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 … [Read more...] about Collard Cornbread Muffins
New Years Day
Collard and Country Ham Quiche
Recipe development is a constant process, and everything that I eat (or see, or think about eating) becomes a recipe possibility. So here we are. I have a recipe for a spinach quiche that I make to take to people in need of a meal or sometimes for a luncheon. It’s the kind of thing you can pretty much have all the ingredients on hand and it is really easy to pull together. … [Read more...] about Collard and Country Ham Quiche
Smoky Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Stew
As the New Year starts, we turn again to our black-eyed peas for luck. I usually go for something traditionally Southern, but every once in a while, I like to ring the changes and spice things up. This hearty stew has all the cold-weather comfort of old-fashioned Southern black-eyed peas with a fantastic hit of smoke and spice. I’ll admit, I am mostly a … [Read more...] about Smoky Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Stew
Collard and Cornbread Pudding
Any Southerner will tell you that you must eat greens on New Year’s day. It insures prosperity in the year to come (and black eyed peas) for luck. And if you got a big pot of greens to serve up, you just have to have some cornbread to go with it. So here, I have combined the two into a lovely casserole in the style of a savory bread pudding. Frozen chopped greens are a perfect … [Read more...] about Collard and Cornbread Pudding
Gumbo Z’Herbes
Gumbo Z’Herbes, or green gumbo, is a very traditional Creole dish that you do not find all that often. The magnificent Leah Chase at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant is famous for hers, and she serves it primarily the traditional way – on Holy Thursday (before Good Friday). Gumbo Z’herbes is said to bring luck and strengthen the body, and that for each type of green you put in the pot, … [Read more...] about Gumbo Z’Herbes