New Year Tradition - Black Eyed Peas

For as long as I can remember, my mom would cook black eyed peas on New Years Day. Sometimes called cowpeas, this southern tradition is supposed to bring prosperity for the new year. I just think they're tasty. You'll find as you follow this blog that many of my recipes get modified for the crockpot. My mom cooked hers on the stove but I tweaked the recipe I grew up with so it could simmer away in the crockpot during the New Year day.

Ingredients

1 pound dry black eye peas; soak overnight (pick through for funky looking ones and random pebbles)

1 32 oz Carton Swanson Low Sodium Sodium Chicken Stock

Chop:  2 Bell Peppers, 4 Stalks Celery, & 1 Vidalia Onion

1/2 lb Chorizo or Andouille Sausage

2 tsp each Oregano, Smoked Paprika, & Thyme

Frank's or Louisiana Hot Sauce

Turn Crockpot on high and pour in the soaked black eyed peas and the chicken stock. 

Sauté in a skillet all remaining ingredients until sausage is done and veggies start to get soft. Add into the crockpot. I add a little more of the seasonings at this point and pour in some hot sauce. 

Let it cook 6 hours and it's ready to go. It reduces quite a bit as it cooks so if you like yours more like soup and less like chili add some more chicken broth to yours.  You can even serve it over rice and add some more hot sauce (I sure do!)  If you're on a vegetarian kick, feel free to leave out sausage and use vegetable stock. 

Enjoy and have a happy and prosperous new year.