Split Pea Soup for Dad

This soup is a case of "don't judge a book by it's cover".  Unfortunately, I'm a cover-judger. I just can't get past the color and texture.  Which is why the recipe is labeled "for dad".  My children's dad loves it and asks for it every now and then, which must mean he really loves it because he rarely makes any menu requests.

Here's the recipe which I printed out quite some time ago, so I have no idea where I stole it from.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 carrots, diced

1-2 stalks of celery, diced

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1 lb ham steak, diced

8 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 lb bag dried split peas, rinsed

1 bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven pot over med heat.  Cook the onion until slightly tender.  Add garlic and ham, cook for 60 seconds.  Add the stock, split peas, and bay leaf to pot and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook over med low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, covered.  Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes, then cook for an additional 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Remove bay leaf.  If you want it to be a bit thicker, mix with an immersion blender for a few seconds.