Tex Mex Black Eyed Pea Casserole
a very popular black eyed pea recipe to serve on New Year's Day for good luck! It’s one last hurrah of a comfort-food dish before the New Year begins. and it’s family- friendly too.
It started in the south, but eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day is thought to bring prosperity in the New Year. Dried black eyed peas swell when they cook (symbolizing prosperity), the spinach greens in the dish symbolize money, and the pork (bacon) in the dish symbolizes positive motion– because pigs root forward when they’re foraging. It’s a tradition to eat something with black eyed peas on New Year’s Day!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 585
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups dried black eyed peas, rinsed
- 5 slices (or more!) bacon, cooked & crumbled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium (1 cup) chopped onion
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups rice (one that can cook in 20 minutes)
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
- 3 cups fresh spinach, cut into strips
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- chopped cilantro, avocado & sour cream, for serving (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil. add the dried peas and boil for 30 minutes, or until tender (as tender as a canned bean would be). You don't want them to have much of a bite to them, but you don't want them mushy either. Drain the beans when you've got them where you want them.
- In a deep medium skillet, heat the olive oil at medium heat. add the onions and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, then rice, broth, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 20 minutes (just until the rice has *almost* absorbed all of the liquid). Time will vary depending on the type of rice you choose to use.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scrape the rice into a large bowl. add the peas, tomatoes, spinach, 1 cup of the cheese and bacon. Stir it all together and then scoop it into a 9x12-inch (or similarly sized) casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for an additional 10 minutes, just until the cheese is melted.
- Serve in bowls topped with sour cream, fresh cilantro and sliced avocado (if desired).
Recipes Adapted From ==> recipegirl.com
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