I was craving blackeye peas and mashed potatoes today.  Maybe it was a pregnancy thing.  I grew up in the South and one of my babysitters when I was little, Ms Ruth, made the best blackeye peas and mashed potatoes for lunch.  It was my favorite.  This recipe is adapted from Serious Eats Recipes.


Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
• 5 ounces (6 slices) bacon, cut into 3/4-inch squares
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce

1.  Soak the blackeye peas

• Quick soak:  Rinse and sort the peas in a large pot.  Add 6-8 cups hot water.  Bring to a rapid boil; boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Cover and let stand 1 hour.  Drain soak water and rinse peas.  
  
• Overnight soak:  Rinse and sort peas in a large pot.  Add 6-8 cups cold water.  Let stand overnight or at least 6-8 hours.  Drain soak water and rinse peas.  

2.  Place the bacon in a small cast-iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook until it renders its fat, about 6 or 7 minutes.

3.  Add the onion, garlic, oregano (or Italian seasoning), and black pepper and cook, stirring, for about 8 minutes. 

4.  Add the drained peas, bay leaves, salt, and 6 cups water.  Simmer gently with lid tilted until desired tenderness is reached, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

5.  Stir in the Tabasco and serve.

Join us for 31 Cent Scoop Night at Baskin-Robbins® on Wednesday April 27th from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm and help us honor America's firefighters. Baskin-Robbins
is donating $100,000 to the National Fallen
Firefighters Foundation™ (NFFF).

Participating stores will reduce prices of ice cream 
scoops to 31 cents*. At some locations, you may also have
an opportunity to make a donation to your local fire charities.

*Limit 3 2.5 oz scoops per person. At participating stores while supplies last.


We have taken the kids to this event before and had a lot of fun.  Our local fire department was there and let the kids sit in the fire truck and gave them stickers and play fireman hats.  

Sign up for your free coupon booklet from P&G with over $35 in coupons in it.

Thanks for sharing Money Saving Mom.

I was recently sent a bottle of Purex Complete with Zout to review and giveaway.  I have to say I LOVE it!  I tried the free and clear version since I have young children.  I am not completely loyal to my detergent brand because I look for good deals and will try other brands, but I have generally been a fan of Tide Powder detergent (the free and clear version).  I used the entire bottle of Purex Complete with Zout before writing this review so that I could accurately describe the product and its results.  Again, I have to repeat myself - I LOVE it!  I like this detergent more than Tide.

Purex Complete with Zout is a detergent and pretreater, all-in-one.  Stains came right out of my boys clothes.  Our whites were noticeably whiter.  My husband one day said "I think the white stripes on my sweatshirt have gotten whiter".  I told him I had noticed whiter whites too and thought it was the Purex Complete detergent.  I will be buying this detergent in the future.  

A lucky reader will win a coupon for a free bottle of Purex Complete with Zout detergent!  Winner will be selected using random.org.  

Here’s How To Enter:
NOTE: Beneath this posting is the word “Comments.” This is where you’ll put your entries. Only entries on this posting will be counted.

1) To enter the giveaway, leave me a comment letting me know that you want to win.  

After you have commented, here are some other ways to enter: (Please, make sure that you submit extra comments if you do these.)

2)  For three extra entries, subscribe to my email newsletter or RSS Feed and leave separate comments letting me know that you have done this. Leave a separate comment for each entry (3 comments).  If you are already subscribed, thank you and make sure you leave comments letting me know.  You will need to activate your subscription by clicking on the link in the email that feedburner sends you.

3) Blog, Tweet or Share on Facebook about this giveaway . Make sure you come back and leave a separate comment letting me know that you’ve done this.

Entry is open to US residents only through 11:59PM CST on Monday, May 23rd, 2011. Winner will be chosen using random.org and contacted by email. If you’re the winner, you’ll have only 48 hours to respond or an alternate will be chosen.
 Good luck to all of you who enter!

I did not receive compensation for this review, but I was given the product to review and the product coupon to giveaway.  All opinions are my own.  

Here is a new Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards Code worth a huge 25 points!
BKWHDMMLPCXCPGB
Thanks for sharing Freebies 4 Mom!

Here is a new Pampers Gifts to Grow Code.  It does expire on 4/25 so hurry and bank these 10 points.  
JRYHAFFCR6WDPHY

Fill out the form to receive your choice of one of four free Oxygen Botanicals skincare samples.


You will choose between:  

acne treatment
sensitive skin
anti-aging
dry skin

Thanks Money Saving Mom.