Quick & Easy Hopping John

Note: This is a traditional Southern recipe for New Year's Day, but it is so good that I can eat it any time of the year!

Quick & Easy Hopping John

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup green onion, chopped fine
* 1 tablespoon bacon drippings
* 2 cans (about 16 ounces each) black-eyed peas, slightly drained, or about 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
* 1 cup chopped cooked ham
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper OR Louisiana Hot Sauce
* 3 cups hot cooked rice (I like to cook my rice in chicken broth to give it extra flavor.)
* 1 tomato chopped fine (optional)
* salt to taste

Preparation:
In a large saucepan sauté chopped onion in bacon drippings until tender. Stir in black-eyed peas, ham, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes; stir in hot cooked rice, tomato and salt.

Variations: Lots of people love to eat Hopping John with fresh slices of red onion. Definitely serve this with cornbread!