Black Eyed Pea, Recipe

What would you do if you uncovered evidence of a 70-year-old murder? Would you notify the authorities or would you “let sleeping dogs lie?” These are questions that Cathy Billings must answer in Go Tell Aunt Rhody. When Cathy discovers Lynette’s hidden diary, it changes the rest of her life with it’s tale of love and death. As she reads, Cathy becomes obsessed. She cannot rest until she finds out what happened to Lynette and her long ago family intrigue.

NEW YEARS IN THE SOUTH

Calls for Black-Eyed Peas

The tradition is that the more you eat of this dish on New Years Day, the more prosperous you will be in the coming year.

6-8 strips of bacon
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
Water

Serves 4. Recipe may be doubled...

In a dutch oven Fry the bacon until crisp, remove. When cool, crush into small bits and reserve for later.

Add chopped onion to bacon drippings and brown lightly.

Turn heat on high.

Add water to fill dutch oven 2/3 full.  Add dried peas and bring to a rolling boil for 15 to 20 minutes. (The high heat will release any gases the peas may produce and make life much more pleasant for your luck-seeking dinner guests who may overindulge.)

Season to taste with Salt, pepper, and 1 tsp. sugar.

Reduce heat and simmer until soup thickens and peas are soft. May be kept warm on the back of the stove, or cooked ahead, refrigerated, and reheated in the microwave.

Garnish servings with  bacon bits. Serve with hot biscuits dripping with butter.

Some folks add dumplings at the simmer stage. Feel free to do so, if you are a dumpling lover.