Now, I simply put the lid on and let it boil for a bit. I stir it once in a while to make sure nothing gets stuck to the bottom of the pot. Once I feel it's boiled long enough, and everything is beginning to soften, then I put it on low and let it simmer for the rest of the afternoon.

Be sure to stir it occasionally, especially stirring up the bottom or it can get stuck there. This is why I usually make my soups in the crock pot because I can simply turn it on, and leave it for the whole day. When I want to make my soup in the crock pot though, I need to be more organized and begin first thing in the morning.

In the meantime, while I got the soup ready, 'Beth' made lunch.

Today for lunch she made herself a grilled cheese sandwich and 2 fried eggs.   

Sia made up some bread in the bread maker to go along with the soup. We always have bread, or buns, preferably fresh, with our soup, and always with butter.

One day, I hope to be grinding our own grains to make true fresh bread.