I just kind of MADE this. Because I did not have all the ingredients I wanted for Split Pea Soup. It made a very thin savory and brothy soup that thickened as it cooled to a stew-like consistency. It is not pasty like most Split Pea Soup.

Get out that Instant Pot.

(Ok, so you can do this in a crock pot if you wish but it will take about 24 hours on high, with lots of stirring.)

• 1 lb dried split peas
• 4 qts water

Into the pot they go.

Run this on a long and hot bean cycle. My Midea has settings by the kind of food, so I don't have times and pressures, I just know this goes for the longest bean setting, and the highest pressure.

You should end up with split peas that are COMPLETELY DISSOLVED. They should be cooked until there is NO SHAPE left.

Throw in:

• 3/4 cups dried leeks, OR 1 small chopped leek (sub chopped green onion if you wish)
• 1/2 cup dried celery OR 1/3 of a bunch of celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried carrots or 2 large shredded carrots
• 1/2 tsp dried curled parsley
• about 8 good shakes of Redmond Real Salt Seasoning Salt
• a good sprinkling of sea salt (you can salt to taste later, but peas absorb salt)
• 1 lb or more finely chopped ham with the broth (can sub breakfast sausage, smoked sausage or other meat)
• 2 TBSP or more real bacon bits or 1/4 lb bacon (add the fat if you wish, I didn't have it)
• 1 stick butter

Run it again on the same cycle. No, it really won't burn, it is too thin. IMPORTANT! The vegetables need to be cooked really well, so go ahead and let it go long.

You'll end up with a really thin soup, which will thicken a lot as it cools. It thickens so much that by tomorrow it will be a medium thick Pea Soup that rounds up on the spoon.

You can pressure can this recipe, it is a thin enough soup to work well.