Split Pea and Ham Soup

One of my favorites but Mark won't eat it so feel free to comment below with your rating on the NOM scale! This is also another recipe that I made up so all measurements on spices are approximate and to taste.

olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 large onion, diced
6 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups dried split peas (green is more traditional but you can also use yellow)
1 ham steak, diced
2-4 splashes Liquid Smoke, to taste
1 tablespoon chicken flavored Better than Bouillon
2 tablespoons Marjoram
1 Bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
8 cups water

1. heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven, cook the garlic and the onions in the oil until the onions are tender, add carrots and cook for about 3-5 minutes
2. Add peas, ham, seasonings and water and bring to a boil, turn the heat to about medium low and simmer for approximately 40 minutes or until the peas are tender

This is an incredibly easy recipe to make and you can easily customize this to your tastes. I like adding the Liquid Smoke because it definitely helps add a smoky flavor to it and if you want to make this as a vegetarian soup I definitely recommend using the Liquid Smoke to help lend it a more complex flavor.