At the end of the year I always like to reflect back on the past year and take a look at the lessons that I can bring forward into the new year. I have made so many new friends this year and you have made it a very special year for me. Let's take a look at your Top Ten Favorites.
This year if you have stopped by to have tea with me and visit for a bit, left me a lovely comment, became a follower, or just came by to get a recipe or two you have warmed my heart. Thank you so much for being a part of 2010. I am looking forward to spending more time with you in 2011! Be sure and pick up your invitation for Full Plate Thursday look at the Red Plate on my side bar, you will want to be here on opening day...January 6, 2011.
Wishing you the very best of everything in the new year. God Bless and Keep You...
I always remember my Grandmother and my Mother having Black Eyed Peas cooking on New Years. After I had my own home my Mother would call and remind me to be sure and "cook a pot of peas for New Years". There are many traditions around New Years food. If you eat buckwheat soba noodles in Japan you are thought to have long life. Eat 12 grapes at the strike of Midnight in Latin America and it is thought that you will have success in each month of the new year. In our family we ate the Black Eyed Peas for good luck in the New Year. If you added pork of any kind that would bring prosperity in the new year, while some believe that if you add greens that will also increase your pocket book with green bills. My Grandmother always put pork and collards in her black eyed peas while my Mother cooked her peas with pork without the collards. I am happy to share my Good Luck Black Eyed Peas with you. We cook these in the slow cooker and will have them ready to eat from midnight and all day on New Years day. The first thing we eat at midnight is a bowl of black eyed peas. When folks stop by our Cottage on New Years day, we always give them a bowl of black eyed peas, to bring good luck and prosperity in the New Year.
I use dried Black Eyed Peas. The peas that I will use in my Good Luck Black Eyed Peas this year were from our summer garden. They were purple hull peas, when they dried on the vine then we harvested them and I have saved them for New Years just like my Grandmother did. If you don't have dried peas from your garden you can buy dried Black Eyed Peas in most super markets. Some people will use frozen peas however the broth is different with the frozen peas, it is not as thick as the dried peas.
Black Eyed Peas With Ham Hock Ready To Serve
Good Luck Black Eyed Peas
Miz Helen's Kitchen
2 cups dried Black Eyed Peas or Purple Hull Peas
1 Ham Hock
1 large yellow onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Option: add 2 cups chopped Collard Greens, or 2 cups of chopped Chard , or 2 cups of chopped Kale.
8 to 10 cups water
You can soak the peas overnight or you can use the quick soak method for the dried peas.
I use the quick soak method for the dried peas.
Pick out all the bad peas and rinse them very well.
Pour 2 cups of dried peas in 8 cups of boiling water. Bring peas to boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Pour into Slow Cooker and add enough water back into the peas to equal 8 cups of water.
Add the ham hock, onion, garlic and the seasons.
If you are adding any of the greens be sure and add an extra cup of water at this time.
Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 3 hours.
Leave on simmer or warm to serve.
We like to serve our Good Luck Black Eyed Peas with Green Tomato Chow Chow and Corn Bread.
We sure hope that you enjoy your Good Luck Black Eyed Peas. We wish you the very best of everything for you and your family in 2011! Your visits are very special to me hope you will come back soon!
This is such a busy time of the year, we are very busy entertaining or being invited to other events. Sometimes we are asked to bring little Holiday Goodies. I often times have left over ham in the freezer and this is a great way to use it, other than in my beans or a casserole.
Ham Puffs
Ham Lettuce Cups
Ham Salad
Miz Helen's Kitchen
3 cups coarsely Chopped Baked Ham
2 tablespoons Spicy Mustard
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
2/3 cup Sweet Pickle Relish or Dill Pickle Relish
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chives
Dash Cayenne Pepper
1/2 cup chopped roasted pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
In the food processor place the chopped ham and process until finely chopped.
Remove ham and place into mixing bowl.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Chill before serving
Process Ham in Food Processor
Mix Well
Ham Puff
The Puff Recipe is Posted at This Link:Cream Puffs
Enjoy!
This is a very versatile dish. It has served many a Afternoon Tea, Ladies Luncheon, Christmas or New Years Party. It would just be good anytime. I sure hope you enjoy it and hope to see you soon...
We are having a wonderful holiday with family and friends. We are so glad that you could stop by today. We have so many Christmas Goodies to eat you just sit right down and we will have a little snack with our tea. I am working on the menu for next week so we will get right to it.
New Years Day We Will Serve The Good Luck Black Eyed Peas All Day Link on Friday
Baked Ham Steak With Spicy Hot Fruit
Scalloped Potatoes
Fresh Green Beans
From Miz Helen's Kitchen Table Cook Book
"The Green Salad"
Homemade Cottage Bread
Fresh Apple Cake with Cream
Hot Spicy Fruit
Miz Helen's Kitchen
1 pound can of Pear Halves drained well
1 pound can of Cling Peach Halves drained well
1 pound can of Pineapple Chunks drained well
1 pound can of Apricot Halves drained well
1 pound can of Purple Plums drained well
1 cup of Maraschino Cherries
2/3 cup Almonds chopped
1/2 cup Butter chopped in small pieces
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
Drain all the fruit really well.
Mix all the spices and the nuts together.
Layer the fruit in a baking dish, sprinkle each layer with the season and nut mixture dotting each layer with some of the butter pieces.
Top with the Maraschino Cherries and the remainder of the season and nut mixture dotting with the butter pieces.
Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.
This is a great fruit dish and can be used as a great addition to any meal. It is delicious over ice cream served as a dessert.
Baked Ham Steak
Baked Ham Steak
Miz Helen's Kitchen
3 11/2 pound Ham Steaks
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
3 tablespoons Corn Starch
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground Nutmeg
1/2 cup Honey
Mix together brown sugar, corn starch, Cinnamon, nutmeg, and Cayenne pepper. Add the honey and mix well.
Layer the ham one on the other, cover the top of each ham steak with the honey mixture.
Cover and bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Option: The liquid can be drained and poured into a sauce pan and reduced for a nice sauce to pour over the ham steaks.
I am serving the ham steaks with Spicy Hot Fruit, the recipe included in this post.
I am so glad that you stopped by today to help me close out this year. We want to wish you the very best in 2011...Happy New Year! Your visits are so special to us so come back soon...
Peace and Joy
Miz Helen
This Post is Linked to: Menu Plan Monday Menu Inspiration Monday
Christmas memories are made of sounds, smells, pictures, food, reflections, family and friends. The feelings of celebration, joy, giving, receiving, love, acceptance, hope and peace.
I invite you to join me in quiet reflection of some of my Christmas Memories.
The Snowman Is Over Twenty Years Old He Is Called "Tiny Snowman" Tiffany Made It When She Was Five Years Old
The Village Choir Fourteen Years Old
Reece and Tate
Decorating The Christmas Cookies Lauren and Stephanie
"Brin Man" A Texas Christmas
Kyleigh 2010 Making Her Gingerbread House
Family Fun Trevor, Nikki and Ben
Whats In The Box Jerame?
Ready For The Ornament Exchange
Memories With Friends That Warm My Heart
And To All...A Good Night
From our Cottage to yours...Merry Christmas and may God Bless You!
Peace and Joy
