Missed By Two Days....Sauerkraut Soup

I am so sorry that I didn't get this to you before, or on New Year's Day.....Please forgive me.

On New Year's Day I know you're suppose to eat black-eyed peas, sauerkraut, and pork for good luck. I have a sauerkraut hater in the house, so I wanted to find something that I could eat quickly and still get the "good luck" affect. And where do I turn when I am looking for specific recipes? Blogs, of course.

I found this at Sweet Pea's Kitchen, and just to let you know, her recipes are never fail....Everything that I have made from her blog has been fantastic. So, seeing this soup recipe on her blog, I knew it was something that I would love eating.

My son gave me a couple jars of home-made preserved sauerkraut. Have you ever had home-made sauerkraut? It is only the best!!

Everything put together and ready for simmer....

If you want all your "good luck" items all in one dish, this soup is for you. And tasty....it is all that and more. I will be eating more of this today. I am longing for a good year in 2012.

I made a few changes to Sweet Pea's soup, but nothing that is going to throw it off too much.

Sauerkraut Soup

1 pound fully cooked smoked ham (I used my left-over smoked ham from my Christmas dinner)

1/2 of a large onion, finely chopped

2 celery heart ribs, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 c. hard cider (I used apple cider vinegar)

1 jar (32 oz.) sauerkraut, drained (rinsed if needed), (mine was home-made so I didn't rinse it)

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 tsp. fennel seed

8 c. water, 3 TBS chicken soup base, mixed together

1 can black-eyed peas

Fresh ground black pepper to taste (I used a little white pepper and black pepper together)

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the ham. Cook, stirring occasionally until the ham is caramelized and the fat is rendered, 4 - 6 minutes.

Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cider vinegar and cook until almost completely reduced. Add the sauerkraut, broth, potatoes, black-eyed peas, fennel seed, and pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and sauerkraut are very tender and the broth is flavorful, about 1 hour. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.