Hopping John

By Wewah

I copied this from Southern Living years ago. Magazine? Cooking booklet? I don't remember!

Ingredients

• 6 Slices Bacon, Quartered
• 1 c. thinly sliced celery
• 2/3 c. chopped onion
• 6 c. water
• 16 oz pkg frozen black eyed peas
• 1/4 lb cooked ham, cut into 1/4" cubes
• 5 t. instant bullion or 5 bullion cubes
• 1/4 t. crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 c uncooked regular rice

Preparation

Step 1

In Dutch Oven, cook bacon until crisp and remove.
In the drippings, saute' the celery and onion until tender.
Add water, peas, bacon, bullion, ham, pepper, & bay leaf.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 40-45 minutes.
Stir in rice, cover, cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until most liquid is absorbed and rice is tender - about 35 minutes.

NOTE: 1 cup dried black eyed peas may be substituted, but simmer 1 hr & 15 minutes before adding rice.