Pea Soup

Ingredients:

2 ham hocks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 pound green split peas
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 32-ounces containers low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

Rince the ham hocks. Place them in a stockpot or Dutch oven along the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer ham hocks to a plate and let cool. When the meat is cool enough to handle, chop or shred it and return it to the soup. Ladle and enjoy :)

Also, this can be frozen......for up to three months. Just thaw it overnight and warm the soup in a covered sauce pan for 15 minutes on medium-low. You can add up to 1 cup of water if it seems too thick.