Grinch Soup aka Split Pea

Watching Christmas movies is another one of our family traditions.  

Everyone in the family has their favorite and we try to watch them all… every year.  My husband loves It’s a Wonderful Life, my son is partial to Home Alone, my daughters like The Santa Clause and I enjoy just having everyone together.  But the ONE movie we all agree has to be the first Christmas movie of the season is…

The Grinch!

I remember watching the cartoon as a child, then with my children and of course the book is a “classic”.  When the movie came out we loved it and it immediately became a family tradition.  

The Grinch is a lumpy, bumpy, ugly green creature whose heart is two sizes too small.  He experiences kindness and love from a little girl who sees beyond his ugly exterior and becomes a warm, loving person himself.  

That’s why I named this soup “Grinch Soup”.  It’s really Split Pea, but it reminds me of the Grinch because it’s lumpy, bumpy, green and if you can get past the unattractive exterior you can see it for the warm comfort food that it is.  

It definitely fits into the “Ugly Duckling” category and it’s another one of Grandma’s Recipes.  Hopefully, you won’t think “I wouldn’t touch it with a ten-and-a-half foot pole!”  My husband loves it!

Here’s the Recipe:

• 1 lb package dry split peas
• 1 whole carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 small onion, cut in half
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 5 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ham bone

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low 10-12 hrs or high 5-6 hrs

Remove bay leaf and onion

Remove ham bone and chop any meat that has fallen off bone and return to soup

Stir, it will be very thick

Serve with crackers or warm bread.