Ingredients

Preparation time: 15 minutes plus cooking time
Yield: About 8 servings

2 cups split peas or lentils
8-9 cups water
Turkey carcass, 2 hamhocks or 2 cups ham, cubed
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery and celery leaves, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sugar
Dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
Croutons or Parmesan cheese

Directions

Wash and soak split peas or lentils; cook according to package directions.

Drain peas; reserve liquid. Add enough water to reserved liquid to make 8-9 cups. Return peas to stock and add turkey carcass, hamhocks or ham; simmer 2 1/2-3 hours. Remove carcass or hamhocks; piece meat and return to stock with onion, celery and carrot. Cover and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Season with garlic, bay leaf, sugar, cayenne pepper and thyme; cook additional 30 minutes. Garnish with croutons or Parmesan cheese.

Each serving with ham contains 263 calories; 7 gm fat; 70 mg sodium; 54 mg cholesterol.