"Nicky" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:55:15 -0500, "Evelyn" >
> wrote:
>
>
>>I added a couple of packages of dried split peas, some chopped carrots,
>>garlic, celery, onion, parsnip and potato, and it made a great tasting pot
>>of soup. I used my wand blender to puree the whole thing when it was
>>done.
>>While the soup was cooking I deboned the Ham, and the larger chunks were
>>sliced and served with dinner, the smaller stuff chopped and added back
>>into
>>the pea soup.
>>
>>I still have quite a bit left, for ham salad, breakfast, lunches,
>>whatever.
>
> Mmmm! I love ham. We finished the Christmas one yesterday, and I still
> have a lot of the broth in the freezer : )


Ham is always such a bonus, because the leftovers and the broth is so
useful. If I get a low salt ham, I will bake it serve it, and whatever is
left after slicing off what we want, will go into a pot (still on the bone)
to make ham barley soup. I will put a bag of barley, carrots, parsnips,
celery (with the leaves), onions, a diced potato, a bay leaf, and cook it
till the barley is soft and tender. Remove the ham bone, and take off all
the bits of meat, chop them and add them back to the soup. It is so
delicious that everyone loves it. Most of the time people make pea or
lentil or other type of bean soup from a ham bone, but ham-barley soup is
wonderful too.

I have a great trick when I make any soup; whenever I boil carrots or onions
or potatoes, I save the water I cooked those veggies in, in any old junky
containers and mark them "soup water". Then when I make soup I pop all
those big ice cubes of veggie water into the pot rather than adding tap
water. It makes a much more flavorful soup.

This time of year is really soup weather, and it is a good way to get lots
of good healthy vegetables into your family. I always make a huge pot and
freeze the containers of soup for later use. That way there is always a
variety to choose from. About an hour before lunchtime I take out one
frozen container and put it into a pot on a VERY low heat. By the time
lunchtime rolls around, the soup is hot and ready to serve.

--
--
Best Regards,
Evelyn

Rest in a sky-like mind.
Sit like a mountain floating on the earth.
Breathe like the wind circling the world