New Year's Day Food Traditions and Superstitions

New Year's Day Meal - Michelada's, Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya, Hot Turnip Dip with Cornbread

What is considered good luck?  All families and cultures have traditions and superstitions about foods that they believe if eaten on New Year's Day will bring them good luck, wealth, happiness and a prosperous New Year, and January 1st, 2011 will not be any different. 

Eating certain vegetables on New Year's Day thought to bring good luck are Lentils (resemble coins), Greens (color of money), and Cabbage, (paper money), but the most common good luck food in the Southern United States is black-eyed peas which are thought to bring prosperity.

Many traditions also include certain fruits for good luck, such as grapes.  Peruvians believe that you eat 13 grapes at midnight for a prosperous, sweet year.  The 13th one is for extra assurance.

I found this recipe Black-eyed Pea Jambalaya - Deep South Hoppin' John, it was delish and made with lots of Belizean Marie Sharps Hot Sauce, Bill and I are hoping it brings us lots of luck for 2011. 


Black-eyed Pea Jambalaya - Deep South
   Hoppin' John
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

6 slices of bacon
1 cup of chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup of chopped celery
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1-1/2 cups of diced ham
1/2 pound of andouille or other smoked sausage, sliced
3 cups of chicken broth or stock
2 cans black-eyed peas, undrained
2 cups of uncooked, long grain rice
1/4 cup of chopped, sliced pickled jalapeno
1/4 cup of sliced green onion
2 pinches of kosher salt, or to taste
10 turns of the pepper grinder, or to taste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Slap Ya Mama, or your favorite
   Cajun/Creole seasoning, or to taste
1 bay leaf
Chow Chow for garnish, optional
Hot sauce, for the table

Bill found a recipe in the newspaper for a Hot Turnip Dip, I have never eaten turnips before but it was pretty good. We dipped it with corn bread made in my great grandmothers corn bread pan. 

Hot Turnip Dip

1/2 Cup finely chopped onion
1/2 Cup finely chopped celery
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Cup sliced button mmushrooms
1 (10oz.) package frozen chopped turnip greens, cooked according to package directions and well drained
1 Cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons flour
1 Cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 Drops of Marie Sharps hot sauce

Saute the onion and celery in the butter until soft.  Stir in mushrooms, saute until they are browned.  Add the flour, stir until smooth, then add the heavy cream.  Cook till slightly thickened.  Add the turnip greens to the mixture.  Add the cheese, stir until melted.  Season with Worcestershire and Hot Sauce.  Serve warm with cornbread muffins. 



We had Peruvian Grapes Jubilee for dessert.  This recipe was given to me last Christmas when we had it at a Christmas Party for Mississippi Spay and Neuter, a low cost spay and neuter group in Mississippi that we volunteer with.   This dessert is absolutely divine.

Peruvian Grapes Jubilee

Peruvian Grapes Jubilee

1 lb. green seedless grapes
1 lb. red seedless grapes
8 oz. Cream Cheese
16 oz. Sour Cream
1/3 cup white Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Flavoring
A dash of Lemon Juice or Cider Vinegar for taste

Topping

1 1/2 - 2 cups Pecans
1 cup Brown Sugar

Blend soften cream cheese into sour cream, add sugar
Add grapes, juice and vanilla
Mix well
Pour topping over grape mixture
Chill very well before serving

Michelada's

We topped everything off by making Michelada's to drink, they remind us of being in Belize.  They may not be quite as good as the ones Raul makes at Fido's, in San Pedro, Belize, but they were still very good  made with lots of Marie Sharps hot sauce.  Marie Sharps hot sauce makes everything taste better.


Michelada's

1 Serving

• Mexican beer or Belikin beer -- 1 (12-ounce) bottle or can. 
• Lime (preferably Key lime), cut into wedges -- 1
• Bottled hot pepper sauce -- 2 dashes
• Worcestershire sauce -- 1 dash
• Fresh ground black pepper -- pinch
• Season All Seasoning

Method

1. Fill a tall beer glass with ice cubes. Squeeze the lime wedges into the glass and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, season all and pepper.
2. Pour in the beer, stir and serve.

Variations

• Micheladas are usually made with a light pilsner like Corona, but you can use a dark beer like Negra Modelo if you prefer.
• To Rim the Glasses: Mix 2 tablespoons of coarse or kosher salt and 1 tablespoon of chili powder. Wet the rims of the beer glasses with a wedge of lime and dip the rims into the chili salt.
• Tomatoey Michelada: Like a beery Bloody Mary. Add 1/2 cup Clamato or tomato juice to the above recipe.  
• Other Possible Additions: A dash of soy sauce or Maggi® seasoning; a shot of tequila.