Food for the Cheesehead's soul

In case you've been buried under a rock this week, tomorrow is the Super Bowl.

If you live in Wisconsin, you would have to be buried under said rock plus the 20+ inches of snow to not know that the state's beloved Green Bay Packers are playing in the Super Bowl tomorrow.

Growing up in Wisconsin, I was indoctrinated into the Cheese Head Nation by my dad.

Dad didn't love the Packers.  He LOOOOOVED the Packers.

He loved them when they were awful during the Don Majkowski era and when they were Super Bowl champs during the Mike Holmgren and Brett Favre era.  He was over the moon when he landed the Packers as a client during his days selling phone systems.  The only thing better for Dad was when his company purchased a luxury box at Lambeau Field and he was responsible for "hosting" the box.

Dad on the sideline at Lambeau Field.

Dad loved entertaining clients and watching the game from the box but most importantly, he controlled the ordering of food for the box.

As you know if you've been reading my blog, Dad loved food.  It isn't suprising that there was never a shortage of food in the box.  Shrimp, chili, hotdogs (and the list goes on).  And then, the desserts.  I seem to remember him being very focused on the mini cheesecakes.

He took the food duty very seriously.  Dad believed that no matter how good the game was, food was a critical element to truly enjoying football.

I couldn't agree with him more.  With that, I bring you a recipe for something green for you to make tomorrow in honor of the Green Bay Packers and their hopefully huge victory over the Steelers:

Split pea soup!

Even if your football team lets you down tomorrow, the commercials disappoint or there is an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction during the half-time entertainment, this soup will leave you satisfied and blissed out.

If you are a Steelers fan, I advise disregarding the symbolism of the color of the soup and still giving this a try.

If you really want to embrace the Cheese Head lifestyle, serve the soup with grilled cheese.  You can't beat this combo.

Split Pea Soup

(serves 6)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

4 slices pancetta

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup diced white onion

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1 cup dried split peas

1 cup whole milk

1 large container chicken broth

Details

Melt two tablespoons butter in a large soup pot.  Add garlic, pancetta and onions.  Cook until pancetta and garlic are browned and onions are soft.

Add carrots and celery and cook until somewhat tender.

Place peas in a strainer.

Rinse split peas and add to the mixture in the soup pot.  

Add chicken broth to the mixture.  Cook on medium heat until the peas are tender.

Add one cup whole milk to the pot.  

Using an immersion blender, blend soup until chunky but not completely pureed.  Alternately, if you do not have an immersion blender, add the cup of milk to a small bowl and two cups of the soup mixture and use a masher until the mixture is chunky.  Add back in to the soup.

Cook soup on low and serve once it is warmed through and vegetables are tender.