Spicy Start to the New Year!

A Spicy Start to the New Year! To start 2009 off, we couldn't have forgotten our "lucky" black-eyed peas. And since we thought of home, i.e. Texas, we made some spicy black-eyed pea casserole with spanish rice:Spicy Black-eyed Pea Casserole15 oz can black eyed peas, drained1 4 oz can green chiles15 oz can diced tomatoes, canned, unsalted1 1/4- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano1/4-1/2 tsp Mexican seasoning1/2 tsp cumin1 med. garlic, minced1/2 cup onion, diced2/3 cup green bell pepper, diced1/4 tsp salt3/4 cup canned corn1/4 tsp jalapeno powdercooked spanish riceolive oilChop vegetables (garlic through bell pepper) and saute on stove slightly. While sauteing, combine spices. Once veggies cooked, add rest of ingredients except rice and oil, and heat through. Serve over spanish rice, drizzled with olive oil. Sprinkle more spices to taste.How about more spicy authentic Spanish food - Tortilla Soup!This is the best tortilla soup! Spicy, flavorful, healthy, and authentic!Spicy Tortilla Soup1/2 cup chopped onion1 -2 cloves minced garlic1 Tbsp Bragg's2 cups water1/2 cup fresh salsa1 can no-salt added diced tomatoes (~1 3/4 cup), with juice1/8 tsp salt (omit if have salted tomatoes)3/4 - 1 cup black beans (from a can, rinsed)1 tsp ground cumin1/2 fresh chopped cilantro (we like lots, and used about 1/4 cup?)1/2 Tbsp lime juiceoptional: cooked corn, green chiliesWhen serving: avocado slices and tortilla chips, optional nutritional yeastWe actually had this soup with Just Tomatoes' "Just Veggies (freeze-dried peas, corn, bell peppers...), which was good, but we would like to try corn in the summer and green chiles. Even sundried tomatoes would be a different but good addition.To cook, we just prepped everything to have the soup later in the week, but you can cook this soup in a slow cooker (add all ingredients except avocado and tortilla chips) or just heat soup over the stove in a big pot, making sure to saute onion and garlic slightly first.Top your soup with avocado, tortilla chips, and nutritional yeast!Hope you get enough spice this new year to kick off a new you (hey, maybe that spice will motivate you in keeping your resolutions!). - LK