Dinner #8 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas -- Split Pea and Cannellini Bean Chowder

I am coming off a week of nonstop holiday eating with nary a vegetable in sight. It started with our family's Polish Feast of pierogies and stuffed cabbage. The night of dining on Polish delicacies led to two Christmas celebrations with meatballs, baked ham, beef tenderloin, twice baked potatoes, stuffed clams, pigs in a blanket, pizza bites, mini teriyaki turkey burgers, crab salad in phyllo tartlets, Feliz Navidad guacamole and chips, buffalo chicken dip, and countless cakes, cookies, candies and pies. My last 2 days of Christmas consumption included every fried cheese product Wisconsin had to offer while snow tubing and relaxing in the Dairy State. Ya hey d'there! All of the nonstop eating reeked havoc on my digestive system. My body was craving anything green.


Dinner #8 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas was as green as the Grinch. I made a large batch of Split Pea and Cannellini Bean Chowder along with a mixed green salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to right the wrong I had caused to my digestive system.

My recipe makes about 3 quarts of chowder. Just enough to combat the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day eating during the next 2 days.


Split Pea and Cannellini Bean Chowder

makes 3 quarts
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups of chopped onions
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
7 cups chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
2 teaspoons oregano, dried
1 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste depending on saltiness of stock
1 pound dried split peas
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans
2 cups of thick cut ham, cubed

Heat a large stock pot to medium high heat and add olive oil and onions. Saute for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Add both stocks, the oregano, pepper, salt to taste, and split peas. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 45 - 55 minutes. The peas should be just beginning to soften. Add the cannellini beans and ham and simmer an additional 5 - 10 minutes.

Serve immediately. Let any leftovers cool before packaging for the refrigerator.