Snow Day Soup :)

Yesterday was our first day facing this lovely "snow storm 2010 and we decided on soup for lunch. I've definitely learned a lot of my tricks from my dear Aunt Sydney. So when she suggested Black Eye Pea Soup I jumped at the idea. Now the best thing to do with Black Eye Peas before cooking is to rinse them. Once I did this I threw (about 1 bag )  in a pot and covered them with water. I chopped and added one whole onion and some seasonings. Now, whenever I am at a loss of what seasonings to use I generally will check the internet for ideas. Aunt Syd suggested some red pepper which turned out fantastic. So find your own favorite seasonings and throw them in. For this I added some Red Pepper, a little goes a long way, however I gave a little more for an extra kick. I also added oregano and salt and pepper. I added a few more cups of water (recipes for black eye peas usually call for about 8 cups) and after it came to a boil I covered it and turned it down to simmer. I allowed the soup to simmer for about an hour and then added a can of diced red tomatoes and a few dashes of garlic.

Sometime it is just fun to "play" in the kitchen. You can come up with some great meals just by throwing together things you like, listen to your gut! This soup turned out fantastic! We served it over some corn bread and it was just right for the cold snowy day. It also gave me some great warmth and energy to go outside and shovel and remove ice! I hope you all are staying warm. Snow days are great for experimenting and being creative in the kitchen!

Black Eye Pea Soup:
1 bag black eye peas                Corn Bread
Onion                                        Your favorite seasonings!
1 can of tomatoes

P.S. Here is a link to a great site that gives you some insight into different spices : http://www.divinecaroline.com/22145/79177-seasoning-guide-c--spice