Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

I never liked split pea soup as a kid and it always seemed watery and tasteless to me. Even ones at restaurants didn't taste much better to me. I found this recipe online a while back and I now love split pea soup and so does my whole family, especially my kids which is surprising because it looks like there's vegetables in it. This is very easy to make and has a lot of flavor.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

1 (16 oz.)pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
1 meaty hambone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham (I use ham hocks.)
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf (I don't bother with it anymore.)
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tbs. seasoned salt (I used Lawry's.)
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
6 cups hot water

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given; pour in water. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or on LOW for 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Stir periodically so it doesn't scorch on bottom. Remove bones and bay leaf. Mash peas to thicken more, if desired. (You can add more water to make it desired consistency, if it's too thick.) Freezes well.





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Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork

I wasn't a big pulled-pork fan until I tried this recipe. I used to just make it in the crockpot with store-bought barbecue sauce and it was always too sweet and chemical-tasting. This pulled pork is so delicious because of the homemade barbecaue sauce and the fact that it cooks forever in it's own juices and gets really tender. It's got a little sweetness, a little spice, and a whole lot of yummy goodness!

Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork

1 medium onion, choppped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tbs. sweet paprika
2 tbs. worcestershire sauce
2 tbs. yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt (I used House Seasoning instead of salt and pepper)
1 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
4 lbs. boneless blade roast (fresh pork butt), cut into 4 pieces

1) In a 4 1/2 to 6 quart slow-cooker pot, stir onion, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, paprika, worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper until combined. Add pork to sauce mixture and turn to coat well with sauce.

2) Cover slow cooker with lid and cook pork mixture on low setting as manufacter directs, 8 to 10 hours or until pork is very tender.

3) With tongs, transfer pork to a large bowl. (I put pork in fridge to cool and then pulled the fat off. The recipe doesn't say to do this, but I doubt you want to eat bites of fat. I know I don't!) Then turn setting on slow cooker to high; cover and heat sauce to boiling to thicken and reduce slightly.

4) While sauce boils, with 2 forks, pull pork into shreds. Return shredded pork to slow cooker and toss with sauce to combine. Cover slow cooker and heat through on high setting if necessary.

5) Spoon pork mixture onto bottom of sandwich buns; replace tops of buns.



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