Black-eyed Peas & Cabbage

Happy New Year!

Long time no see.  I haven't had time for blogging lately.  I've been dealing with some medical issues and my Etsy Shop had a nice Christmas rush so I was sewing in the spare time I did have.  I may not be writing for another stretch because I am having surgery in mid January.  But I thought I would wish y'all well and tell you about a Louisiana tradition.  On New Year's Day we eat black-eyed peas and cabbage.  It's supposed to bring us health and wealth.  Who couldn't use both of those?

I never liked smothered cabbage, which is how my Mama and her Mama cooked it.  So I roast my cabbage.  It's very easy.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Prep the cabbage by peeling off the first few outer leaves and cutting off the stem and core.  Then cut the cabbage into 8 wedges.  Place them on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender and golden brown on the edges.  Done.  So yummy!

Black-eyed peas take longer but are just as easy and a great way to use up that leftover Christmas ham!  If you don't have ham, use smoked sausage or bacon.



BLACK EYED PEAS

1 lb dried black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked ham, chopped
1 TBS oil
4 cups chicken broth (or water)
salt/pepper/Cajun seasoning

Heat oil in a big pot on medium-high heat.  Add ham and brown lightly. 

Add onions and cook until softened a bit.

Add beans and broth (or water) to the pot and stir.  Season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning.

Bring to a boil then cover, lower the heat and simmer for an hour and a half to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve the black-eyed peas over rice.  Yum!

Make these recipes and treat yourself to some extra health and wealth!  Have a super fantastic 2019!

Taco Soup

Living in South Louisiana is like riding a weather roller coaster!  We are well into November and we're wearing shorts and running the A/C.  But, not long ago, we were in sweaters.  And from what I heard the weatherman say last night, we will be in heavy coats this weekend.  It's a never ending up and down experience.  You know how most people get to put the summer clothes away and bring out the winter clothes for the "season"?  Well, we can't do that here in South Louisiana.  We may need a sweater or perhaps a sundress.  Sometimes you can wear both on the same day!  You never know how the day is going to unfold.  This cartoon pretty much nails it:

When it does get cold around here, I love a steaming bowl of soup to warm up.  Who doesn't?  Here's a recipe that is easy to make and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  The best part is that it's hearty, warm and delicious on a cold day.

TACO SOUP

1/2 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 an onion, chopped
1/2 a bell pepper, chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pkg taco seasoning
4 cups water
1 cup frozen corn

Brown the ground beef with the chopped onion and bell pepper.

Drain off any excess grease.  Add the tomatoes (including the juice), water, taco seasoning and beans.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the corn.

Simmer, uncovered for 5 - 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

I serve it with a few tortilla chips (for the hubby) or with sour cream, chopped green onions and crushed tortilla chips (for me).

This soup really warms you up and fills you up.  The meat and beans are very filling.  It has a great flavor, thanks to the taco seasoning, and a bit of sweetness from the corn.  The sour cream adds creaminess (obviously) and the chips add crunch and that great tortilla flavor.

If you live in a part of the world where the cold is constant throughout the season, make this soup to warm your belly.  If you live in South Louisiana and time it just right, it might warm you up, too.  (Or it might make you sweat.  Oh well, just crank the A/C).

Pecan Praline Pie

Pecan Pralines are like little drops of heaven right here on earth.  These delicious, creamy, sweet confections are what dreams are made of, for me at least.  As a kid, these were my favorite candy (still are, as a matter of fact).  Most kids couldn't wait to get a Snickers or a bag of M&Ms in their Trick or Treat bag, I was hoping my neighbor made Pralines.  Because, candy-making in Louisiana is tricky business (no pun intended).  Halloween is almost the only time of year that the humidity level is low enough to successfully make these beauties.  I am no candy maker.  I've tried, many times, but it's just not my strong suit.  However, this pie recipe, is so easy to make and tastes just like a Pecan Praline!  I'm not sure if finding this pie recipe is the best thing ever or the worst (because I could eat the whole thing by myself).

PECAN PRALINE PIE

1 (9 inch) pie shell
5 1/2 TBS unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (pack it down in the measuring cup)
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans (plus more for garnish)
1 (5 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 3/4 cups cold milk
1 (8oz) carton Cool Whip, thawed (or whip your own heavy cream but this was quicker)


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Bake empty pie shell for 5 minutes.  I like to put it on a baking sheet to make it easier to handle.

Before:

After:

Meanwhile, melt butter and sugar in a small saucepan.  Add chopped pecans.

After baking the pie shell for 5 minutes, pour the melted butter mixture into it and bake it for 5 minutes more.

Then, let it cool.

While the pie is cooling, whisk together the vanilla pudding mix and cold milk for 5 minutes or until thickened.

Once it is thickened, remove 1 cup of the pudding to another bowl.  Add HALF of the Cool Whip to the 1 cup of pudding and gently fold it together.

Now you should have the original pudding mixture and a lightened, fluffier version.

When the pie is completely cooled, pour the original pudding mixture into the pie shell and spread to cover.

Next, pour the Cool Whip/pudding mixture over the top and spread to cover.

Chill the pie thoroughly in the fridge (at least 1 hour) before slicing.

Slice and garnish with extra Cool Whip and chopped pecans, if desired (I desire!).

There is a layer of "candy" baked onto the bottom of the pie (see it in the photo above).  It, along with the creaminess of the pudding layers combine to give you the flavor of a praline!  It is out of this world good!  My Mama and Daddy absolutely loved it!  I served it to them with a cup of Dark Roast Community Coffee (A Louisiana favorite).  That is pretty much Louisiana in a nut shell (again, no pun intended) good times with family, good food and a good cup of coffee!

Louisiana Dirty Rice

"Dirty Rice" may sound weird and unappetizing but, in fact, it's delicious.  I guess ,because I grew up eating it, it never occurred to me that the name was weird.  I just automatically associated it with goodness.  It was only when a friend (from up North) asked if it was called dirty rice because it fell on the floor that I even thought about the name.  It's just a dish made with white rice that has been colored to look "dirty" by cooking it with meat and seasonings.  You can eat it by itself or use it to stuff bell peppers.  Usually, it's made with giblets (I really don't like giblets. Ugh!), but it can be made with ground beef, which is what I use.  Also, it's a great use for leftover rice (which I always have!).  Here's the easy. quick recipe:

LOUISIANA DIRTY RICE


1 lb ground beef
1/2 a medium onion, chopped
1/2 a bell pepper, chopped
2 cups cooked, cold rice (important that it's cold!)
2 TBS tomato paste
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
a few dashes hot sauce
salt/pepper

Brown ground beef with onion and bell pepper in a large skillet.

Drain off any excess grease, but leave a little (that's flavor!).

Season it to taste with salt and pepper.

Add tomato paste and saute for a few minutes.

Add Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.  Then stir in the cold, cooked rice.  (If it's not cold, it will get way too mushy!  I like to use left over rice that's been in the fridge).

Season it to taste again with salt and pepper.  If it seems too dry, add a little bit of water and stir well.

That's it.  It's so easy and very filling.  Plus it tastes really good!

If you want to go a step further, you can use the dirty rice to stuff some bell peppers.

You can either cut the tops off the peppers, clean the insides out, blanch them in boiling water, then individually fill each with the dirty rice before baking or take the easy way out and do this:

Cut the tops off the peppers then cut them in half and clean out the seeds.  Lay the halves in a casserole dish.

Spoon the dirty rice over the peppers.

Make a "sauce" by mixing ketchup, a few dashes each of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Spread sauce over each.

Pour about 1/4 cup water into the bottom of the casserole dish. The water helps to steam the peppers and soften them without having to blanch them before baking.  Great short-cut!  Cover with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake 5 minutes more to brown the tops.

This is a much easier version of stuffed bell peppers.

So, whether you stuff peppers with it or eat it by itself, Dirty Rice is a delicious, easy and filling dish.  Don't let the name scare you.