Presto Pasta Nights #45: Split Pea/Alphabet Pasta Soup

For the lovely Ruth at Once Upon a Feast's weekly Presto Past Nights blogging event, I made soup. Again. But really, can you ever eat enough soup?  It's filling. It's good for you. It's comforting.  That's a win-win.  This time it's a little difficult to see my pasta so I'll show another pic. 

Not only does this soup have split peas and alphabet pasta in it, it also has yellow and brown lentils, wild rice, and barley. Then, when I made it I added onion, carrot, green and red pepper, and celery which makes it vegetarian.  I haven't decided to go exactly back to strict vegetaranism but I have decided to make most of my meals non-meat. I have to have a little wiggle room for seafood and the occasional steak.  It's like any diet. Once I say "absolutely no more of that food will ever be consumed by me again" is the exact moment when I can think of nothing else and would walk on a bed of nails on my knees to get that, so knowing myself, I'm saying that I will eat much less meat than ever before.

Just FYI,  I didn't put all of those peas, lentils, rice, pasta, etc., together but I was glad when I saw it at the Amish Store in Branson and will be buying more.  They have several dried bean/pea soup mixes that are just wonderful. With the veggies I can saute at home and herbs I can add myself, it's a full but quick meal to put together.

The mixes can also be ordered directly online from The Amish Country Store.  Most of the products are made by Missouri Amish families.

To make:

Saute 1/2 onion, 1 large carrot, 1 rib celery, dried green and red peppers in a tbsp or so of oil or butter:

Add half the mix, 6 cups of water, and a large rounded tablespoon of vegetarian soup base. Cook for one hour or until peas and rice are done but not mushy.  Makes about 4 cups.

Comments

[Ruth]

A wonderful way to start the year. Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. Personally, I'm making this for lunch today!

[Glenna]

Thanks Ruth! We'll both be having it. I have one bowl left....

[Deborah]

I love split pea soup, but never thought to add pasta! What a great addition!

[sher]

That picture looks so pretty--and this is the perfect time of the year for that kind of soup. And it's jam packed with all kinds of yummy ingredients, I love the addition of the little pasta.

[Katie]

What a beautiful soup! The fact that you can get the combo veg is wonderful! Otherwise one would have to make a lot of soup to use up all he bags of ingredients.
Now I have to go think about tacky presents....

[Glenna]

Deborah--Thanks! I didn't think of it either but the combination of the peas, lentils, pasta, and rice is very good, I must say.

Sher--It is the best time for that kind of soup! The cold weather brings on the desire for hearty soups!

Katie--yes, be thinking about tacky presents!
I agree. It's nice to have the mixes pre-made especially since I'm only cooking for Gene and I. Hey, maybe the mixes would be a good Christmas gift...