Black-Eyed Peas With Bacon
["1 lb. black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted", "1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled", "1 large onion, chopped", "1 garlic clove, minced", "1 Tbsp. butter or margarine", "1/2 tsp. dried thyme", "salt to taste", "additional crumbled bacon (optional)"]
["Place peas, bacon and enough water to cover in a large kettle; bring to a boil.", "Boil for 2 minutes.", "Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour.", "Do not drain.", "In a skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender.", "Add to pea mixture with thyme and salt.", "Return to the heat; simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until peas are soft.", "Top with crumbled bacon, if desired.", "Yields 6 to 8 servings."]
["black-eyed peas", "bacon", "onion", "garlic", "butter", "thyme", "salt", "bacon"]