It's New Years Day. My friend came and spent the night. She got here around 1:30 yesterday afternoon. I had talked to her earlier, and she is not eating vegetarian now, but wants to go back to it at some point, a plant based diet. She has been working many long hours taking care of elderly people, and if you have ever worked long hours, you know that you compromise or give up on things that you want to do to survive.
So I made everything like I would normally, with bacon and pork, but all gluten free, because of daughter's celiac. IMHO, the food was wonderful and friend took home some container meals home with her. I have several more and daughter is coming by later to pick up a couple containers.
Black eyed peas are not always my favorite, except for this recipe. I made up the containers with rice, smothered steak and gravy over the steak and rice, collard greens and black eyed peas. I put the cornbread muffins in a cake pan with a tight lid, and later put them in bags, and put then back into the cake pan. I don't find that cornbread keeps well. I had many peas left and had some earlier with rice and cornbread. I left the containers that I put together in tact for the freezer. I still have a good bunch of peas to eat, and with the pork and bacon in them, they make a good meal by themselves with some cornbread.
The black eyed pea recipe makes a big batch and is an excellent freezer meal, even with just rice in an 8 or 16 ounce container:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...y/black-eyed-peas-with-bacon-and-pork-recipe/
Ingredients
1 pound dried black-eyed peas (fresh or canned black-eyed peas can be substituted)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 ounces pork shoulder, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
4 strips thick sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, small diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
3 bay leaves
Hot-pepper vinegar, as desired
Directions
If using dried black-eyed peas, put them in a large pot and cover with about 4 inches of water. Soak the peas overnight, then drain the water and rinse. Alternatively, you can "quick-soak" the peas by bringing them and the water to a boil for 2 minutes. After this, remove them from the heat, cover the pot and soak the peas for 1 hour. Then, drain and rinse the peas.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the pork. Sear until the pork is browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bacon, onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onion and garlic are lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the salt, black pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Cook until the entire mixture is coated with the spices, about 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and water and drop in the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. When the pork begins to fall apart, add the prepared peas to the pot and simmer until the peas are very soft, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (see Cook's Note). Taste for seasonings, and add some hot-pepper vinegar, if desired. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the black-eyed peas to a serving bowl.
Cook's Note Black-Eyed Peas with Bacon and Pork Recipe courtesy of Patrick and Gina Neely Show: Down Home with the Neelys Episode: Walkin In Memphis Black-Eyed Peas, Bacon & Pork (02:07)
