Hoppin' John

By Dorothea Malloy

4 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 TB dried minced onion
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 cups brown rice, uncooked
1 16 oz can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
6 oz cooked ham, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1.  Bring water to boil.
2.  Add salt, onion, bay leaf, and thyme.
3.  Stir in rice.
4.  Cover and reduce heat to low.
5.  Simmer 35-40 minutes until rice is almost tender.
6.  Stir in black-eyed peas and ham. 
7.  Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes until rice is tender.