Southern Traditions & Hoppin' John

When I was a little girl, my grandmother used to make a dish called Hoppin' John. She didn't make it often, but I can remember having it with her famous cornbread. (That recipe is also on my blog in my archives)  As I have told you before, fall really reminds me of my sweet little grandmother. I'm not sure why this time of year stirs up so many memories, but I find myself cooking a lot of her dishes lately. I know she would have been amazed at my twist on her traditional Southern dish AND that it was cooked in the slow cooker or crock pot. I tweaked it a bit to make it a complete one-dish meal for my family. Hope doesn't always get the name right and sometimes calls it Poppin' John. It makes me smile! Both girls loved this dish. I hope your family will too. : )

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom and read
the history of Hoppin' John.  I can't make this
without thinking of my sweet MaMa Craig!

Hoppin’ John
Slow Cooker Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, run through a press or finely chopped
1 T. Adams Best Cajun Seasoning (substitute Tony Chachere’s NO SALT version if your store doesn’t carry it)
2 (16 oz.) packages frozen black-eyed peas
1 ¼ c.  sliced green onion, divided
2 cups HOT water
¾ c. chopped red bell pepper
2 finely chopped, seeded jalapeño peppers
2 tsp. hot sauce (Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce)
1 T. Adams Best Cajun Seasoning
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 (14 ½ oz.) can Cajun stewed tomatoes, undrained
2/3 c. UNCOOKED converted rice (Uncle Ben’s)

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain, return to pan, add 1 T. Cajun seasoning and mix well. Store in a large Ziploc bag or plastic tub for later.
2. Place peas, ¾ c. green onions, water and next 7 ingredients into a 4 qt. slow cooker; stir well.
3. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
4. Stir in tomatoes, beef, and rice and cover and cook an additional hour or until peas and rice are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Stir in remaining green onions.

This is one of those meals that needs some Sweet Tea.  When I was growing up, we drank iced tea with every meal.  I didn't know there was such a thing as unsweetened tea, as most Southerners I know only drink sweet tea.  So if you are anxious to sip a glass of tea tonight, try this on for a twist:
2 family-sized Lipton tea bags (we only use decaffeinated)
1 regular size Earl Grey tea bag (decaffeinated as well)
10 cups of boiling water
3/4 c. sugar (we use Splenda)

I steep my tea in on old automatic coffee maker.  I just run the water through with my tea bags in the caraffe.  When all the water has run through.  I turn off the warmer and let steep.  When it's cool, I pour it into a big pitcher and add the sugar/splenda.  I then add ice to make it a full pitcher.  And ice tea should always be served in a pretty glass.  : )  Just a little tip from me to you. 

History of Hoppin' John
Hoppin' John is found in most states of the South, but it is mainly associated with the Carolinas. Gullah or Low Country cuisine reflects the cooking of the Carolinas, especially the Sea islands (a cluster of islands stretching along the coats of south Carolina and northern Georgia). Black-eyed peas, also called cow peas, are thought to have been introduced to America by African slaves who worked the rice plantations. Hoppin' John is a rich bean dish made of black-eyed peas simmered with spicy sausages, ham hocks, or fat pork, rice, and tomato sauce.

There are many variations to traditional Hoppin' John. Some cook the peas and rice in one pot, while others insist on simmering them separately.

The first written recipe for Hoppin John appeared in The Carolina Housewife in 1847.

Most food historians generally agree that Hoppin John is an American dish with African/French/Caribbean roots. There are many tales or legends that explain how Hoppin' John got its name:

It was the custom for children to gather in the dining room as the dish was brought forth and hop around the table before sitting down to eat.

A man named John came "a-hoppin" when his wife took the dish from the stove.

An obscure South Carolina custom was inviting a guest to eat by saying, "Hop in, John"

The dish goes back at least as far as 1841, when, according to tradition, it was hawked in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina by a crippled black man who was known as Hoppin' John.

Great Halloween Supper--Ready when you are!

Do you love Halloween?  I don't know about you, but here, in The Woodlands, TX, we have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of cooler temperatures.  They have finally arrived and this wonderful crock pot enchilada casserole is great for a chilly night.  This recipe can be made late in the day, as it requires only 2  hours of cooking. You can whip it up this afternoon and have it for supper after a round of trick or treating. 

Sometimes when we have some leftover queso, I add that in
as one of my layers.  It makes this dish super tasty and creamy!

Here's all you need to know:

INGREDIENTS
1 to 1 1/2 lb. ground beef or ground turkey (LEAN)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bottle of Taco Sauce (old El Paso or Taco Bell brands will do)
1 can of Enchilada Sauce.  (I recommend Hatch brand Tex-Mex Enchilada Sauce)
1 can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 4 oz. can of chopped green chiles
1 package of shredded cheddar cheese (I use reduced fat)
12 tortillas (I use low-fat, whole wheat, and always buy 2 packages, b/c sometimes 12 isn't enough)

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown ground beef/turkey with onion and drain.
2. Cut tortillas into fourths, like little pieces of pie.
3. (Reserve 1/4 c. of enchilada sauce) Mix together the enchilada sauce, taco sauce, soups and green chiles.  Add ground beef and onion and mix to incorporate.
4. Add the reserved 1/4 c. of enchilada sauce to crock pot that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Add next a layer of tortillas, meat and sauce mixture, sprinkle with shredded cheese and repeat.  I like to end with a layer of tortillas.
6. Cook on low for 2 hours, then change setting to warm until you are ready to serve. 

We enjoy this delicious Tex-Mex Enchilada Casserole with taco salad.  It's one of our favorite crock pot dishes.  Enjoy!

Moroccan Chicken--spicing up the crockpot

It's nice to begin to feel the change of seasons down here in The Woodlands, TX.  It takes us a while to get the wheels in motion and our temps are all over the map.  What does that have to do with cooking, you say?  Well, it's hard to get excited about anything in the crockpot when it's still hotter than blue blazes.  The crockpot is a staple in my kitchen because I can prep all the food for the recipe, put it the crockpot and cook it on low if it's early in the day, or on high if it's later in the day.  Regardless, it helps me get a good dinner on the table for my family and out of the drive-thru lines. 


I especially like this dish because you can choose the type of chicken that you prefer.  It has flavors that we don't eat a lot of, but the change is good and so were the reviews!




INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lbs. of chicken (I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs b/c they stay juicy and tender.  I cut every last bit of fat off the thighs before putting them in the crock pot.  You can also use chicken breasts or drumsticks)
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits or chunks in juice, drained
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground tumeric (or a dash of ground ginger if you just can't be bothered to pick up some tumeric, b/c I bet your are wondering what in the heck that is.  It's good, though and gives this dish its intense yellow-orangish color)
1 T. corn starch
1 T. cold water
1/4 c. sliced green olives with pimentos (if you or your peeps don't care for olives, just omit.  We LOVE olives, so I add more.  Or you can add them to the individual servings if that works better for you)
1 T. chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chicken into crockpot.  Mix pineapple, onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, marjoram, red pepper, and tumeric; pour over chicken.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.  When ready to serve, remove chicken from crockpot and place on serving dish and cover to keep warm.
3. Skim any fat from sauce.  Mix cornstarch and water and stir into sauce.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.  Stir in olives.
5. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

***I serve mine with tri-colored couscous prepared with chicken stock instead of water.  I also serve steamed broccoli tossed with sauteed garlic, lime juice and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper.

Coq Au Vin all up in the Crock Pot!

I am still responding to my fabulous FB fans who asked for crock pot recipes.  I have been carrying on a love affair with my crock pot for some time now.  I love that it makes me look like a cooking rock star at the end of the day!  It's great for busy folks who are always on the run, especially during the dinner prep hours. 



I wish you have scratch and sniff internet b/c this dish is
incredible!  It's so easy to make and so full of flavor.  Even mon
petite chous loved it!  Fancy, schmancy--just down right delicious!



I had someone ask me if you can make Coq Au Vin without wine.  And the answer is you can, but it's no longer Coq Au Vin.  Coq Au Vin actually means chicken in wine.  I love how the wonderful flavors from the wine permeate the chicken with an incredible bold flavor.  Now this isn't your Julia Child's fancy schmancy recipe that takes hours to prepare.  Quite honestly, I've never had Julia's version, which I am sure is divine, but she never spent 2 hours in carpool, dressing, dropping and discussing all the while. 





You are going to LOVE this dish, as will your family.  Let me tell you EXACTLY what to do. 

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs., boneless, skinless chicken thighs with all visible fat removed

1 1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence

3/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 c. thawed frozen pearl onions

2 large chopped carrots

1 c. dry RED wine

2 T. tomato paste

2 c. quartered white mushrooms

Whole wheat egg noodles

DIRECTIONS

1. Spray the crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.



2. Place chicken thighs in the crock pot and season with herbes de Provence, garlic salt and black pepper.  Add pearl onions and chopped carrots.  Stir together tomato paste and red wine and pour over ingredients already in the crock pot.

3. Cove and cook on HIGH for 5 1/2 hours or LOW for 7 1/2 hours. 

4. Cook pasta according to package directions and serve Coq Au Vin over noodles.



Hearty Potato Soup

Who doesn't LOVE potato soup?  This is a super
easy recipe and your entire family will gobble it up!

When I asked you today what kind of recipes you were looking for, hands down, you replied you wanted crock pot recipes.  Recently I was telling some girlfriends about a potato soup made in the crockpot with frozen hash browns.  It's not just a great crock pot recipe, but it's one that you can just dump into the crock pot and forget about it. 

Here's what to do:

INGREDIENTS

1 med onion diced

Olive oil

4 cups Orida Southern Style Hash Brown Potatoes

1 can chicken broth

1-2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1/2 tsp. onion salt

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. basil

crushed red pepper to taste

1 pint 1/2 and 1/2 (I use FAT FREE)

green onions, crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Saute onion in a swirl of olive oil until soft.  Remove to slow cooker.  Add potatoes, broth, seasonings and half and half.  Cook on low for 5 hours.

It's the easiest baked potato soup you've ever had.  Delicious and hearty, too.  : )