Country Pea Soup

Country Pea Soup

1 lb split green or yellow peas
8 cups boiling water
4 cups tomato juice
ham bone, with a little meat (left over from cooked ham)
1 1/2 cups diced potato
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
Wash peas. Put in large kettle. Add water and tomato juice. Bring to a boil, turn down heat, cover tightly and simmer until peas are soft, about 45 minutes.

Add ham bone and all remaining ingredients. Cover again and simmer until vegetables are all tender, about 45 minutes. Lift out ham bone. Remove any pieces of meat from bone and return to soup. Discard bone. Taste and adjust seasoning (amount of salt depends on saltiness of ham). Serve hot.

Servers up to 8