Traditional Hopping John

Ingredients
- 4 bacon strips
- _ cup of diced onions
- _ cup of diced green bell peppers
- _ cup of diced red bell peppers
- 2 cups of fresh black eyed peas or cow peas
- _ cup of uncooked white rice
- 2 cups of water
- salt, pepper, hot sauce

Soak black eyed peas/ cow peas in water (2 hours) then simmer in water or chicken stock until tender. Strain.
Dice bacon. Brown in Dutch oven or small stock pot with onions and peppers, until bacon is crisp and vegetables are soft. Add peas, rice and water. Cover and simmer over very low heat about 30 minutes, until rice is tender. Salt, pepper and add hot sauce to taste. Serves 4-6. You may want to double this recipe for larger groups.