Rae Udy

RECIPES: Stove Top Black-Eyed Peas, Tex-Mex Cornbread

By Rae Udy

In the South, Black-eyed peas are said to bring good luck for the New Year if eaten on New Years day. They are also very versatile and nutritious.
Stove Top Black-eyed Peas are simple to make and nourishing. The taste is similar to Boston baked beans, but they don’t require a long cooking time.
Serve with Tex-Mex Cornbread to compliment protein value. This colorful, spicy cornbread is high in vitamin A and fiber.
High in protein and iron, black-eyed peas contain very little fat and no cholesterol and best of all, are very inexpensive.

STOVE TOP BLACK-EYED PEAS
1 pound dry black-eyed peas
6 cups cold water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ (one-half) cup chopped onion
½ (one-half) cup chopped celery
½ (one-half) cup chopped green pepper
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
Clean and wash peas. Cover with cold water. Bring to boil, lower heat and cook slightly covered for about one hour. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute chopped vegetables until tender. Add honey, soy sauce, mustard and prepared peas. Stir well. Simmer uncovered for thirty minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. Serves eight.

TEX-MEX CORNBREAD
1 ½ (one and one-half) cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup unbleached flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 eggs or soy egg substitute
1 cup unsalted cream corn
½ (one-half) cup skim milk or soy milk
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 Tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeno peppers
2 Tablespoons chopped sweet red peppers
2 Tablespoons corn oil
Combine cornmeal, flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix together eggs, cream corn, milk, prepared vegetables and oil. Beat well. Add all at once to cornmeal mixture, stirring quickly just until mixed. Pour batter into a lightly oiled or sprayed nine by nine inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for twenty-five minutes until top is golden brown and center is firm. Remove from oven and cut into three inch squares. Serve warm. Yields nine large squares.