Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Rosemary Ham and Sweet Potato Bread

BOOYA!! Made these yesterday to rave reviews from my peeps!!

For the soup:
1 package (16 oz.) dried green split peas, rinsed
1 package Rosemary* ham (Trader Joe's), cut or hand torn into small pieces, or 2 cups cubed 
     fully cooked ham (and add 1 t. fresh rosemary* leaves snipped, or 1/2 dried, crushed)
1 large sweet* onion, chopped
1 cup julienned or chopped organic* carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. fresh thyme sprigs*, or 1/2 t. dried
1 carton (32 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf (from my farm*)
2 cups water
Italian herbs* and grated Parmesan*
Cider vinegar*
Lemon pepper*

For the bread:
Cooking spray
1 package Marie Callendar's Sweet Potato Muffin mix
1 egg
6 T. butter, melted
3/4 cup 2%* milk
1/4 t. nutmeg*
1/4 t. cinnamon*
Butter*
Sugar in the Raw*

To make the soup: Put ingredients up to Italian herbs and Parmesan in the crock pot. Cook on high 1 hour* then on low 8-10 or until the peas are soft. Put a splash of cider vinegar* in each bowl and sprinkle with lemon pepper*. Editor's note, this is a French touch to any bean or legume soup*.

To make the bread: Preheat oven to 375. Spray a square baking dish. Melt butter, and put it into a med. mixing bowl. Add egg and milk. Combine. Add mix, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir to combine well. Bake til top is set. Take out and rub butter on top, and sprinkle with Sugar in the Raw*. Put back in oven and cook til a toothpick comes out clean. 18-20 mins. total. Watch!! This almost tastes like crème brulee, I swear*!! Let cool 10 mins. before cutting.

"Friends get better with age."

Have FUN today, and stay dry!!!

Love,

MM