Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Corn Bread Croutons

Ingredients

• 4 slices applewood-smoked bacon chopped
• 6 cups black-eyed peas cooked
• 1 cup corn bread cubed (1-inch) ()
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper red crushed
• 2 cups less-sodium chicken broth fat-free
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 6  garlic cloves minced
• 3 cups onion chopped
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup watercress trimmed chopped
• 2 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• ladle
• oven
• blender

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Arrange corn bread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.
5. Add bacon to pan; cook 5 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Set bacon aside.
7. Add onion and garlic to drippings; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas and next 5 ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until beans are very tender.
8. Place half of bean mixture in a blender.
9. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender.
10. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth.
11. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining bean mixture. Ladle about 1 1/3 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons watercress, 2 1/2 tablespoons croutons, and about 1 1/2 teaspoons bacon.