Spicy Split Pea Soup

Rinse the peas in a strainer and transfer to a 4-qt slow cooker. Add the chicken stock and garlic and set the cooker to low.

In a saute pan over medium heat, brown and crumble the sausage with a tiny bit of oil. Keep breaking apart the sausage until it’s small enough to encounter in a spoonful of soup. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage into the slow cooker.

Saute the onions and green pepper in the oil left behind by the sausage. Onions should be reddish yellow, translucent. Peppers should be softened. Transfer the vegetables along with the oil and fat into the slow cooker.

Add the dry seasonings. Fluid level in the pot should be a little higher than the solid matter. Add a little more water or stock if it’s short. Let cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 hours, until the peas are mushy. Taste to adjust seasoning while stirring.

Transfer 4 ladles of soup (about 1/3 of the whole volume) into a blender and puree. Return the puree to the crock pot and stir thoroughly.

Goes well with crusty bread.