Happy New Year!

Here we are well into the first day of 2008. I have my black-eyed peas cooking on the stove. Yup, I remembered this year. But as I looked back at the recipe I posted this time last year, I realized I have two different recipes for Hoppin’ John. The one I’m making as I type came from an old Southern Living cook book (1981). I’m going to post the recipe as it appears in the book. But I did not use the quick-soak method the recipe suggests. I soaked the black-eyed peas the NT way, 12-24 hours with 2 tbsp whey added to the water. Without further ado:

• 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
• 1/2 lb ham
• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup uncooked regular rice (I use brown rice)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I used 1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp oregano)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Sort and wash peas; place in a heavy saucepan. Cover with water, and bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let soak 1 hour; drain.

Combine ham and 2 quarts water in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add peas; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer an additional 30 minutes or until black-eyed peas are done.

Remove ham; cut into small pieces. Stir ham into pea mixture. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

One other thing I did differently than the recipe above: I sauteed the onion and celery in the 2 tsp. butter until just tender, then added that mixture to the peas after their 45 minute simmer. I used a couple of ham shank pieces for the ham, so will have to remove the bones when everything is done. And, the brown rice will likely require 10-15 minutes longer than the 30 minutes allotted in the recipe.

Whatever it is you may eat or do this New Year’s Day, I wish you a wonderful year. Happy New Year!

Uala Maoli

I found my recipe for Hawaiian Sweet Potato Casserole. I post it here in case anyone is searching for something a little different to complement their Thanksgiving dinner. It came from Hawaiian Cookbook by Roanna and Gene Schindler – given to me as a birthday gift from my sweet husband in 1991.

• 6 large sweet potatoes (2 1/2 pounds), parboiled and peeled OR 1 40 oz can
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 bananas, sliced
• 1 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 can (16oz) crushed pineapple
• 1 cup pineapple juice mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey

Slice sweet potatoes 1/2 inch thick. Grease a heatproof casserole dish with a little butter (or coconut oil). Arrange in alternate layers starting with the sweet potatoes dotted with butter and salt, then the bananas sprinkled with brown sugar, and then the crushed pineapple. End with the sweet potatoes or the crushed pineapple. Combine the pineapple & lemon juices and honey and pour over mixture. Bake in 350 F preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until browned on top. Serves 6-8.

Kamailio (alternate suggestions):

This I have not tried. “If you like the refreshing taste of ginger root, mince and add it to the pineapple juice. Or use orange juice in place of pineapple juice. . . The recipe can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for 2 days or frozen. Shorten baking time to 25 minutes. Reheat in oven at 300 F until hot.”

Speaking of Thanksgiving . . .

IT’S NEXT WEEK!!!

This happens to me nearly every year. Somehow Thanksgiving manages to sneak up on me and before I know it I’m behind on inviting and planning the menu. Alas, we have gotten the inviting done. Although I’m always concerned that we might have missed someone.

So, now for the menu. Well, I’ve got the green bean casserole covered. And my son grew a couple of pumpkins in the backyard – pumpkin pie. I’ll likely use the recipe from Nourishing Traditions. I think my in-laws are bringing a turkey. Hey, we’re half way there. I think I’ll probably do something with sweet potatoes. I have a Hawaiian recipe I’ve used many times in the past. It calls for sweet potatoes, though, not yams. I wonder if I can find those? I wonder if I can find the recipe? Well, if I do, I’ll post it here.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving dinner?

S. A. D.

That stands for Standard American Diet. And, it really is quite sad. I was just catching up over on Through the Cooking Glass and found this post, a great summary of what is wrong with our American way of eating. Have a look, it’s not too long.

Forgotten Tradition

It was a tradition in my family to eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day. I have generally carried on this tradition since marriage, making sure to have something with black-eyed peas on the first day of the year. It seems it was said to bring good luck for the year – or something of that nature. Well, good thing for me I don’t put my faith and trust in such things. Because this year – I forgot!

Between returning from holiday travels and preparing for my folks to visit this weekend, it never even occurred to me. Sometime after my folks left I suddenly remembered and gasped “I forgot to make black-eyed peas!” My husband just shrugged. Oh well, no big. We had food to eat and did not go hungry. But I did kind of miss them once I realized it. Perhaps I’ll pick some up to make before the week is out. Here’s the recipe I have used most often in past years from my 1989 Betty Crocker cook book:

Hoppin’ John

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup black-eyed peas
• 2 ounces salt pork, diced, OR 3 slices bacon, cut up
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup uncooked regular rice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Heat water and beans to boiling in 3-quart sauce-pan. Boil 2 minutes: remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Add enough water to beans to cover if necessary. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst).

Drain beans, reserving liquid. Cook salt pork in 10-inch skillet until crisp; add onion. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Add enough water to bean liquid, if necessary, to measure 2 cups. Add bean liquid, salt pork, onion, rice and salt to beans in 3-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling stirring once or twice; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 14 minutes (Do not lift cover or stir.). Remove from heat. Fluff with fork; cover and let steam 5 to 10 minutes. About 5 servings.

This makes a good meal with cornbread and perhaps some salad. It’s not a bad way to start off the year. I remember another food tradition I learned of when we lived in Hawaii – consuming Ahi, a type of tuna. Do you have any traditions for bringing in the new year?