Sunday, January 9, 2011

New Year's Hoppin' John


A southern tradition is to eat black eyed peas on New Years day to bring good luck. This recipe is something I have eaten on New Year's day for as long as I can remember. It's easy, cheap and tasty. Caenaan likes it so much that he requested that it become a regular meal in our house. We even ate it for breakfast with a fried egg and toast. If you read my previous "Frugal Foodie" post, you'll notice that almost every ingredient in this recipe is included in my inexpensive pantry items!

New Year's Hoppin' John
Recipe from: Gina Webb

1 cup uncooked rice
4 slices bacon
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced green pepper (I omit this ingredient due to allergy, and replace it with an extra 1/2 cup of both onion and celery)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can Rotel tomatoes
2 cans drained and rinsed blackeyed peas (4 cups cooked)
2 tsp sugar
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste

Place rice and two cups water in a rice cooker or medium sized pot with a lid. Cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Meanwhile, fry bacon until crispy in a large saute pan with high sides. Remove bacon, cool and crumble. Leave bacon grease in the pan.


Saute onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in reserved bacon grease until tender.

Add tomatoes, blackeyed peas, sugar, bay leaf, salt and crumbled bacon. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes.


Remove bay leaf, stir in rice (should be about 2 cups, but you can add it all). Test for seasoning.

Can be served as a side-dish or entree, for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack!

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