So; what is for dinner on New Year’s Day?

This is the menu at our house:
Recipes follow.
Enjoy!

SWEET TEA/BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD/LIME CONGEALED SALAD/RED BEANS AND RICE/TURNIP GREENS/ BLACK-EYED PEA SUCCOTOSH/MY FAVORITE MAC AND CHEESE / BANANA AND BLUEBERRY BREAD PUDDING

Yep! I’m actually cooking up all these good ole down-home recipes for New Year’s Day; but they will not all be eaten in a day. We will have them again on the first night after we head back to work for the New Year; and I’ll freeze a lot of it to have for meals later. No need to be wasteful just because we are feasting.

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to buy a nice upright freezer for my kitchen pantry and keep it loaded with pre-cooked, easy-to-prepare meals.

I’m getting pretty picky about how I spend my time in my old age; and I don’t want to always be doing the trinity of chores that happen constantly at my house (cooking/washing dishes/washing clothes.) I honestly could let those things consume me forever if I’m not too careful! Add vacuuming and scrubbing bathrooms to that list and all of your time is spent from now to eternity.

Sorry; I definitely have other plans!

Believe me; that is NOT how I want to spend all of my days; so I’m all about freezing and reheating during the week days of the working week.

This year I hope to bring a lot of new techniques and skills for just this type of thing to the blog. I still like to cook our meals myself (whenever possible) and I’m very fond of trying to use the most healthy ingredients available.

Here are the recipes for the above menu:

BEST BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD EVER

Ingredients:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup yellow cornmeal (or white if you prefer)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sugar
¼ cup melted butter
1 large egg
1 -1/4 cup buttermilk
3 tsp. canola oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and drop the canola oil into a 12- inch cast iron skillet. Heat for about 15 minutes until just hot; but not smoking. Mix dry ingredients well; then mix wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix lightly until blended, but do not over-mix. Pour cornbread mix into the hot skillet and return to oven for 20 minutes. When the top is golden brown remove from oven and let cool until cool enough to place a plate over top of skillet and invert to remove cornbread onto the plate.

LIME CONGEALED SALAD

Ingredients:
1 (6-ounce) package GREEN flavored gelatin
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
2 cups buttermilk
1 (8-ounce) container frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed
¼ cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Combine gelatin and pineapple with syrup in a large saucepan and bring to a boil; stirring to prevent sticking. Cook slightly and stir in buttermilk. Fold in whipped topping and pecans. Pour into mold (spray the mold lightly with vegetable spray) and chill for about 3 hours or until set.

LOUISIANA RED BEANS AND RICE

A favorite take on a Louisiana classic. No shortcuts! Put everything into the slow cooker in the morning and you will have your meal ready in the late afternoon or evening, whenever you are ready. This recipe will feed a lot of people.”
Ingredients:
1 pound dried red beans, soaked overnight
10 cups water
1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or to taste
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 ham hock
4 cups cooked rice
Directions:
Place the beans and water into a slow cooker. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage in the skillet; remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to the slow cooker. Reserve drippings. Add onion, green pepper, jalapeno pepper and garlic to the drippings; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer everything from the skillet to the slow cooker.

Season the mixture with fresh ground black pepper and Creole seasoning. Add the fresh basil leaves and the ham hock. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, or until beans are tender. If the bean mixture seems too watery, take the lid off the slow cooker and set heat to High to cook until they reach a creamy texture.

TURNIP GREENS

Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound turnip greens, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
Directions:
Saute onions and garlic in a skillet. Bring chicken broth, water, oil, salt, and pepper to a boil in a stockpot. Add turnip greens, onions, garlic and sugar and return to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every 15 minutes, until greens are tender, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

BLACK-EYED PEA SUCCOTOSH

Ingredients:
6 cups water
1-1/3 cup dried black-eyed peas
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
5 drops hot pepper sauce
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 16-ounce package frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
½ cup finely diced red onion
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup finely diced green bell pepper
Directions:
Soak peas overnight and rinse. Combine water, black-eyed peas, salt and bay leaf in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until peas are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Drain well; discard bay leaf. Whisk rice vinegar, honey, and hot pepper sauce in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Mix into black-eyed pea mixture. This is good hot or cold.

MY FAVORITE MAC AND CHEESE

Ingredients:
2 cups macaroni noodles
3 tablespoons butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika (also some for sprinkling on top)
2-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped bacon bits
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil noodles on the stove top in water until tender but not limp, drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.

Turn the stove top to medium and in another boiler on the stove add butter until melted, then add all-purpose flour, salt, dry mustard, black pepper and paprika. Stir with a wooden spoon until well blended then slowly add heavy whipping cream. Continue to stir until sauce becomes thick (10 -12 minutes.) Remove from heat and add 2 cups of the grated cheese into mixture while it is still hot.

Place one half of pasta in a prepared casserole dish. Pour one half of cheese sauce over pasta and mix until all pasta is covered with cheese sauce. Add one half of the bacon bits as the next layer. Add half of the grated cheese that is left on top of bacon bits. Add the other half of the pasta and pour rest of cheese topping into it. Top pasta with last half of grated cheese as well as last half of the bacon bits.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese on top is slightly brown. Serve hot.

BANANA AND BLUEBERRY BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
3 eggs (whisked)
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 banana (sliced)
1 pint blueberries
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Directions:
Cube the Hawaiian sweet rolls. Place them into a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish. Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour the mix over the Hawaiian sweet rolls. Toss the bread and mix together and top with sliced bananas and blueberries.

In another dish combine the brown sugar and flour. Fold in the butter and mix until a crumble forms, then sprinkle over the bread pudding. Place in oven and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Drizzle the honey on top and dust with powdered sugar.
Best served hot with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream on top.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!