Hoppin' John Soup

by Mama Mabel

The Hoppin' John Soup I made for the New Year's Eve bash at our church turned out very well.  If you like Hoppin' Johns, I suggest you make it.  I included the recipe in my last post but here it is again:

in 4 qt crockpot:
1 lb dried black eyed peas
1 box (approx 32 oz) vegetable broth
1/3-1/2 each yellow, red and green bell peppers
1-2 Tbsp dried minced onion
cubed leftover ham (amount to preference)
1/4 lb uncooked bacon (optional, adds great flavor)
salt and pepper to taste (I'm pretty liberal, a few tsp of each)
dash of garlic salt (optional)
enough water to fill crock within 2 inches of top but not enough to boil over

Cook on high for 6 hours then simmer on low until you serve.

Do you like my super exact measurements?  I put 1/2 of each of the bell peppers when I made it and I like it but it was a strong flavor.  You could easily use less bell pepper and/or totally eliminate the yellow one.  I put my bacon on top with the intention of pulling it out after it cooked but decided to stir it in at the last minute. It didn't hurt the taste of the dish but it definitely reduced the visual appeal because the bacon fell apart into little stringy bits.  Next time, I'll scoop it out before I serve. 

This dish has a very unique taste.  It would be great served over rice.  If you like Hoppin' Johns and having dinner ready when you walk in the door, this is the meal for you.