Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup - Love it or Hate it?

Ham is always the main side dish to whatever my family is having on Thanksgiving or Christmas. There's always a turkey on T-day and usually a side ham. If my mom cooks prime rib for Christmas, there's usually a ham on the side. (It's like we can't quite fully commit to the ham.) And the leftover ham usually ends up in my dad's post-holiday split pea soup.

No really, how do you photograph split pea soup to make it look good? Where's Emily when I need her?

I LOVE split pea soup! Its salty, yummy greanness coats my mouth with perfection as I drink it in. And I love the little surprises that emerge from the green goo - "Doh, there's a carrot!" But I know every third person who reads this is upchucking a little bit at that description because split pea soup is a curse on food and should only be fed to prisoners serving a life sentence.

Nonetheless, I'm taking a risk today and posting a recipe I did for slow cooker split pea soup in honor of the season of ham; my dad, who passed down to me a taste for the green stuff, and because it's too damn easy not to make during such a frenzied, busy holiday season.

I have one confession: I made this particular split pea with bacon because a) everything's better with bacon and b) I'm still waiting to have my Christmas ham. So round two will be coming later this month...

Enjoy! (or vomit, whatever.)

Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup
My best guess for measurements:

6.5 cups water/chicken stock (I used about half water/half stock)
1 (16 ounce) package dried split peas
1 teaspoon salt (but I ended up salting and peppering more later on)
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 large red potatoes, cut up
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
Leftover ham chunks or cooked bacon

Mix all ingredients in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 8 to 10 hrs or on high heat 6 to 7 hours until peas are tender. Stir well before serving. Kelly's profound feedback was that "It needs a roll." I hate it when he's right...so don't forget (like I did) to serve it up with something bready and carby-good like focaccia.

Note: It's really hard to mess up split pea soup. There are two main things that could go wrong: liquid amount and over-salting. I like split pea soup thick and chunky (more like stewp) so instead of using 8 cups liquid like the original recipe suggested, I cut it back. I also like it pretty salty but the key is to start with your base salt and taste test as the peas break down. Stir, taste, salt. Repeat if needed. Done.

Mmm chunky...

Proof the toddler tried it and liked it, although his sinuses are plugged right now so this is debatable.