Penne with Ricotta, Parmesan, and Roasted Vegetables

This is one of those dishes that is so simple to make, but the flavor is so complex and delicious.  I actually made this for dinner tonight and we loved it.  I had been grocery shopping this morning and picked up some baby zucchini and cherry tomatoes.  I was craving pasta.  So I figured I would roast the vegetables and toss them with the pasta.  But, I really wasn't sure what kind of sauce to use.  I had initially thought I would make a bechamel sauce, but when I was chopping the vegetables I decided it would be to heavy.  I knew there was some ricotta cheese in the fridge and it would be much more simple than making a bechamel sauce.  This made an excellent meat free main course, but it would also be great served alongside a piece of grilled chicken.

Penne with Ricotta, Parmesan, and Roasted Vegetables

1 lb penne pasta

2 lb baby zucchini, about 8

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 red onion

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese 

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Chop zuchini and onion and arrange on two baking sheets.  You will need to use two baking sheets.  Place the zuchinni on one and the tomatoes and onion on the other.  The reason for this is the onions and tomatoes don't have to cook as long as the zuchinni.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Then place in oven.  Roast the onions and tomatoes for 25-30 minutes.  Roast the zucchini for 30-35 minutes.  With a spatula flip the vegetables half way through cooking.

While the vegetables roast cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water.  When pasta is al dente, drain reseverving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.  In a  large bowl combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper to taste.  Then add the drained pasta, the reserved pasta cooking water, the roasted vegetables, and the chopped herbs.  Toss well and serve.

This would be especially good in the summer time using fresh from the garden vegetables.  Enjoy!

Dump Cake

Dump Cake is  a favorite in the South.  It is actually more like a cobbler than a cake.  It is so easy to make.  All you do is dump the ingredients in a baking dish and bake.  I don't think anything could be more simple.  Its a great recipe to make with kids.

I had actually forgotten how good dump cake is until my Mother made one last week.  It was so delicious.  I think you will really enjoy it.

Dump Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 20 oz can cherry pie filling

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple

1 cup chopped pecans

1 & 1/2 sticks butter(12 tbs), cut into small bits

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a 9x13 inch baking dish dump cherry pie filling and pineapple.  Spread into a smooth layer.  Then pour the dry cake mix over the fruit.  Then top with pecans and butter.  Bake for 1 hour.  Dump Cake can be enjoyed either warm or cold.  Store any leftovers in the fridge.

A Recipe for a Pot of Southern Greens

Greens are a very popular dish in the South.  We eat all types of greens.  Turnip greens and collards are probably the most popular, but we also eat mustard greens and kale.  I think just about every cafeteria or country cooking restaurant has some type of greens on the menu.

 

My family has always eaten a mixture of turnip and mustard greens.  When my Dad used to garden he would always plant a row of both turnip and mustard greens.  No matter what kind of greens you eat, you must have a big slice of cornbread to sop up all the pot liquor.

Southern Greens

2 bunches of Turnip Greens

2 bunches of Mustard Greens

1/2 lb Bacon, diced

1 Onion, sliced

10 Cups Water

1 Tbs Sugar

2 Tbs Vinegar

2 Tbs Oil

Salt and Pepper

Wash the greens and strip the leaves off the thick stems.  Discard the stems.

In a large dutch oven over a medium flame add 2 tbs oil and bacon.  Cook the bacon until it starts to crisp.

Then add the onion and saute until tender.  About 5 minutes.

Then add as many greens to the pot as will fit.  Pack them in.  I know this seems like a lot of greens, but they will cook down.  After a couple of minutes the greens should cook down enough for you to add the remainder of the greens to the pot.  Then add 10 cups of water, the sugar, the vinegar, 1 tbs salt, and a little black pepper.  Bring the pot to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for about 1 and 1/2 hours.  Your greens should be very tender.

Enjoy your greens with a slice of cornbread.  A true Southerner would add a glass of buttermilk to make it a meal.  Most folks season their greens with either vinegar or pepper sauce at the table.

  

A New Way to Cook Greens:

I'm always up for trying something new, so the other day for lunch I made Beef on Mustard Greens.  Beef on Mustard Greens @ http://isohungry.blogspot.com

 

I had never seen greens cooked this way.  Three of us ate and there were no leftovers.  No leftovers can only mean one thing....It was really good!

So here are two great recipes for greens.  There is no excuse not to eat your veggies this week. 

Hot Italian Sausage Soup

This week my work schedule has been so hectic, I have had to work night shift for the past seven straight days.  Most of the shifts were twelve hours.  I have had very little time to cook, but I did make this great soup.  It is spicy and so comforting.  I hope you enjoy it.

Hot Italian Sausage Soup

1.5 lbs Hot Italian Sausage, about 5 links

1 medium onion, diced 

3 carrots, peeled and diced

3 celery stalks, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

2 bay leaves

35 oz can of crushed tomatoes

2 15.8 cans Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed

5 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Remove the sausage from it casing and cut into bite sized pieces.  Then in a large dutch oven over a medium flame add 2 tbs of olive oil and the Italian sausage.  It is important not to crowd the sausage in the pot or it will not brown.  You may have to brown the sausage in two batches depending on the size of your pot. 

Pour out all but 3 tbs of oil from the pot.  Then add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute for about 10 minutes.

Then add the tomatoes and  the beans.  Season with salt and pepper.  Then add the chicken broth.  Cover and let simmer for about an hour or until the vegetables are tender.  Then stir in the Parmesan Cheese and the fresh basil.

I served it with the yummy cheese stuffed rolls, but any type of bead would be good.  Let me know if you try it.

 

Mac n Cheese (Macaroni au Gratin)

The other day I was in a junk store digging through a pile of books, when I saw a copy of La Bonne Cuisine de Madame E. Saint-Ange. I knew this book had inspired great chefs, including Julia Child. Right Away I knew I had to have it. I paid $10 for it. The cover was a little beat up, but I still thought it was a steal.

When I got home I spent a long time flipping through and skimming each page. This really is a great cookbook. It has a recipe for almost everything. I love macaroni and cheese so I decided I would make Madame E. Saint-Ange's Macaroni au Gratin. I had gotten a new gratin dish for Christmas that was just sitting on top of the stove collecting dust. This recipe would be the perfect chance to use it.

This recipe is only based on the recipe found in the book. The original recipe really didn't make enough to feed all of us. Plus I added much more cheese than the original recipe called for, but I did use the same ingredients and techniques. Here is my version. It is not the typical macaroni and cheese we are used to eating in the South. But, it sure was good. It just had a much more delicate flavor than what we usually eat.


Macaroni au Gratin


16 oz Macaroni
8 oz Gruyere Cheese
4 oz Parmesan Cheese
4 cups Whole Milk
1 shallot, diced fine
2 sprigs of thyme 
2 sprigs of parsley
1/4 cup flour
5 tbs butter, plus more for greasing the dish
Salt, to taste


In a sauce pan over a medium flame add 1 tbs of butter and the diced shallot. Saute for about one minute. Then add the sprigs of fresh herbs and the milk. Bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni according to the package. In another pan over a medium flame melt 4 tbs of butter. Then add 1/4 cup of flour. Cook the flour for about 2 minutes. Remove the sprigs of herbs from the milk. Whisk the warm milk into the butter and flour mixture. Whisk until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the cheese reserving 4 tbs of Gruyere and 2tbs of Parmesan. Whisk until the cheese is melted. Season with salt. Remove from the heat. Drain the macaroni. In a greased oven proof dish put a thin layer of the cheese sauce. Then pour half the cooked macaroni in the dish. Top with half of the cheese sauce. Then add the remaining macaroni and top with the remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with the reserved cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese is melted.


Here in Alabama most people like lots of black pepper in their macaroni and cheese. So feel free to top with freshly cracked black pepper.

Easy Dinner...Raspberry Au Gratin

I was in the store today and saw these Le Creuset petite au gratin dishes. They were so cute that I had to have them. I had some raspberries and Mascarpone cheese so I came up with this dish. It is really simple and really tasty. You do need a kitchen torch to make it. I bought mine for $10 at the hardware store. It really does come in handy.


Raspberry Au Gratin

1 lb raspberries
8 oz Mascarpone cheese
2 tbs Cherry preserves
4 tbs Turbinado sugar

Fill the bottom of four 6 ounce gratin dishes with raspberries. Save the rest for serving as a garnish. In a bowl mix together the Mascarpone cheese and the Cherry preserves. Spoon the cheese mixture over the berries. Try to spread it in an even layer. Then sprinkle 1 tbs of Turbinado sugar over each of the dishes. Then with a kitchen torch cook the sugar until it is melted. Serve immediately.
 

Easy Dinner...Haricot Verts with Shallots, Currants, and Pine Nuts

These are not your typical southern style green beans. The traditional way of cooking green beans or any other vegetable in the south is boiling them in a pot of water for a couple hours or until they start to turn to mush. This recipe can be cooked in less than thirty minutes. I promise these will be the best green beans you have ever eaten. I used French green beans called haricot verts. They are thinner and longer than the typical American grown green beans.

Haricot Verts with Shallots, Currants, and Pine Nuts

1/2 lb of green beans
1 shallot, chopped
1 tbs dried currants
2 tbs pine nuts, toasted
2 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

In a pot of boiling salted water. Cook the green beans for about 3 minutes. Drain and put in a bowl of ice water. After the beans have cooled . Drain and pat them dry in a kitchen towel. This step can be done up to 8 hours ahead. Just place in a covered dish in the fridge until ready to finish cooking. Then in a skillet over medium heat add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted add the chopped shallot. Saute the shallot for about 1 minute then add the dried currants and the green beans. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5-6 minutes until the beans are warm. Then add the balsamic vinegar and the toasted pine nuts. Toss and serve.

Easy Dinner...Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with a Maple Syrup and Dijon Mustard Glaze

This week I am going to share with you recipes to make a complete meal that not only looks impressive, but is super easy. Even if you have little kitchen experience these recipes will make you look like a pro. These recipes are perfect for entertaining . Most of the work can be done before your guests arrive. I'll share one recipe each day. Today's recipe is for a bacon wrapped pork tenderloin with a maple syrup and Dijon mustard glaze. Pork tenderloin is a very lean meat and can become dry if overcooked. Wrapping the pork in bacon solves this problem. This recipe is very forgiving. Even if you overcook your pork slightly it will still be moist and tender. Pork needs to reach a internal temperature of at least 160 degrees to be safe to eat. Check it with a meat thermometer.


Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with a Maple Syrup and Dijon Mustard Glaze

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of any silver skin
4-5 strips of bacon, enough to wrap the tenderloin
3 tbs Dijon mustard
3 tbs maple syrup, preferably Grade B
salt and pepper, to taste


Preheat the oven to 400 degress. Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Wrap the bacon around it and place in a roasting pan. Place pan in the preheated oven. While the pork tenderloin cooks, mix together the Dijon mustard and maple syrup. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Remove the pork tenderloin from the oven. Brush with the glaze and place under the broiler. Reserve a couple tablespoons of the glaze for serving. Broil for a couple minutes, until the bacon gets some good color. Watch it closely the glaze will burn. Remove from the oven. Let the meat rest about 10 minutes before slicing. Do Ahead: Up to eight hours before cooking prepare the pork tenderloin and mix up the glaze. Store in the fridge until time to cook.

Fruit Makes You Cute

Have you ever heard the saying "greens make you clean and fruit makes you cute"? It really is true. I know this is true because I eat lots of fruit and people are always telling me how cute I am. Ok, I lied. I don't eat lots of fruit, but I know that I should. For me a smoothie is about the easiest way for me to get in my daily servings of fruit. I prefer smoothies made without milk or yogurt. Give this one a try. Its Monday, lets start the week off with something good for us. 

 All Fruit Smoothie

2 fresh mangos, peeled and chopped

1 banana, peeled and chopped

Juice of 1 orange

1 cup ice

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.

Makes 2 servings.

Technorati

PSECGS7TWPTD

Alabama Crimson Tide National Champions!!!

Today in Alabama there is such an excitement. Last night I stood in line at 11:00 pm in the freezing cold just to get a shirt commemorating the Crimson Tide's victory. It had snowed earlier in the day. It never snows in Alabama! There were a thousand others in the line with me. This was only at one store. Wow! I'll be back cooking on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Let's Go Dutch Baby

Do any of you watch BBC America? Well if you don't your missing out. I guess you could say that is where I got the inspiration for this recipe. I was watching Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. They were featuring The Fenwick Arms a restaurant located in the UK. The food really sucked, well it was on Kitchen Nightmare's. But, what really caught my eye were these Yorkshire Puddings that they served with traditional English gravy. The next day I made roast beef and Yorkshire Puddings. Mine didn't suck. I was so fascinated by how big they puffed up. I wanted to make more of them. So the next day for lunch I made goat cheese stuffed Yorkshire Puddings. Then for dinner I made Yorkshire Pudding's cousins, popovers and Dutch Baby Pancakes. Yes, both for the same meal. Nobody needs that much food, so today I'm only making the Dutch Baby. Gotta watch my weight. A Dutch Baby Pancake makes either a great breakfast or dessert dish. It is so easy to make and you probably already have the ingredients on hand. All your ingredients must be at room temperature. So remember to take them out of the fridge ahead of time.

Dutch Baby Pancake with Cinnamon Sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 stick of butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the butter in a cast iron skillet and place in the preheated oven. In a the bowl of a mixer combine eggs, flour, milk, 1 tsp cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until combined. Pour mixture into the hot skillet. The skillet must be hot when you add the batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes. It will look just like the picture. While the Dutch Baby bakes combine 1/3 cup of sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon. As soon as you remove the skillet from the oven spoon at least 4 tbs of the cinnamon sugar over the Dutch Baby. Cut into wedges and serve. Pass the remainder of the sugar at serving. To make this even better serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

White Chocolate Limoncello Cake with Limoncello Whipped Cream

I must confess I usually have no idea what I am going to cook when I go shopping for groceries. I just buy things that look good, things I want to try, and sometimes things I have no idea what to do with. I guess you could just say I go ingredient collecting. One day when I was out collecting I came home with big chunk of Callebaut White Chocolate. Another day I picked up a bottle of limoncello. They both ended up in the pantry with all the other special ingredients. They were both waiting for me to make them into this sweet little cake. That tasted so good! White chocolate and lemon are two flavors that go so well with each other.The sweetness of the white chocolate really tames the tartness of the lemon. But, you hardly ever see them used together. I think this recipe might just change that. Try my recipe and let me know what you think.


White Chocolate Limoncello Cake with Limoncello Whipped Cream


3 oz white chocolate, chopped
2 tbs butter
3 tbs limoncello
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup of sugar


In a Pyrex or metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water melt the chocolate and butter. When melted stir in the limoncello and remove from the heat. Let this cool. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then sift together the flour and the salt. Then stir into the melted chocolate. In the bowl of a mixer add the eggs and the sugar. Beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. A ribbon should form when the beaters are lifted. This will take about 5 minutes. Then with a rubber spatula fold egg mixture into the chocolate. Then pour into four 4 inch ramekins and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool. For the Limoncello Whipped Cream: 1 cup whipping cream, chilled 2 tbs powdered sugar 1 tbs limoncello In a mixer beat until fluffy. Serve the whip cream top cakes with fresh berries.

Don't Knock It Till You Try It

Some people might snub their nose at this dish. But, I can almost guarantee they would love it if they would only try it. Eating the tail of a cow seems a little taboo in America. Even though there are much more disgusting parts of a cow you can eat. Don't worry I will not ever go there on this blog. I only cook food that I will eat. If you are interested in that sort of thing you really need to watch Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel. When cooked properly tails become the most tender and tastiest piece of beef you have e eaten. Even if you had no teeth you could still chew the meat. The best way to cook them is to braise them.
  

Braised Ox Tails

about 3 pounds of ox tails
1 tbs flour
3 strips of bacon, chopped fine
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups Tawny Port
2 cups beef stock or broth
35 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbs dark brown sugar
2 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
salt and pepper
olive oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large oven-proof dutch oven add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Heat over a medium flame and cook bacon until crisp. With a slotted spoon remove the cooked bacon and reserve on a plate. Season ox tails with salt and pepper and toss with flour. * Add ox tails to pot and brown on all sides. * This is the most important step. This builds so much of the flavor for this dish. Be sure not to crowd the ox tails in the pot. You may have to brown them in two batches. When browned remove from pot and reserve. Pour out all but 2 tbs of grease from the pot. Then add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables start to get tender about 7-10 minutes. Then deglaze the pot by adding the Tawny Port. Be sure to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the beef stock, tomatoes, brown sugar, and Worcestershire. Add the ox tails and bacon back to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook in the oven for about 4 hours or until meat is falling off the bone. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve the ox tails over mashed potatoes or some creamy cheese grits.

Brr...It Is Cold....31 degrees in Alabama!

I have always loved cooking and being in the kitchen. I have always wanted the best pots and pans, the high tech blender and mixer. But, I have always thought paying over $100 for just one knife was ridiculous. I had always wondered why I couldn't mince, chopped and dice things so uniformly like the chefs do on television.

Well the other day I was shopping the after Christmas sales and found a set of Wusthof knives that had been marked down a few hundred dollars. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to become a Wusthof owner. I wish I would have bought them along time ago. It was not me that couldn't chop, it was the knives I was using.

These knives really are very sharp! Be careful! The day I got them I was chopping some chorizo and chopped off a small piece of my finger. Don't worry I didn't have to make a trip to the ER. Well I know you think I just chopped up some veggies to to show off my new knives, but I'm actually cooking dinner. On a cold day like today nothing warms you up better than a hearty meal. So, I'm braising some ox tails. I'll post the recipe later.

Who Doesn't Love a Potato?

Well my Mother finally got to see my blog. She has been trying for 3 days, but you know how it is with dial up. I don't really think she liked any of the recipes that I posted so far. She does not drink alcohol and I don't think she had ever even heard of a panna cotta. I really think she would like the hoppin john, but I doubt she would ever make it like my recipe. This is a recipe for her. One she can make to serve on January 7, during the college football National Championship game. I'm predicting Alabama 27 to Texas 21, but hey I'm no psychic. Mom let me know how you like the recipe.


Mini Stuffed Potatoes with Green Chile Sauce


For the Potatoes: 2 pounds of small potatoes, about 10-15
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of White American cheese, shredded
3 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise. Place in a roasting pan and toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until potatoes are tender about 25 - 30 minutes. Let potatoes cool until you are able to handle. Then scoop out the centers with a spoon. It makes it easier to to scoop out the centers if you outline the area you will scoop out with a knife. Then combine the centers of the potatoes, sour cream, cheese, and the cooked bacon. Mix with a spoon breaking up any large pieces of potato. Then spoon the mixture into the potato shells. Place the stuffed potatoes in a baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven until they are warm and the and the cheese is gooey. Then top with a small slice of tomato and drizzle with the green chile sauce.

Green Chile Sauce

1 Pablano Chile
1 Anahiem Chile
1 tbs cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 cup canola oil
olive oil, for roasting chiles
salt and pepper

Drizzle whole chiles with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a 350 degree oven. Roast until chiles are charred on all sides for about 20 minutes. Turn chiles halfway through cooking. Then place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let cool. Then remove the charred skin, stem, and seed the chiles. Place the chiles, vinegar, garlic, and canola oil in a blender run until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Coconut Lime Panna Cotta with Burnt Sugar

Who would have ever thought that something that was so easy to make could look and taste so good. I searched the web looking for a recipe for coconut panna cotta. They all involved steeping shredded coconut in the cream. Then you had to strain the mixture through a sieve. This seemed like a lot of work. I knew I had some cream of coconut in the fridge, so I thought up this dish to use it up. The lime really makes the panna cotta taste light.

Coconut Lime Panna Cotta with Burnt Sugar

1 cup of Half and Half
1 cup of Cream
1/4 cup of cream of coconut
1/4 cup of sugar
1 packet of unflavored gelatin
zest of 1 lime
2 tbs lime juice
1 tbs of cold water
Turbinado sugar
light tasting oil for greasing ramekins

In a small bowl combine water and lime juice and sprinkle gelatin over top and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. In a sauce pan over a medium flame combine half and half, cream, cream of coconut, sugar, and lime zest. Cook this mixture until the sugar is melted. Turn off the heat. Stir the gelatin mixture into the hot cream mixture. Whisk until it is combined. Then pour into 4 three inch lightly greased ramekins. Place the filled ramekins in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Just before serving remove the ramekins from fridge and sprinkle the tops with Turbinado sugar. Then with a propane torch cook sugar until crisp and lightly burnt. If you don't have a torch you can place the ramekins under the broiler, but you must pay close attention so they don't burn.

The Best Mango Margarita Recipe......Or Should I Say Sherberita

This by far is the best mango margarita you will ever taste. I created this drink for New Years Eve. Everyone loved it! While I was testing the recipe New Years Eve morning, I was talking on the phone with my brother who lives in Texas. He told me there was nothing special about a mango margarita, every restaurant in Houston serves them. That is when this drink became know as the Sherberita. I think you will agree this really is special.

Frozen Mango Sherberita

1 shot silver tequila, Patron recommended
1 shot of orange liqueur, Cointreau recommended
2 Scoops of mango sherbet
1/2 cup of frozen mango chunks
1 tbs fresh lime juice
1 handful of ice

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Happy New Years!

When I was growing up one of my least favorite meals of the year was on New Years Day. My mother usually baked a ham and we always had black eyed peas. I don't know any kid that likes black eyed peas. I was always told I was suppose to eat 365 of them to bring me good luck in the new year. I think the most I ever ate was ten. This year I decided I would try to eat a few more than ten. For dinner tonight I made Hoppin John and Jalapeno Ho Cakes.

To make this dish you need:

Hoppin John
1 tbs olive oil

4 slices of bacon, diced fine
2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced fine
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pound of smoked ham, cubed
1 pound fresh or frozen black eyed peas
6 cups of water
3 tbs of chicken base
2 cups long grain rice
Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a large dutch oven heat oil over a medium flame. Add the bacon and cook until bacon starts to crisp. Then add the celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper cook until the onion starts to become translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper, ham, and peas to the pot. Add the water and the chicken base. Bring pot to a simmer and cook covered until the peas are tender, usually about an hour. Then reduce the heat to low and add the rice. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Jalapeno Ho Cakes

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup of water
1 jalapeno pepper, diced fine
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs butter

In a bowl combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Then add eggs, buttermilk, water, and jalapeno and whisk until mixed. Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Then drop mixture by the heaping spoonful into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on each side.

Serve the Hoppin John over the Jalapeno Ho Cakes. This meal is so delicious you will want to have it more than just on New Years Day. Good luck in the new year!