What a great recipe!…as she pats herself on the back.  I can’t take 100% of the credit just about 50%   (oh so smug!).

I was in the pantry today doing a check before going to the grocery store.  I saw 1/2 a bag each of yellow and green split peas. Eureka!  There’s dinner.  Split Pea Soup.

I did a perusal in a few of my cookbooks and decided on “1001 Low-Fat Soups and Stews” as my guide.  Of course I changed the original recipe and the result was a thick, filling, garden flavorful stew.  A one pot meal.  I used Vegetarian “Ham” Substitute instead of a ham bone, however, the directions below WILL work for you if you eat meat and want to use a ham bone. 

Garden Split Pea Soup

• 1/2 bag (1/2 lb) Yellow Split Peas
• 1/2 bag (1/2 lb) Green Split Peas (or use 1 lb green split peas instead of yellow)
• 5.5 oz Vegetarian ham substitute cut into slices or chunks (or use 1 meaty ham bone*just remember to remove the ham bone before adding the vegetables)
• 1 Quart Vegetable Broth
• 1 1/2 Quarts Water
• 1 red onion large chop
• pinch of clove
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 leek, sliced (white part only)
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 3 ribs celery sliced
• 1 lb Parsnips peeled and small slice
• 2 Plum tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes halved
• 2 cloves minced garlic

Put the peas, “ham”, broth, water, onion, clove, thyme, and bay leaf in a pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer 1 3/4 hours.

After 1 3/4 hours, add the rest of the ingredients and let simmer 40 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.   Enjoy!

What’s for dessert?   Nothing in this house but somewhere, sometime tomorrow….

A Cake For Sam.  I made a white cake, vanilla frosting filling with French vanilla frosting. Elmo is everyone’s friend.   Yay!

Winter got to me yesterday. My mood was foul.  It also seemed like the longest day in history.  However, some things did get accomplished.

1. I made the Spinach Artichoke Dip Bread using the left over dip from CEimB Thursday night dinner.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Bread

The crust was a bit hard and I would add a TBS of oil but it did turn out quite tasty with a large, open crumb. 

Using the bread maker, set on basic setting.

• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup Left over Spinach/Artichoke dip
• 2 TBS Dry Milk
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups flour
• 1 TBS yeast

Next came Split Pea Soup.  This turned out excellent using the soy “bacon” and a mix of green and yellow split peas.  I’ve created a recipe page for this soup. It’s a keeper.

Split pea soup topped with wild rice, feta, and a toasted slice of Spinach Artichoke bread

Split pea soup is not very photogenic.

After making those two tasty items, I lit some candles and read my current good read “The Making of a Chef” by Michael Ruhlman.

I then FINALLY took in the soldier, snowman, and tree from outside. They were Christmas decorations that have been buried in snow. The weather was warmer yesterday (45 degrees) so it allowed the digging out of buried chords, etc.

Vacuuming to follow since I was stomping through the house with dirty boots. 

Of course Shane wanted play time in the snow.  He wouldn’t give up the ball so that didn’t last long.

I voiced my disappointment with not having a dinner Friday and suggested we stop at the Turning Stone for a  few dollars of fun then to dinner at Charlotte’s Creekside Inn.  That’s when the day turned thoroughly delightful.  We BOTH won at the Turning Stone. We BOTH had a fabulous dinner.

Tuscan Greens and Beans Soup -complementary due to the chef being behind on his orders

Italian Greens Appetizer: Escarole, hot cherry peppers, bread crumbs, cheese.....

Tuscany Style Haddock on a bed of broccoli and topped with Spinach with a Sun Dried tomato sauce

Sunday Omelet