By New Year's 2029. Black-eyed peas for the seventeenth year. Dustin made them. Sixth year. They were excellent. Not "good" — excellent. The onions were caramelized. The ham hock was tender. The seasoning was right. I tasted them and I looked at Dustin and I said, "These are better than mine." He said, "No, they're not." I said, "They are. The onions are better." He said, "I watched a video." He said, "A three-minute video on caramelizing onions." He said it like he'd studied for a PhD. Three minutes. Six years of annual cooking, and a three-minute video cracked the code. The peas are Dustin's now. The peas belong to him. I'm keeping the biscuits.
Resolutions: Dustin — grow the business to five employees. Me — get promoted. Carol has been hinting about a director-level position at the food bank. Director of community programs. More money, more responsibility, more of the work I'm already doing. The title wouldn't change the food. The title would change the paycheck. And the paycheck changes the math, and the math changes everything.
Cody's resolution: coach Colton's Little League team. Colton is almost five and will start T-ball in the spring. Cody — the man who learned to fish from a book — is going to coach baseball. He called me and said, "I bought a book." I said, "Of course you did." He said, "It's called 'Coaching Youth Baseball.'" I said, "Is it good?" He said, "I have no idea. I've never coached anything." I said, "You'll be great." He said, "How do you know?" I said, "Because you show up. And showing up is 90% of coaching." The other 10% is probably knowing the rules, but Cody will figure that out. Cody figures everything out. He just needs a book and a reason.
The moment I admitted Dustin’s peas were better than mine, I knew I needed to find my next move — something new to claim, something that still honored the tradition without stepping on his territory. Black-eyed pea skins felt exactly right: all the smoky, savory luck of New Year’s peas, wrapped up in something crispy and completely mine. If he owns the pot, I’ll own the appetizer tray.
BC Skins (Black-Eyed Pea Potato Skins)
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup diced smoked ham or ham hock meat
- 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream, for serving
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Bake the potatoes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place directly on the oven rack and bake for 50–55 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Hollow the skins. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Reserve the scooped potato for another use. Brush the inside and outside of each shell with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Crisp the shells. Place potato shells cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 8 minutes, flip, and bake another 5 minutes until edges are golden and crisp.
- Make the filling. While shells crisp, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of oil and sauté the diced onion for 5–6 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in ham, black-eyed peas, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper and cook 3 minutes until heated through.
- Fill and melt. Spoon the black-eyed pea mixture evenly into the crisped potato shells. Top each with shredded cheddar. Return to oven for 4–5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve. Remove from oven and top each skin with a small dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 380mg