Hoppin' John Starter

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon 
• 0.3 teaspoon baking soda 
• 2  bay leaves 
• 1.3 cups black-eyed peas dried
• 2 teaspoons pepper black freshly ground
• 0.3 cup onion flakes dried
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 0.3 cup ham soup base jarred
• 8 ounces fatty pork smoked chopped
• 1 cup converted rice white uncooked
• 1 teaspoon paprika smoked

Equipment

• frying pan
• paper towels
• slow cooker

Directions

1. Make ham mixture: Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp.
2. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon. Cook chopped smoked pork in hot drippings just until beginning to brown.
3. Combine bacon, pork, and jarred ham soup base. Spoon into 1 (8-oz.) jar. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
4. Combine dried black-eyed peas, converted white rice, dried onion flakes, freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, baking soda, and bay leaves. Store at room temperature up to 3 weeks.
5. TO MAKE HOPPIN' JOHN STEW: Stir together Hoppin' John Starter and 8 cups water in a 5 1/2- to 6-qt. slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours or until peas are tender. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Hands-on 5 min. Total 7 hours, 5 min., not including starter
6. PACKAGE HOPPIN' JOHN STARTER IN: Weck 7-oz. Glass Jar ($50; westelm.com); Cellophane Bag (30 cents; thinkgarnish.com)