Happy New Year!

I'd never heard of this before moving to Texas, but apparently it is good luck to eat black eyed peas on New Years.  So for the last two years we have done so, and with peas i grew in our garden.
This year was extra special: i broke out the frozen tomato sauce i stored this summer and created a meal entirely (except a dash of cumin and salt) made from homegrown ingredients.

New Year Peas:

• About 2 cups dried black eyed peas
• a 32 oz tupperware full of cooked down tomatoes (cherokee purple, brandywine and early girl if you're wondering) that also included garlic and onions
• 2 diced jalapenos
• cilantro, about 2 tablespoons of frozen diced
• 2 ice cubes of turkey stock (so i didn't grow it, i made it though)
• and a few sprinkles of frozen corn to help with the protein chain, also not grown by me
• dashes cumin and pepper
• salt to taste

Cover the dried peas in the tomato sauce with one jalapeno, bring to a boil then turn down to simmer covered and cook until the peas are still just a bit crunchy. Add second jalapeno and simmer until peas are cooked to your liking. I like them to be cooked all the way through, but not to the 'mush' point. The peas absorb all the beautiful tomato juice and get a lovely plump sheen to them. Over cooked and canned peas lack the same individual texture as fresh or dried peas cooked to perfection = was just a little crispy about 10 minutes ago deep in the middle and is now perfect.

Served with some tillamook cheddar cheese to remind me of home. was delicious!