Happy 4th of July! We hope that you got to spend it relaxing with your loved ones like we did!
From our family to yours we hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.” -JFK
Last week I shared the collard greens I prepared for our New Year's feast and today I am sharing the recipe for the Hoppin' John that we had to go along with the greens! This recipe is as simple as it is tasty! Hoppin' John is considered a Low Country food and I have grown up eating it all my life in South Carolina. I am not really a fan of blackeyed peas but the rice and the seasoning that the bacon gives really accompany them so well that I do not mind them at all in this dish! As you make this dish your home will smell delicious as the scent of bacon reminds me of home! Feel free to try your hand at some traditional South Carolinan food!
Hoppin' John
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons bacon drippings
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 2 cups cooked and drained black eyed peas
- 3/4 cup diced sweet onion
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock(reduced sodium)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
- In a large skillet fry 3 slices of center cooked bacon. Remove bacon (crumble to use on a salad or something later or you can just eat it).
- While you're frying the bacon cook the one cup of rice in a rice cooker or on the stove.
- After the bacon is removed, saute the onion in the bacon drippings for about 5 minutes.
- Add the peas and cooked rice until heated through and add the chicken stock and stir
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Enjoy!
These turned out good and they were super easy. I love the Crock-Pot so much because it's a set it and forget it appliance. Mike was a good sport and tried them and he responded with just how I thought, "they're bitter." Well that's exactly how they're supposed to taste! Next year I think I'll cook cabbage instead since it is a green that I actually love! Here's the recipe if you'd like to try your hand at easy collards!
Crock Pot Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 large onion; chopped
- 2 cloves garlic; minced
- 3 bunches collard greens; cut
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
Directions
- Add bacon to pan heated to Med/High and fry until crisp. Remove bacon and crumble.
- While bacon is frying, chop and wash greens. I used my salad spinner to get them clean and dry.
- Add onion to pan that bacon was cooked in. Sautee for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add: chicken broth, water, salt and peper and the bacon back to the pan. Heat up for about 3 minutes.
- Add clean greens to Crock Pot and top with mixture from the bacon pan.
- Cook all day(8-10) hours on Low. The greens will cook way down in the pot!
- Enjoy!
I hope you had a fabulous New Year and that 2014 will be filled with health, wealth and prosperity!
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special day and use it as a reminder of just how important time with friends and family really is!
We are headed out tonight on a desert adventure that I cannot wait to experience!
We'll be back next week with new memories to share!
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| Holding an apple gourd. I think these are so cool! |
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| Husband pulling our loot! |
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Gorgeous Mississippi sky |
