Rae's Split Pea Soup

This delicious soup is from my friend Jane's Mom. It's perfect on a fall or winter day. You need some cooked, pureed veggies (I get them from chicken soup like: celery, carrots, onion and maybe parsnip or turnips; About a quart or less. If you don't have any from soup, boil some veggies and puree them! I got between 5-6 quarts with this recipe. Make sure to stir all the way to the bottom of the pot while it's cooking because it could stick and burn!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 10-12
• Yields: 5-6 quarts

Ingredients

• 2  lbs  dried peas, green, split, any brand, rinsed
• 2 (6 ounce) packages  split pea soup mix, Manischewitz is good, reserve seasoning packets
• 1⁄3 cup pearl barley
• 1  tablespoon chicken bouillon granule
• 1  tablespoon sugar
•  pepper, to taste
• 1 -2  teaspoon salt (I use 2 tsp.)
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  quart  vegetables, pureed, reserved from chicken soup, thawed if frozen
• 1 (40 ounce) can chicken broth, College Inn is a good brand, can use 3-4 (10 1/2 oz.)
•  water, if needed (I didn't need it)

Directions

1. Take an 8 quart pot, and add the plain split peas, the split pea soup mixes (but not the seasoning packets), and the pearl barley.
2. Add in 3 quarts of water; bring to a boil with the lid tilted, because it could boil over; once it boils, lower heat to keep at a simmer where the soup "just breaks a bubble.".
3. Cook this on a slow flame, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring often to prevent sticking. It will be thick.
4. Now add the chicken bouillon granules, sugar, pureed reserved vegetables from a previous chicken soup, bay leaf, chicken broth, and the reserved packets from the Manischewitz mixes (mixed with a little water).
5. Add salt and pepper.
6. Continue to cook for another half hour; stirring often.
7. You can add water to the soup if it gets too thick. Mine was perfect.
8. Remove bay leaf and discard.
9. Serve warm or if freezing, let the soup rest, off the burner, and once it cools to a room temperature, you can put it into quart containers to freeze.