Split Pea Soup

Have too many beans from your WIC checks?  Get peas and you can do all sorts of things with them.  This is one of our favorites; I make it every other week.

1 - 16 oz bag of Split Peas, rinsed and checked for rocks.
1 - package of Kielbasa, we like to use Lean turkey
64 oz of Chicken Stock (I use Better than Boullion and water)
2 Onions
4 stalks of celery
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/8 tsp of cloves
1 bay leaf (optional)
2 tsp of thyme
1 tsp of Olive oil (or whatever oil is around)

Heat a nice big pot.  Add olive oil, onions and kielbasa.  Cook on medium until onions have turned a little translucent, I like mine kind of caramelized.  Add in garlic and celery, cook until you really smell the garlic, about 2 minutes.   Throw in the rest of the ingredients and cook for 1 hour. 

I usually wait for the kielbasa to go one sale and buy 4 then freeze them.  We sometimes add in ham, but the kielbasa has a better flavor.