Jude wrote:

> I'm not findinf a lot of inspiration for dinner tonight. I'm in the
> mood for a nic thick hot soup, so I'm going to do split pea with
> homemade croutons on top. I'm tired of the sup/salad combo; we've had
> several big yummy salads this week. What should I serve alongside? (no
> mean please) I was thinking of maybe some kind of fruit salad, but of
> course bieng winter the options are limited. The apples this week were
> all soft and icky, othersie I'd be thinking about Waldorf Salad.
>
> Maybe some kind of barley pilaf with stock and nuts would go well. Hm
> Help me out here!
>

I'd nix the croutons and serve the soup in a multi-grain bread bowl
sitting on a bed of spinach or romain lettuce. Garnish with a mini
dollop of sour cream for accent. The remainding insides and top of the
bread bowls can be used for dipping if desired. This in itself would be
a hearty meal sans salad. If you really want a salad make a robust one
to bring out the flavour of the soup. Perhaps a spinach salad to echo
the base under the bowl. Simple and easy, spinach salad would really do
it with very little effort and the bacon would echo the ham flavour in
the soup. I would go lighter for dessert after such a robust meal. A
small bowl of vanilla ice cream topped with just a wee bit of cream de
mint and garnished with a mint leaf comes to mind *even* though none of
the desert would echo the main meal.