My New Year’s Dinner

My New Years Dinner is based on a southern tradition that I grew up with, part of the reason we have certain foods  for dinner on New Year’s is for the benefit that food brings us. No I am not speaking of the nutritious benefit. But other benefits. According to popular folklore we eat certain foods to bring us good luck in the New Year. Peas and beans symbolize coins, greens of all kinds symbolize money, folding money, Pork symbolize prosperity and cornbread symbolize gold. Fish and round cakes [dessert cakes] symbolize good luck.

Now lets see how magick and folklore compare in the foods we eat on New Years. Turnip Green = money, growth,  black-eyed peas and fish  = luck, fish and pork,= abundance and fertility, Greens = knowledge and education. corn[cornbread]spirituality, protection, abundance, fish = psychic awareness. So it seems that our food traditions is not just folklore but a bit of magick as well.

Black-eyed peas

1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1/2 pound bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
bacon drippings
1/2 small onion finely chopped
Salt to taste
Rinse and sort black-eyed peas. add onions to bacon dripping sauté for about 8 minutes Place peas, bacon and bacon drippings with onions in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let soak, covered, 1 hour. Do not drain.
Return to stove cook over a low heat, adding water as needed. Cook until the peas are tender, about 1 to 1½ hours.
Ladle into a serving bowl.

Turnip Greens
2 bunches of fresh turnips
1/2 lb bacon strips
bacon drippings
2-32 oz containers of chicken broth
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 small onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon of pepper
Chop turnip greens and place into the sink to clean. Agitate the water and turnip greens with your hands to dislodge any dirt and grit from the turnip greens. Drain water and repeat once or twice until the greens feel clean and no dirt remains in the bottom of the sink when rinsing.
Cook bacon in a 10-qt. stockpot over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes or until almost crisp. Add onion, and sauté 8 minutes. Add greens and enough chicken broth to cover the greens cook the greens down, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours.

Cornbread
Slow Cooker Cornbread
slow cooker
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1. In a bowl whisk together the corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Add in the milk, egg, oil and stir until combined. Do not over mix.
3. Spray the sides of the slow cooker with some non-stick cooking spray.
4. Pour the batter into the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. Cover and cook on HIGH for 90 minutes-2 hours. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. Insert the toothpick into the middle of the cornbread. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Let the bread cool for about 10 minutes. Place a platter upside down on top of the crock. Quickly flip the crock over so that the cornbread falls onto the top of the platter. Cut and serve.

Pineapple-Glazed Ham
Ingredients

1 spiral-cut ham
2 cups pineapple preserves
1/4 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Directions
While ham warms in the oven, combine 2 cups pineapple preserves, 1/4 cup dark rum, and 1 teaspoon dry mustard in a small saucepan.
Bring to boiling; remove from heat.
Brush ham with pineapple glaze for the last 30 minutes of baking time;