That fresh offering of white stuff this week makes us all start dreaming of warm comfort food to counter the last hoorahs of Old Man Winter!  I would love to hear what food you long for as winter hangs on!

Yesterday, I left for for work with the promise of split pea soup for supper. I brought home the fixings for it the day before from our store, The European Pantry: Saborot split peas, Wagoner’s dry cured bacon and a smoked sausage…gelderse rookworst. All the  ingredients except for the sausage and salt went into the slow cooker:

• 500 gm  split peas
• 2 litres  water
• 1 onion or leek chopped
• 250 gm Wagoner’s dry cured bacon in small pieces
• 1/4 tsp Italian herb mix
• 2 dashed ground pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cups cubed potato  (1 inch pieces)
• 2 carrots scraped and cut into coins
• 1 Gelderse Rookworst Smoked sausage cut in coins added a half hour before serving
• salt to taste

Follow the guidelines of your slow cooker for times.  I started the soup on high and dropped it to low later.  When I came home the bacon was melting into the soup and the peas were so soft I just had to whisk them slightly. Sabarot peas are the secret there.  I have never cooked split peas that dissolve so nicely.  Just a bit of salt and we were bringing our soup bowls up to the pot. Crusty rolls and crackers, a glass of milk…..mmmmmm!!

I would love to hear what Old Man Winter inspired in your kitchens this week!  Or if you are one of our readers in sunnier climes…what are you cooking these days??