Split Pea Soup

My mother makes the best split pea soup: thick and creamy, but never heavy. This is her recipe but I am substituting a ham bone for her turkey drums. My in-laws bring up a spiral ham on thier post Christmas visit and when we've picked all the sandwich meat off of it, the ham bone becomes the base of this soup.

Split Pea Soup

4-5 cups dry split peas (green or yellow)
1/2 cup barley
1 medium yellow onion chopped coarsely
2 turkey drums or 1 ham bone
1 large bay leaf
1 tbsp sage
1/2 tbsp salt
7 peppercorns
5 carrots diced
3/4 cup milk (approx.)
2-3 tbsp butter

Put peas, barley, onion and meat in large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. After it's boiling, reduce heat to a lively simmer. Add seasonings. Stir occasionally until meat is falling off the bone. Remove meat from pot an let cool on a plate. Add carrots, simmer until they are tender. Add butter and milk. Add milk until at desired consistancy. Peel any remain meat off bone(s) and stir in. Serve with cornbread. NOTE: This makes a very large pot of soup, but it freezes great and makes delicious leftovers.