Simple Ham-Bone Soup

We had a ham bone left after we ate our Easter dinner (I used this recipe for the ham, though with cider in place of the juice and my own homemade blackberry jam). It's been sitting unlabeled in our freezer, looking less and less like anything I'd ever want to eat. Today started out beautiful, but has turned cold and rainy, so what better time for an impromptu soup? I wasn't planning to make it, so it was all things scrounged from the pantry/fridge/freezer - finally, the ham bone has a chance to shine.

Split Pea Soup
adapted from Charleston Receipts

• a meaty ham bone (ours was frozen, and I just chucked it in without defrosting it)
• 1 package green or yellow split peas (presumably this is supposed to be a 1-pound package; I just added the split peas I had in a jar - a little shy of 2 C of yellow ones)
• 3 quarts water
• 1/2 C chopped celery
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients other than salt and pepper to large pot. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until peas have disintegrated (2-3 hours; time depends on freshness of peas and whether you've pre-soaked them). Add salt and pepper.

serves 8