Traditional New Years Recipes

I know..I am getting all this stuff crammed in at the last minute. Well, it isn’t my fault. It is God’s fault. Christmas and New Years are just too close together. I personally could use a breather.

However, everyone knows that if you want to have a really good New Year there are certain things you need to eat. Traditionally in the American South on New Years Day the traditional menu includes black eyed peas, ham, greens, and corn bread. The motto is,” eat poor on New Year’s and eat fat the rest of the year!”.

But did you know that the Dutch believe that eating doughnuts for breakfast will bring luck? I know I always feel lucky when I eat doughnuts.

In Greece they make a cake called Vaselopita
It has money hidden inside, and the cake is to be eaten on New Year’s Day. Whoever finds the money will be lucky in the New Year, unless of course they break a tooth on the coin…

Here is a recipe for all in one Black-eyed Pea Soup, guaranteed to make you prosperous in the New Year, or at least very full and happy. Sit a chunk of corn bread along side and you have a great meal.

Ham & Black-eyed Pea Soup with Greens

In a large saucepan heat and cook until tender:

1/4 c olive oil

4 medium onions chopped

5 garlic cloves chopped

Add:

2 pounds collard greens, stems removed and leaves finely chopped (I like spinach better)

8 cups organic chicken stock

8 cups water

2 small finely minced Jalapeño peppers

1 ham bone

the meat removed from the bone (approx.3/4 to 1 cup)

Simmer until greens are tender, about 20 minutes

Meanwhile, rinse and drain:

4 16-ounce cans black-eyed peas Mash half of them to thicken the soup and add all to the soup mixture.

Add: 4 cans organic diced tomatoes

Simmer 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper

Stir in: 1 tbs cider vinegar dash of hot sauce

Makes about 8 main course servings.

We’ll look at some other traditional recipes over the next couple of days. Don’t go away.