Spicy Black-Eye Peas N' Ham

6 c. chicken broth (or water with a little chicken seasoning)

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas, sorted and rinsed (or canned)

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced

1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced (opt.)

8 oz. diced ham

4 slices bacon, chopped

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 t. cumin

salt and pepper to taste

    

QUICK METHOD (using canned beans): Sautee onion, garlic and pepper in oil. Add seasonings. Then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until done. Pretty easy.               

SLOWCOOK METHOD (using dried beans): Put everything in the slowcooker with beans on the bottom. Cover and cook on Low for 10 or so hours until the beans are tender, or half the amout for high. If beans are still hard 30 minutes before needing to eat, pressure cook everything according to instructions for black-eyed peas.

*This is not a soup. It's more like pork and beans, but my husband said it's way better. It tastes delicious as a side, served with a big warm slice of corn bread! And if you're worried about the cholesterol from bacon, just eliminate it or only do one piece, pre-cooked and grease removed and then crumbled in to simmer with the rest of the ingredients. And I frequently don't have jalepenos, so we don't always put that in and it still tastes delicious.

From allrecipes.com