Instructions: Heat the oil in a large kettle or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to sfoten. Add the garlic, carrots, celerey, and kielbasa, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften.

Adjust heat to prevent scorching.

Add the peas, water, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Cover tightly and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Reomve the bay leaf and discard.

Using a hand emulsifier, puree the soup until thickened. Leave some pieces of carrot and kielbasa intact. If you dont have a hand-held blender, puree half the soup in a blender of food processor, then stir the pureed porion back into the soup to tihcken. Serve warm or hot with a green salad and a slice of whole-grain bread.

Makes 10 (1-cup) servings

NOTES :
This recipe calls for cooking the Winter Pea Soup on a stove, but it is just as easy to make in a croockpot. If using a crockpot, combine all ingredients and allow to simmer on low for six or more hours.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.