Tasty Tuesday: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

I'm in love with my slow cooker.  So much so, I have two of them, and am considering getting a third one. Here's one of my family's favorite recipes.  The soup freezes really well, and is so wonderful, warm and filling on a cold winter day.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

1 pound split, dried peas, rinsed and sorted
1 ham hock (you know, the bone in the ham, with all the little bits of meat hanging onto it)
8 cups water
2 carrots diced
1 small onion cut up
1 stalk celery cut up
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine everything in the slow cooker, and cook  on HIGH for 2 hours.  Take out ham hock, cut the meat off the bone, and add the meat back to the soup.  Let cook for another 1/2 hour.

Serve with crust bread and lots of butter.  Yummy.  Winter comfort food!