Split Pea Soup with Ham

I made this as written, but it seemed a little bland in flavor and needs more oomph to it.  I also used my immersion blender before adding the ham to puree the vegetables, leaving it somewhat chunky and then I added the ham and paprika. 

This recipe just sounded right to me. I was looking for something a little different than my normal pea soup and the addition of smoked paprika got me hooked. Long story short, I thought I had a bag of lentils and a bag of split peas, instead I had 2 bags of lentils. And I thought - why not I think it would be great. And it did not disappoint, even with the wrong legumes! I decided to saute the lentils for about 4-5 minutes instead since they need a little longer cook time and it worked out beautifully - simmered for 45 mins. I also omitted the bacon, didn't have any and, you know how it goes. I added the ham about 15 minutes before it was done, paprika last couple of minutes as indicated. I will try this with split peas too, but I will definitely add it to my lentil soup repertoire. If it's too thick, just add a bit more water before you add the ham. I don't normally rate recipes, since they are usually just a springboard - but enjoy reading them so thought I should give back.