Mariah's New Years Hoppin' John

Hey there,

As we turn the page on the 2023 Christmas Season, our minds quickly turn to The New Year! And, I want to help you be ready for 2024!

Eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day is a wonderful tradition! In the South, we believe it will bring good luck and prosperity all year long. This is an easy recipe that I have used over the years.

Hoppin' John Recipe

Ingredients:

About 6-8 slices of bacon                                              1 small chopped onion

1 small chopped sweet red bell pepper                  2-3 cloves minced garlic

½ teaspoon smoked paprika                                        1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano                                        Salt and Pepper to taste

2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (If using canned, rinse and drain.)

2 cups chicken broth + a splash                                  cup uncooked rice

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain it on a paper towel, but leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the skillet.
2. Sautee the chopped onion and sweet red bell pepper in the bacon drippings for about 4 minutes, and add the minced garlic for the last minute of cooking. Be careful not to overcook; you want the vegetables to be crisp, and you don't want to burn the garlic.
3. Stir in the smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. Add the cooked black-eyed peas and a splash of chicken broth to the skillet. Simmer this mixture while you prepare the rice.
5. Cook the rice as you normally would, but replace half of the water called for with chicken broth for added flavor.
6. Once the rice is cooked, stir it into the black-eyed pea mixture in the skillet.
7. Serve the Hoppin' John with crumbled bacon on top. And, don't forget to enjoy it with some collard greens on the side!