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1
Remove the loose outer leaves of the cabbage to reveal the tightly packed head. Carefully chop the cabbage into coarse pieces. Discard the core. Place the pieces into a collander and wash thoroughly. Shake the cabbage slices to separate the leaves as best as possible. Set aside.
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2
Peel and slice both the onion and garlic. Set aside.
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3
Remove the Canadian Bacon from the package and dice into cubes/slivers. Set aside.
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4
Open and drain the can of black-eyed peas. Set aside.
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5
In a large skillet with a lid, place two tablespoons of olive oil. Heat on medium-high heat. Open the Rice-a-Roni package and pour the rice into the skillet. Sautee the rice until golden/medium brown. Slowly and carefully add the hot water to the skillet. Add contents of the flavor packet and stir well. Reduce heat to lowest setting possible, cover, and cook until all liquid is absorbed (about 15-25 minutes).
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6
In a large pot, place butter and remaining olive oil. Heat on medium/high heat. Stir butter and olive oil together. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped onion, garlic, and Canadian Bacon. Sautee 3-5 minutes. Add the cayenne and parsley and stir. Add the black-eyed peas and stir. Cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes. Add the cabbage to the mixture and stir. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring the mixture every 5 minutes.
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7
After 15 minutes of cooking, give mixture one last stir, cover, turn burner off and let stand 5-10 minutes.
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8
Once the Rice-a-Roni is finished cooking, remove from heat and let stand 3-5 minutes.
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9
The dish may be assembled separately or the cooked Rice-a-Roni may be mixed directly into the cabbage and served as a complete meal. Leftovers should be mixed together and refridgerated in a small container. The dish reheats well and tastes better the next day. This makes it possible to prepare this dish a day in advance.
