Day 3 of Hamogeddon: Split Pea: The Hambone is Connected to What?

This is the final day of our Hammageddon. I can't bear the sight of ham until Easter. I did freeze bags of ham so I can pull it out for breakfast and dinner though. Right after my hubby finished carving the ham, we froze the ham bone. Looking at it you would think there was much more meat than you actually end up with. The meat is dark and tough but becomes tender with the boiling.

Here is my Easy Split Pea Soup

1 ham bone with meat attached

6-8 cups of water
1 pkg split peas rinsed and sorted
2 large carrots chopped into coins
3 medium potatoes peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
1 TSP salt
chicken bouillon or chicken stock mix
salt and pepper

We love the soup here. We only have it twice a year. I added much more than the 6-8 cups of water. As a result it wasn't as thick. But by the magic of refrigeration, it is really thick and perfect today.
Add the ham bone, Bay leaves, water, and salt. Boil for one hour and remove the ham bone. At the same time add the chopped veggies. Slice the ham away from the bone and be sure to discard any fat. Chop into bite sized pieces and return to the soup. Be sure to stir the soup too as the peas may stick to the bottom of the pot. Towards the end of hour two add the chicken bouillon. I am not measuring but I'd say it's about 2TBSP. Taste for salt and pepper and serve with your favorite crackers. Even better the 2nd day!