split pea soup with ham

I had no intention of making split pea soup today; it was a spur-of-the-moment idea and I was glad everything I needed was in the pantry or fridge.  I really enjoyed this soup- the flavors are simple and it was perfect for a very cold day. I made some Marie Calendar's cornbread to go with it, the best cornbread ever.

split pea soup with ham (allrecipes.com)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ham, diced (I used Black Forest)
1 bay leaf
1 pound dried split peas 
2 1/2 cups water
ground black pepper to taste

Place the butter in a large soup pot over medium-low heat.  Stir in onion, celery and sliced garlic.  Cook slowly until the onions are translucent but not brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
Mix in ham, bay leaf and split peas.  Pour in chicken stock and water.  Stir to combine and simmer slowly until the peas are tender and the soup is thick, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Season with black pepper to serve.