Split Pea Soup

16 oz dried split peas
6-8 C chicken stock or broth enough to cover ham hocks
2 smoked ham hocks or ham bone
1/2 C finely chopped onion
1 T minced garlic (If you don't have a garlic press, you're missing out!)
1 C chopped carrot
optional garnish: diced ham

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS
Add ingredients to slow cooker, stir, and cook on high 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.  Remove ham hocks/bone and mash soup with a fork or blend with an immersion blender, depending on your consistency preference.  Optional step: brown diced ham (from hock) in a skillet and serve on soup.

INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS
Add ingredients to inner liner of instant pot, stir, and cook on high (manual pressure) for 30 minutes. NPR until pressure is released, or do a controlled quick release, stopping if valve begins to sputter.  Remove ham hocks/bone and mash soup with a fork or blend with an immersion blender, depending on your consistency preference. Optional step: brown diced ham (from hock) in a skillet and serve on soup.