Hoppin' Johns {BLACK EYED PEAS}

 We eat a lot of legumes around here--black beans, kidney, white, pinto, anasazi, lentils, and black eyed peas.  Aside from the lentils and BEP's (black eyed peas) I soak them all overnight and then let them cook away on the stove til they're ready--usually three hours.  I throw in a couple of garlic cloves and bay leaves.  That's it while they're cookin'.  Did you know that salt makes legumes hard?  I learned this the "hard" way,  pun intended.  So throw your salt in at the end. 
Now lentils and BEP's don't take that long to cook at all (about an hour) and would fall apart if soaked overnight.  When I remember, I soak them for an hour before cooking.  The salt rule doesn't seem to apply to either of these.  Hoppin' Johns usually have rice in them, but we prefer them without.

HOPPIN' JOHNS

1 cup turkey bacon or turkey ham
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 c. black eyed peas
2 tbsp. cold pressed olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/2-1 tsp. chili pepper flakes
2 tsp. sea salt
6-7 c. water

In a large pot, saute bacon, onion, and red pepper in olive oil for about ten minutes.  Add garlic, bay leaf, and chili pepper flakes.  Saute another minute.  Add black eyed peas, water, and salt.  Simmer on med-low for about an hour, adding a bit more water if necessary, til BEP's are cooked through.