Here is a southern-style spicy recipe. I really like this spicy black-eyed peas recipe because it uses celery, green pepper and carrots. These peas can be eaten over rice or served as is. They are tasty and filling, and particularly good as a side to barbecue.* They also make a nice meatless dinner.

Starting with canned blacked-eyed peas gives a quick start to getting your meal on the table.

INGREDIENTS

3 Cans black-eyed peas, (Goya brand is best for this dish)
1-15 Oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 Tspn chili powder
1/2-1 Tspn red pepper flakes
1 or 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 Medium onion, chopped
1 Large green pepper, diced
1 Medium carrot, diced
1 Celery stalk, strings removed and minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

Heat a small amount of oil in large skillet or deep heavy pot, and saute the onions and green pepper. Saute over medium high heat until onions are transparent. Add chopped garlic and minced celery to pan, stir and continue sautéing for a minute.

Add all remaining ingredients and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring to keep food from sticking to pan. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Serve as a side to barbecue or over hot rice in deep soup bowl. This will make 10 to 12 servings depending whether the peas are served plain or over rice.

These peas can kept warm over the grill outside, just be sure to place skillet where there is no direct heat or flame;* or leave this dish in the house in a crock pot using the lowest heat level.

A nice addition is cheese or garlic biscuits; or the old reliable, hot corn bread. If you are thinking of serving the peas over a slice of corn bread, use a mix with a lower sugar content, my preferred brands are Washington, Glory and Jiffy corn bread mixes, in that order.


Hint
*This can be made very nicely with canned lima beans or black beans.