Black Eyed Peas for Good Luck

Black Eyed Peas

1 lb dry black eyed peas
5 Cups Water
4 tsp Chicken Bullion
1/2 large onion or 1 small onion, chopped
1-2 tsp minced garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
6-7 slices bacon and/or leftover cooked cubed ham
Salt and Pepper to taste (I use 1/2 - 1 tsp)
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Chili powder
1 Tbsp dehydrated onion

Soak peas either overnight or use quick-soak method. Drain and rinse beans and return to pot.

Add 5 cups water, chicken bullion, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and dehydrated onion to pot with peas. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook about an hour and a half.

Cook bacon until crispy. Crumble bacon and add to peas. Using the leftover bacon grease, saute the onion, celery and garlic until veggies are tender. Add to peas and continue to cook until peas are done.

Instant pot directions:

Saute the onion, celery and garlic in IP until veggies are tender. Add water, chicken bullion, soaked beans, and spices. Cook at high pressure for 45-55 minutes. Add bacon or ham once pressure has released.

Creamy Corn Chowder

My sister gave me the "Our Best Bites" cookbook for my birthday.  Well - it was for my birthday but I actually got it about 6 months later.  That's how we roll in my family.  I had never heard of their blog before receiving the cookbook but I quickly went through it and made a mental note of different recipes that I wanted to try.  The recipe for Creamy Corn Chowder was one that I knew that I wanted to try when it was cold enough here. We really liked this.  I have trouble when it comes to cooking potatoes though.  I feel like I am always either over cooking or under cooking.  When red potatoes are involved I think I typically under cook - is it just me, or do they take way longer to cook?  The recipe said to cook 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; I'm pretty sure that I cooked the soup for 30 minutes and because it was late and we were hungry I gave up.  It probably should have cooked for at least 10 minutes longer than I cooked it.

Other than that I followed the recipe.  This is definitely a make again recipe!

My own personal blog

This is my 3rd blog.  We have our family blog and I have a blog that I started to showcase my stamping hobby (and now that I have kids I never stamp anymore).  But I decided to create this little blog to keep track of new recipes that I try so I can have a record of what I tried that we liked and what we didn't like (we being my husband and I and hopefully one day our boys).  I may not stamp anymore, but we have to eat so until I can afford a personal chef I guess I will always be cooking.  If anyone else stumbles across and takes a read, I hope they don't find it too boring.