Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Nashville Hoppin' John

A tradition in my family, and most other Southern ones, is that we eat Black Eyed Peas on New Year's Day for good luck in the coming year.  The only problem is that I have never had a spouse or child who likes these little legumes as much as I do. In fact, they hate them.  But in my wonderful generosity, I am going to share a very old recipe with you in the hopes that someone out there might want some luck for 2009.  I know I need all of it I can get.

2 cups dried black eyed peas
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 green pepper chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
crushed red pepper or Tabasco to taste
5 cups water (or more)
1/4 pound boiling pork (you can use bacon or pancetta as well)
2 1/2 cups rice (I use brown, but white is traditional)
2 tablespoons canola oil (I sometimes omit depending on the pork)

Cover beans with water and soak overnight.  Drain and rinse when ready to cook.  Place first 6 ingredients in heavy pan and bring to a boil, then simmer until beans are tender.  Then add pork and rice and cook until rice is done. Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve to everyone needing some luck!

There is also a tradition that if someone finds a dime in the bottom of their bowl, that they will have a great financial year as well.

Another thing I am adding to my chances this year is a little service that my church is having later today.  We are being invited for a small service to say goodbye to 2008 and welcome a new, hopeful year.  At the end of the service, we are going to write down everything we want to get rid of, and there is going to be a fire pit as we leave where we can burn the bad things!  I am writing my list, and will take any of your 'stuff' too if you leave me a comment.  I figure between myself and you all, we could create quite the bonfire!

But now, I am going to go get my beans so I can soak them tonight.

Be safe, everyone, and I'll see you next year.

Love, Mental P

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have the same problem, nobody else likes the peas.
Good recipe.
Happy New Year to you and yours.

Deb said...

Honestly, I have never tried black eyed peas, but they are in the stores now in prominent places. I know it is a Southern tradition, but I like the one my Grandmother gave me...take a bath with a penny, nickle, dime, quarter, and silver dollar...all year long you'll have money. I really don't do this, but it's something she did.
OK, for me, burn these things for me...rid the black cloud that seemed to have followed us in 2008..rid ourselves of making the wrtong decisions...rid "Walter" of his day to day job by announcing his retirement in Jan 09!
That's all...that is enough!

Debra (a/k/a Doris, Mimi) said...

I am soooo excited to see your recipe for black-eyed peas! Doughboy and I love legumes of any shape, texture, and color. It's hard to find good recipes. Thanks!

Happy New Year to you, Lauren!

Daryl said...

Sounds yummy, my Italian friends insist you eat herring at midnight ... and my mom insisted that dad always put some small change into any new handbag or purse we got so to make sure more money followed ...

Okay .. to the fire I would like you to add: less self generated stress, steadier work for Husband (he's a self employed video editor), a job for the lawyer sister would be good ..

Toss in a BIG piece of paper with the words STOP HATING on it .. this covers pretty much all the world's woes in my opinion .. more love, less war and we'd all be a lot beter off

Happy New Year to everyone ... thank you for your friendship

:-Daryl

Anonymous said...

Got my peas!!! I will use your recipe and see if I can't get NSLO to eat just a bite! That is what my mom used to say to me! "Just one bite for luck."

Sassy said...

I ♥ this tradition...I have actually started doing that these last couple years...I appreciate your recipe because I really like to get good ones...I like the grapes on skewers that Noble Pig does...I am doing that one tonight for our fam..we need all the help we can find...I am even up for doing the $$$$ thing that Deb said. This has been an EXTREMEMLY difficult year for us and I need the whole year burnt if you could do that for me with the loss of my job, my hubby's job is very very slow with construction being what is, the contention in my family with brothers and mom not speaking to us girls at all, our son's business closing due to economy, our other son having struggles, our computer crashing, our A/C Heater catching fire but our home didn't burn...oh heck this year I could go on and on but how depressing is that...I have also seen blessings this year as well...we also had a beautiful healthy grandson born to our daughter, I started a little preschool and I ♥ those little people, My hubby and I both STILL love each other and thankful for each of our kiddo's...seriously though my list really needs to be part of your bon fire...I want to wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR MAMA and I am very glad to have you as one of my blogging budies!!!

Mrs. G. said...

My black eyed peas are soaking as we speak.

Happy New Year!

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

I love any and all beans, peas, vegetables, what not. That looks like a wonderful recipe. My mother always does the black-eyed peas on NY day.

I also really like the idea of the bonfire...maybe I'll do that with my firepit outside tonight.

IN case I don't, here's what you can burn for me: I want to get rid of all my resentment over something truly awful that happened to me in the spring of this year; I want to get rid of all the worrying about money and I want to get rid of all the stress-- that is often self-induced.

If you could also get rid of the clutter in my house, I'd appreciate it, but somehow I don't think that one can be achieved this way.

Have a wonderful time tonight, and Happy New Year.

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

Thanks for the receipe. I love it but I admit -I buy it at the grocery store already made. Canned..not the same I know. But we eat it all year. Good stuff!

Add "bitterness" to that list please. No cause for any of that.

Happy New Year My Friend.
Be Blessed!

NNG

Unknown said...

I don't care if anyone else likes them or not...more for me! I love me some black eyed peas and your recipe is identical to the one I use, substitute Smithfield ham bits...well, I am in VA.

Please add the following:

No job
Bad Economy
Those pesky extra pounds I found
Bad Attitudes
Hateful People
Customer Service from other countries where you can not understand them

Enjoy your Watch Night Service, hope that you won't be getting a lot of snow, and be safe.

Love ya,

Marlene

Egghead said...

Get rid of this bad economy, thank you very much. Oh and Happy New Year! May 2009 bring you all your heart desires and more.

Bear Naked said...

Mental P Mama
Could you please stop the roadside bombs that are injuring and killing the soldiers in Afghanistan.
Thank you and Happy New Year to you and your family.

Bear((( )))

Laura ~Peach~ said...

i see the problem... you have to drag out the trusty crock pot... and put you some fat back or fresh ham hocks or a pork roast in while soaking said peas in water with a hand full of baking soda to remove all farts... dice an onion and toss it in with the pork... and let it cook till it falls to bits while peas soak... then drain and rinse peas add to the crock pot and cover with water... cook em till they are tender... skip the rice thats just wrong to put rice in the peas... while thats happening be sure to have a second crock pot with super thick pork chops (2 work well for 5 people) and put some collard greens on top and let them cook till the meat fall s apart or is fork tender... when you are about ready to eat mix up some corn meal and heat the griddle and make some fried corn bread ... THAT is new years and you will have people fighting for the pot liquer and sopping pea juice with that corn bread from the pot. oh I love black eyed peas... must go soak the farts out of mine now :D

Sandie said...

Yea! You just provided me a recipe I would have been searching for later on today---what a time saver! I've never tried cooking for luck & prosperity on the new year, but this year, why the heck not?! I'm in! Thanks for sharing---hope 2009 is everything you are wishing for!

Oh, and things to burn in that fire pit? Here's my (short) list on behalf of the world: illness, disease, hatred, violence, cruelty, greed, stupidity, ignorance and intolerance.

Mary said...

Well now, that sounds yummy but I honestly don't think anyone in my family would even try it...

I'm not sure I would want to "burn" anything, because everything -- the good and the bad -- has made me who I am today. OK, well maybe we could say goodbye to about 20, no 25 lbs...

Joy to you and yours in the new year!
xoxo,
Mary

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year MPM!! I wish our church was having a little celebratory service tonight:(

What New Year would be complete without Hoppin' John? I LUV it!!

My Burn List, or, Things That Burn Me Up: Bad attitudes and condescension. Life is too short for people to be that way. I may burn these two in my trash barrel tonight. I'll think of you...

Tonjia said...

OMG I had to eat them when I lived in KS and I do NOT like them, Sam I am... LOLOL

do you cook yours with a penny in the pot?

When I lived in PA the new years tradition was eating shrimp. I have decided that here in Colorado it is Taco Bell. ;-)

Country Girl said...

Your recipe sounds really good. I think my husband is cooking something tonight, so I'm set.

I love your tradition of going to mass and burning those things you'd like to get rid of. I'd like to get rid of some weight, but it will happen when it happens, so you don't have to add that to the pile. What you could add for me is that I'd like to get rid of the impatience I sometimes have.

It's annoying to me that I am so impatient sometimes, especially with my husband. And I feel so bad for him because he doesn't remember that he told me the same thing 5 minutes ago, or ten times already. I hate it when I am like this. So please burn it for me, k?

Lisa said...

I LOVE blackeyed peas and luckily for me my husband will eat ANYTHING. So we will be having them as well. Never heard of the dime in the bottom of the bowl. But if it would help, I will do it.

Cool Breeze said...

You know that I am just all over that.

Hey, add apathy to the pile ... mine and everyone else's.

Anonymous said...

Ive lived in the south basically my whole life, and never knew this tradition. And today, I come across two great recipes! Happy New Year

Snooty Primadona said...

Having grown up in so many different places, I'm always amazed at the number of people who don't like black-eye peas. Are they misled or merely just deprived of the finer things in life? I'm a total black-eyed peas ho.

I adore the idea of welcoming the New Year by burning paper with things listed that we want to get rid of. I might have to incorporate that into my own version of New Year's. I also loved Daryl's bit about putting money into new purses. Personally, we eat cabbage along with our black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. It supposed to put more money in your pocket for the New Year.

Have A Great One!

Adventure girl said...

I love them and miss them from when I lived in Lawrenceville, GA!

Chere said...

Oh please do not forget something green for money. My peas are soaking as I type. Can't wait for a good old fashion southern New Years day dinner. Happy New Year to you.

Joanie said...

They sound good to me...wish I could share them with you! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

I would love it! Sounds fabulous!

Keetha said...

What a great idea - the church service.

I thought I was the only one who didn't like black eyed peas.

Happy New Year!

dlyn said...

MMMMM - I am a northern girl, but my often mentioned grandmother was from Alabama, so I am half southern, right? In any case, I love hoppin john! Up here we eat sauerkraut for good luck on NYD. Ever notice all the so called lucky foods people eat are the cheap ones? You would think lobster or black truffles would attract luck better? :)

kim-d said...

Awww, man! I wish I wouldn't have been out galivanting around yesterday and then going to bed early, because I would have loved to have submitted by List Of Things To Let Go! I just know the Fire Marshal would have paid a visit.

I've never had black-eyed peas, but I'm just the sort of garbage gut who would love them, and your recipe sounds great. What time will they be done? HA!

Happy 2009 to you, MPM...I am so glad I "know" you!

Debbie said...

I love the peas. I had to work today and was hoping they'd have them for lunch. Nope. Burgers.

Hog jowls and collard greens too?

I think this is a southern thing? If I cooked, I'd soak some beans!