Posted: January 1st, 2012 | Author: bettybecca | Filed under: Try Something New | No Comments »
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Greens are another New Year’s food. Here’s a little background from Epicurious.com:
Cooked greens, including cabbage, collards, kale, and chard, are consumed at New Year’s in different countries for a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money, and are thus symbolic of economic fortune. The Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, the Germans consume sauerkraut (cabbage) while in the southern United States, collards are the green of choice. It’s widely believed that the more greens one eats the larger one’s fortune next year.
I received a Paula Deen calendar from my in-laws, D & T. Each month features a yummy recipe. For March, she makes Collard Green Wontons (similar to these). I thought they sounded delicious, but I didn’t want to fry them. So…I’m remixing them in puff pastry. I also wanted to make them vegetarian so I omitted the bacon.
Ingredients
3 T olive oil
2 – 16 ounce bags of collard greens, leaves cut into small pieces
1 T hot sauce/Tabasco
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T unsalted butter
1 – 8 ounce package onion and chive cream cheese + 2 ounces regular cream cheese, softened
2 packages puff pastry, cut into square pieces (about 15 pieces per sheet, roll out if necessary on a floured surface)
Directions
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and chopped greens. Add hot sauce, red pepper flakes, garlic, and salt to the pan. Saute collards just until beginning to wilt (about 20 minutes). Stir in butter and cream cheese. Remove from heat and check seasonings.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a small bowl with water. With the tip of your finger dipped in water, moisten the edge of the square of puff pastry, and place a scant teaspoonful of the collard mixture into the center. Fold over to form a triangle and seal the edges with a fork. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops of pastry are golden brown.
I’ll be bringing these guys to a party later on tonight. I love a New Year’s Day party…so much different (and more my speed) than NYE. Happy 2012, folks!
Posted: December 31st, 2011 | Author: bettybecca | Filed under: Try Something New | 1 Comment »
This time of year, I love to cook the traditional New Year’s foods, which are usually dishes said to bring good luck. Black eyed peas are one of those things that I just have to eat this time of year. According to Wikipedia, eating these black-eyed beauties is said to bring prosperity. I was going to go for frozen, but I found fresh black eyed peas at Publix today for a great price. See? Prosperity!
Last year, my preparation was to roast them until the peas were crunchy (like this recipe). They were well-seasoned and fun to eat…almost like a peanut. The previous year I made Hoppin’ John (Check out this recipe from Emeril). It wasn’t my favorite, but it was fun to make.
Since I found them fresh, I wanted to go with a simple preparation that still packed a good flavor, and I really liked how this came out. The first bite I put in my mouth made me long for Rosy Relish, a sweet church bazaar favorite my grandmother and mom always served with black eyed peas. I’ve made a note to make it for the past couple of summers, but this year will be the year I will follow through. Do you want to make it too? See the recipe at the bottom. Now for the main attraction…the pea recipe:
2 T olive oil (divided)
2 pieces bacon
4 cups water
24 ounces fresh black eyed peas
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t Tabasco/hot sauce
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 T red wine vinegar
1 small onion, finely diced to garnish
Add 1 T oil and bacon to saucepan over medium heat, and cook until bacon is crispy. Add water (carefully) and bring to a boil on high. Add black eyed peas and reduce temp to medium. Cook until tender approximately 15-20 minutes. Drain most of the cooking liquid. Return to low heat and add seasonings and 1 T of olive oil. Stir well to incorporate. Serve with onion on top. Great served over cornbread, too!
Rosy RelishRecipe from Mary McDaniel in the First United Methodist Church of Rutherford, Tennessee Cook Book (1979).
4 cups chopped tomatoes
4 cups chopped apples
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped green peppers
2 cups chopped celery
3 cups vinegar
2 T red pepper (optional)
5 1/2 cups sugar
2 t salt
2 sticks cinnamon
4 T mustard seed
16 whole cloves
Tie spices in a bag. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices. Bring to a rapid boil. Add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer until mixture is rather thick, about 30-45 minutes. Pour into hot sterile jars and seal.
Now, this is all the detail that Ms. Mary gave us in the original recipe. I promise to give some more details when I make it in a few months.
Happy New Year!
Posted: December 31st, 2011 | Author: bettybecca | Filed under: Around Chez Ary | No Comments »
Happy New Year to you and yours! I hope you’re enjoying some time off work and doing some reflection on the past year and planning for the one to come!
I promise regular posting will resume soon! I’ve got some great things planned, and I’m so excited to be on the new domain.
Love to all,
Becca
