Easy Rice and Peas

Christmas Eve. I sang "O Holy Night" at New Birth. Third year. The tradition that was Mama's first — she sat in the third pew and nodded at the high note — is now mine, and mine includes: Curtis in the third pew (he took her seat; I almost lost it when I saw him there); Marcus and Jasmine beside him; and this year, Derek. In the pew. At the Christmas Eve service. Sitting next to Curtis Jackson, who acknowledged him with a nod that contained volumes. Derek was in the sanctuary. Derek was at my church. Derek was watching me sing.

I hit the high note. I looked at Curtis. He nodded. The same nod. Mama's nod, translated through Curtis's body, delivered from the third pew, forty-four years of marriage condensed into the tilt of a head. He nodded FOR her. Because she can't. Because the tradition doesn't stop. Because Curtis Jackson will sit in that pew and nod at that note for the rest of his life, or mine, whichever comes first, and the nod is love and the nod is Brenda and the nod is enough.

Christmas at Cascade Heights. The family, plus Derek. Not just for pie this time — for dinner. For the whole meal. Curtis said, "Bring the quiet one. He can sit next to me." So Derek sat next to Curtis at the Jackson family Christmas table and ate ham and turkey and dressing and greens and mac and cheese and rolls and talked about Macon and Cadillacs and the kind of slow, deliberate conversation that two quiet men have when they're deciding whether to trust each other. Miss Ernestine said, "He eats well." Approval. Step two on the Miss Ernestine ladder.

Isaiah and Zoe came for Christmas afternoon — Derek brought them after their morning with Lydia. Isaiah was quiet (standard). Zoe was delighted (standard). Jasmine and Zoe disappeared into the back room. Marcus and Isaiah played a card game that Marcus taught him, which is the first time Marcus has voluntarily initiated an activity with Isaiah and which I observed through the doorway while pretending to wash dishes and which made my hands shake because the blending is happening. Slowly. Unevenly. But happening.

I made everything. Every dish. And this year, for the first time, the food was fully mine — built from Mama's foundation but finished with my hands, my additions, my bourbon and my nutmeg and my cranberry relish and Claudette's rice and peas. The table held both the past and the future. Mama's plate was set. Derek's plate was full. The kitchen held both women — the one who built it and the one who's building from it. Christmas. Year two. We're here.

When I say the food was fully mine this year, I mean it held more than Mama’s recipes — it held Claudette’s too, and that felt right in a way I didn’t expect to feel so right. The rice and peas sat on the table next to the dressing and the greens and nobody had to explain it, because family doesn’t always need explanation, it just needs room. If you want to bring both sides of your story to your own table, start here — this is the dish that made space for everyone.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1 1/4 cups water
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, trimmed and left whole
1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp butter or coconut oil

Instructions

Build the base. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter or coconut oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
Add the liquids and seasoning. Pour in the coconut milk and water. Add the kidney beans, green onions, thyme, allspice, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
Add the rice. Stir in the rice, making sure it is fully submerged. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 18–20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Rest and fluff. Remove from heat and let the pot sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the green onion stalks and thyme sprig, then fluff the rice gently with a fork.
Taste and serve. Adjust salt to taste. Serve warm alongside roasted meats, holiday mains, or any table that has room for everyone.

Nutrition (per serving)

Easy Rice and Peas — Claudette’s Place at Our Christmas Table