Split Pea Soup

Great for winter nights or for soup parties! Preheat a large pot on med/low and coat the bottom with olive oil. Dice a med. onion, 3-4 stalks of celery, and 2 carrots (salt and pepper to taste) and saute until soft. Look at the back of the package or your dried split peas for cooking time and prep. I like the soup thick so I also dice up 1 russet potato (peeled) and add that with about 1 quart of liquid. I use chicken or vegetable stock for the liquid (you can use water and add more salt and pepper, or bullion cubes). Also with the liquid add a few diced up strips of bacon (you can use ham or pancetta too), and tie together a few sprigs of fresh thyme, Italian parsley, bay leaves, and oregano so you can easily remove it later. Simmer all of this for at least 2 hours and then use a hand blender/mixer to puree some of it to make it a creamier consistency. for a richer touch, you can add sour cream and croutons and chives to the bowl before serving. Some other additions to spice it up a bit: Add some curry or cumin with your liquid.
If you want this to last all day, transfer to a slow cooker on set to low so people can help themselves to warm soup any time.