Chipotle Split Pea Soup

I love Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce. Whenever I see a recipe with those in it, I think "Whee!" and prepare my taste buds for joy (also for the burn, since I don't have much tolerance for spicy heat). The Chipotle is dried, smoked jalapeno pepper. The Adobo sauce gives the pepper even more of a smoky taste, like barbecue, which is fantastic. These can be found in 7.5 ounce cans in the Mexican section of most stores. In this particular recipe, a Chipotle pepper or two replaces the traditional ham hock. It's a nice twist!

Chipotle Split Pea Soup

2 cups dried split peas
8 cups boiling water
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper, finely cut, to taste
1 TBS low sodium soy sauce
salt to taste

- Simmer the split peas in boiling water until soft, usually about 1 hour (When pot starts boiling to overflowing, lower heat to med-low).
- Add remaining ingredients and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender. Add more water as needed- about 2 cups.
-Serve with oven-warmed crusty bread.