Split Pea Soup

It has been a long cold weekend.  My brother passed this weekend and I spent most of the weekend in his house.  While there, I found that he had half of a smoked pork shoulder in his refrigerator.  And if there was one thing that everyone will tell you, he was a great cook.  I took it home both because I didn't want it to go to waste and because it was one last chance to have his cooking.  A friend posted that he was making split pea soup, which is usually made with ham or a ham hock.  I thought, what better way to use this pork shoulder, so this morning, I put together a split pea soup in the crockpot using the shoulder.  I just tasted it and it is so very lovely!  A fitting tribute to my brother who I miss so much!

Smoked Pork Split Pea Soup

• 2 cups smoked pork shoulder, diced to 1/2' cubes
• 16 oz yellow split peas, rinsed and sorted
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp tumeric
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups good chicken stock

Layer all ingredients into the bowl of a crockpot in the order given, ending with the chicken stock.  Cook, covered, on High for 4-5 hours, or until the peas and carrots are cooked.  Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Kapusta soup

The nice thing about marrying someone from a different background is the opportunity to learn how to cook their favorite foods.  My husband's family is Ukrainian, so I have been having quite an adventure learning to cook pyrohy (pierogies), holubtsi (stuffed cabbage) and kapusta soup (saurkraut soup).  We received a medium head of green cabbage in the CSA package this week.  I also had some onions remaining from the last package and a jar of saurkraut, so it is the perfect opportunity to make kapusta soup the way John's grandma used to do it.

Kapusta Soup

Makes 24 1-cup servings

4 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter, divided
1 medium head green cabbage, coarsley chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 32-oz jar saurkraut
64 oz fat free chicken broth
1 cup dry yellow split peas

In a large Dutch oven, melt 1/4 cup butter.  Add sliced onions and garlic and cook until onions are softened and transleucent.  Add chopped cabbage and continue cooking until cabbage is bright green.  Add saurkraut and 32 oz chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until cabbage is cooked.

In the meantime, bring other 32 oz chicken broth to boil in a medium saucepan.  Add peas and boil at a medium boil for 1 1/2 hours or until peas are cooked.  Add cooked peas and 4 cups water to cabbage mixture and stir well.

Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 2 per 1-cup serving.

This is my second time making this soup and this time it turned out really good.  I am taking a bunch to my husband this weekend, but I will have plenty to enjoy all week as well.  Can't wait!

I also finally thawed the breakfast sausages I got with my second package.  They have a nice flavor.  I will be enjoying those with my breakfasts this week as well.