New Year’s Day is all about the greens and black-eyed peas for prosperity and luck in the new year. I never miss this tradition, even if it’s just a tiny bite of each because I cannot tempt fate right off the bat! If I have friends and family stop by, I love to make big pots of each – maybe a Smoky Black-eyed Pea Stew, or some Slow Cooker Southern version. These little cornbread gems are a great accompaniment to a big pot of peas, but I also think think these are a perfect if you want to stick with tradition and get that dose of prosperity, but maybe don’t love a big mess of greens.
I love using frozen chopped collards which I find pretty readily here. If you don’t, you can chop a pound of fresh greens into small pieces and boil them for about 5 minutes until wilted and tender. Drain well and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. You could also use frozen spinach, which I am guessing still counts as a green for prosperity! Creamed corn makes these extra moist and tender and adds a little pop of texture. If you want to, you can add a dash of hot sauce or some cayenne pepper to the batter for a little kick.
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen chopped collard greens, thawed
1 ¼ cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 (14-ounce can) creamed corn
4 green onions, white and light green parts, finely chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Put the thawed collards in a tea towel and twist and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Put the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Measure the buttermilk in a 2-cup measuring jug, then add the eggs and beat to combine. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add the creamed corn and green onions and stir, then separate the squeezed collards with you fingers and sprinkle over the batter. Stir to distribute evenly. Put the muffin pans in the oven for 5 minutes to heat.
- Remove the muffin pans from the oven. Divide the batter between the cups. Bake for 30 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Serve warm or a room temperature. Though these are at their peak made fresh, they can be refreshed in a low oven before serving.
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