New Year’s food traditions… lots of peas, and quesadillas

“Peas for pennies, greens for dollars, cornbread for gold”– all food for good luck  for the new year with which we are familiar.

But something new to me was, “ring-shaped cakes and other rounded sweet treats bring a full circle of luck to the eater.”

Most I talked to were planning “traditional” with a few personal twists or additions.

“Like a lot of people, we eat hog jowl, black eye peas, greens or cabbage, and cornbread. Sometimes cracklin’ cornbread if Pop (James Wright) cooks it,” said Ben Pratt.

“We go to my mom’s (Melissa Parker) and eat with my wonderful family!” said Traci England King. It is their tradition to have black eyes, jowl, greens and cornbread. “Then I start my ‘resolution diet’,” she said.

“After the rich and calorie dense foods of the Christmas holiday, the meal I prepare on New Year’s is pretty traditional and basic. It’s actually one passed down from my mom, the late Bobbie Tedford, that I adopted many years ago. The meal is said to bring “good luck” (which I do not believe in), financial stability, if not prosperity during the new year,” said Doris Walker.

“We have the traditional old thing like everybody else. I cook black-eyed peas with fried smoked jowls every year (but I don’t eat peas), something green–usually mustard greens or cabbage, candied yams, creamed corn or corn casserole, cornbread, baked ham and a pound cake,” she said.

“The normal peas and cornbread and stuff,” said Stephanie Lucius of Calhoun City, “and also try to do ham pie with leftover Christmas ham like my grandmother (Alto Lucius) used to do. Of course, mine is not ever as good as hers was!”

Mixing traditional with a little party food, “All snacks!” Taylor Blue says for her family, and her favorite is Baked Brie. 

“Top brie with raspberry jam, wrap in puff pastry, cook until golden, and serve with crackers.” she said.

Along with those snacks they do include, “New Year’s Day hoppin’ John, cabbage, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, cornbread, strickalin,” she said.

Totally bucking tradition was Leah Morris McCormick.

“Well, it durn sure ain’t gonne be peas with hog jowl. Blech!” she said.

Their New Year’s meal plan “will probably be along the lines of Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas made by daughter, Rivers” she said.

“Cream cheese is the key ingredient, keeps them from being dry,” she said, “and these also keep and reheat fabulously, for eating on the go. We just throw leftover wedges in a ziplock bag and microwave when we’re hungry for a snack,” she said.

If they can’t get a rotisserie chicken, they use shredded canned chicken.

They have a quesadilla maker and she says every kitchen needs one, but that they can easily be made in a skillet or baking sheet.

Ham Pie Alto Lucius 

1 1/2 cups leftover ham, cubed

1 cup carrots, sliced

2 cups self-rising flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 can sweet peas, drained

Salt and pepper

4-5 eggs, boiled and diced

Milk

Crisco shortening

In large pan, boil ham and carrots approximately 30-45 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Reduce heat to medium high. (I usually make sure I have half pan of water left once  carrots are done. Depending on how ‘soupy’ you want the dish to be, you can have more or less.) In mixing bowl, stir together 2 cup self-rising flour, 1/2 tsp. salt and about 3-4 Tbsp. Crisco until blended. Add 3/4 cup milk and stir until doughy. Drop mixture into water a small spoonful at a time to make dumplings. Add peas and diced eggs. Add milk as desired to turn broth white. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook additional five minutes until dumplings are done.

Cracklin’ Cornbread

James Wright

2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix, plus a little extra for the skillet

2 cups whole buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

4 oz. cracklins (a good handful) 

 Shortening  

Preheat oven to 425°. Put a 10 inch iron skillet with a few tablespoons of shortening in the oven to preheat. While skillet preheats, combine cornmeal mix, buttermilk and egg in a bowl. Add cracklins and stir. When skillet is hot, sprinkle cornmeal in the melted grease—this is the trick to a crunchy crust. Put the batter into the skillet and bake in the 425° oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. 

Whipping Cream Pound Cake

Doris Walker

3 cups sugar

2 sticks butter

6 eggs

3 cups plain flour, sifted

1 cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp vanilla flavoring

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, one at a time, and  beat well after adding each one. Add flour and cream, alternately. Mix well. Add vanilla flavoring. Pour in tube pan and bake at 325° for one hour or until done.

EDITOR’s NOTE: If you have a suggestion for a “Cook of the Week,” please email us at calhouncountyjournal@gmail.com or call 983-2570.