The 2012 is upon us.  The 1st meal of this year  should be Black Eye Peas  Soup which symbolizes  Good Luck in the New Year.   I enjoy making this soup is super easy and if  left to sit a day, the flavors meld into fulfilling meal on New Years Day.   My Black Eyed Pea soup is  lovely fresh veggies, and smoke flavor.  Red Pack tomatoes which I prefer are lovely compliment to this soup pack in there own juices.   This soup low in calories and a healthy soup which make it a great soup to start the new year. Resolutions and all..

• 2 cups of dried Black Eyed Peas
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 stalks of celery diced
• 1 onion diced
• 1 can of Red Pack Petite  Diced Tomatoes
• 1 tps salt (added as needed)
• 1 tps thyme,
• 2 cloves garlic Minced
• 1 smoked turkey leg
• 8-10 cups of low sodium chicken broth (an additional 4 cups needed if you want to stretch)
• Optional :spicy sausage to add flavor

1. Bean cooked on low in slow cooker for 2  hours covered in 4-5 cups of broth
2. When black eyed peas are firm /rehydrate but not to cooked add other ingredients
3. add smoked turkey leg, spices, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, RedPack Tomatoes and  remaining broth
4. Cook for 5 hours (now add sausage) break up the turkey leg
5. Cook for another 4-5 hours.  Remove bones from turkey leg.
6. You can eat now but if you make a day ahead add more both 2-4 cups let sit overnight.. this soup gets better the longer it sits.

You can also omit the turkey leg (sausage), add ½ tbls cumin and make a vegetarian version

 

Want to print this recipe out Black Eye Peas Soup

Disclosure:  I received the RedPack tomatoes free of charge but all the opinions in this post are mine.

My husbands favorite meal is Ribs.  So every birthday and about 2 other times during the year I make him my Slow oven roasted Sweet BBQ Ribs.  He loves them.  when the fall off the bone.  A few years back I started to make my own BBQ sauce to baste my ribs with.   I figured I could do this how hard can it be.   So Start with a great tomato paste (I prefer Red Pack Tomato Paste) Red Pack has the fresh flavor of the tomatoes.  It also add the great color,  then I add some honey and We are off to the races.  So here it  is Superexhausted Sweet Finger liking stick sugary ribs.

• 1 rack of ribs (full rack)
• 2- 2 ½ cups of brown sugar (dark)
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbls of molasses (too much leaves a funky taste)
• 4 tbls of honey
• 1 can of “RedPack Tomato” Paste
• 1 tbls spoon of garlic
• 1 tbls spoon of salt
• 2 tbls of hot sauce
• 1-2 tbls of soy sauce (optional)
• Variety of Spices Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Chili Powder, Cumin , Powder Ginger

Prep time short.. But overnight- 4-5 hours cooking

1. The night before cooking ribs.  Season ribs with generous about Salt, Pepper, Chili Powder, Cumin, ginger.. basically use most of the spices in your cabinet.   Then wrap in Tin foil and keep in fridge overnight.
2. Next Day Preheat oven to 325 degrees,
3. Start BBQ Sauce
4. In a medium pot, Start with garlic, then add the Red Pack tomato paste, vinegar, salt, molasses , honey and 1 ½ cups brown sugar (reserve rest of Brown sugar for later).
5. Bring to bubbling (not a full boil) Watch so it does not burn.  Reduce and let simmer on low while prepping ribs.
6. Put ribs on a tray with a grate (I suggest tin foil tends to get sticky)
7. Score the ribs with a knife in a diagonal crossing both directions.
8. Brush ribs with BBQ sauce and start cooking on oven (low and slow)
9. Every so often cover ribs with BBQ sauce.  Flipping ribs every 45 min-1 hour baste with the BBQ sauce as you flip.  Last hour meat side up
10. The Last hour coat ribs in Sauce and top with a sprinkle of brown sugar.
11. Last ½ hour coat again with BBQ sauce and brown sugar again.
12. Ribs should be pulling away from the bones on the ends that how you know they are almost done.  It takes about 4-5 hours
13. Last 5 min turn on broiler watching so not as to burn,  let the sugar get dark and yummy.

Serve with sweet potatoes fries or a great back potato. Steam Broccoli is a great veggie with ribs.

Want an easy print out of this recipe  Sweet BBQ Ribs

Disclosure:  I received the RedPack tomatoes free of charge but all the opinions in this post are mine.