New Year's Greens and Black-eyed Peas

Last New Year's Day I had people over to watch football and eat collard greens and black-eyed peas. Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a tradition in the South, because they are thought to bring prosperity for the rest of the year. Do I believe this? Well of course not, but it's a fun tradition and I really like black-eyed peas. The day and the meal was a success, so I hosted it again this year.

It was the last football Saturday until Fall 2011, so lots of games were on, including Bama's bowl game (Roll Tide!), so football was on all afternoon (another Southern tradition any day football is on). We had three tv screens set up in the living room with three different games going at once.

I had dinner ready a little after five, and the food was even better this year. In addition to the greens and peas, I made cornbread, two lemon pies, cran-apple cider, and Lee bought a ham from Apple Lane Farms. Eating pork is also supposed to bring prosperity in the new year. I think I will host New Year's Day at our house every year.

I didn't take any photos of the food or anything else yesterday, but here is how I fixed up my fixings:


Collard Greens

1-2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil (canola or veg. oil would be fine)

pork neck bones (I used 4 pieces)

1-2 tbs apple cider vinegar

3 bundles collard greens; washed well, tough centers removed from leaves, roughly torn or cut into 2-3 inch pieces (each bundle contained 3-4 stalks of collards)

water

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

green pepper sauce for serving (optional); this sauce is thin and vinegary and found in clear glass bottles that contain small, whole green peppers



Before you begin, you may want to turn on your kitchen fan and/or open a couple of windows. Once you add the liquid to the hot pot of oil and neck bones, some smoke is to be expected.

Heat a large pot on high and add the oil. Add the neck bones, browning them on the two largest sides (watch out for hot oil splatter). Add the apple cider vinegar, and scrape the bottom of pot to deglaze.

Add the collard greens, stir well, and add just enough water to cover them (the greens will quickly shrink, and you don't want too much water because it will dilute the flavor).

Add some freshly ground black pepper and bring to a boil if not there already. Turn down the heat, but keep the greens moving. Boil for at least 3 hours. They should be quite tender before eating.

Add salt to taste and more pepper if necessary and serve.



Black-eyed Peas

1-2 tbs extra virgin olive oil (canola or veg. oil would be fine)

pork neck bones (I used 4 pieces)

3 bags dried black-eyed peas, soaked in plenty of water overnight in the fridge and then rinsed and picked over to remove any bad ones that stand out

water

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste



Before you begin, you may want to turn on your kitchen fan and/or open a couple of windows. Once you add the liquid to the hot pot of oil and neck bones, some smoke is to be expected.

Heat a large pot on high and add the oil. Add the neck bones, browning them on the two largest sides (watch out for hot oil splatter). Add a little bit of water, sraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze.

Add black-eyed peas, then add enough water so that the peas are covered with a 1/2 inch to 1 inch water on top.

Add freshly ground pepper.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Watch the peas carefully, reducing the heat when necessary so that they do not come to a full boil (trust me, if the peas boil they fall apart too quickly and they will not be good).

Simmer for 2-3 hours.

Add salt to taste and more pepper if necessary and serve.



Lemon Meringue Pie
(the way my mom has always made it)

1 can sweetened condensed milk like Eagle Brand (I have been using the fat-free version lately, and no one including myself can tell the difference)

1/2 cup bottled lemon juice (I once used fresh and it just wasn't the same)

2 eggs, separated

1/4 cup sugar

pinch of cream of tarter

1 graham cracker crust pie shell, like Keebler brand



Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

For the filling:

In a bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and 2 egg yolks. Mix well ( I use a whisk and/or a spoon) and set aside.

For the meringue:

In another bowl, add 2 egg whites, sugar, and cream of tarter. Beat with a mixer until creamy and fairly thick.

Pour lemon filling into pie shell. Using a rubber spatula, spread the meringue on top, trying not to get the lemon filling mixed into it (this is the hardest part for me).

Bake directly on the oven rack for about 20-30 minutes. The meringue should be a light golden brown at its peaks.

Place on a cooling rack so filling can set. Cool as long as you can wait (often only 5-10 minutes for me) and serve. I like my lemon pie on the warm side, but if you want yours cool or cold, place in the fridge before serving. Definitely refrigerate any leftover pie.



Cran-apple Cider
(I throw this together every New Year's Eve or New Year's Day using my memory for a now lost recipe I got from a former professor and friend)

1 three-liter container cran-apple juice (This year I also added a couple cups of cranberry-pomegranate juice I had on hand)

1/2 cup orange juice ( I use my morning OJ, not freshly squeezed)

5 family-size black tea bags (more or less depending on how you like it)

water (optional) (to cut strength of cider if needed)

several cinnamon sticks

small handfull of whole cloves

sugar or sugar substitute to taste (I used a handfull of stevia packets this time and the cider came out nicely)

fresh orange slices for garnish (optional)



Heat all juice in a large pot until hot (not boiling), and then add tea bags. Steep tea for 15-20 minutes. Remove tea bags and add remaining ingredients (I placed my whole cloves in a gadget used for steeping fresh tea leaves so I wouldn't have to strain the cider as it was served...I left it in for 20 minutes, and then I refilled it with a new bunch of whole cloves for the remainder). I added a little water, about 1 1/2 cups to thin it out a bit (this is a taste and adjust as I go recipe).

Serve warm to hot.

I served mine to my guests from a crockpot, because I needed the stove for the greens and peas. I kept the remaining cider that wouldn't fit in the crockpot in the 3-liter cran-apple juice container and refilled the crockpot when needed (also a great way to travel with your cider).



Mexican-style Cornbread
(another treat I whip up without a proper recipe)

1 box Jiffy brand cornbread mix (usually found at the grocery store near the cake/muffin mixes and not with the cornmeal)

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

a little salsa, a tablespoon or two

a little cheddar cheese (I used one slice of packaged sharp)

green tabasco sauce (I used a little less than a tablespoon, and it didn't produce a cornbread that was very spicy, so I will use 1-2 tablespoons next time) (I usually use a tablespoon or two of chopped jalopenos from a jar of sliced jalopenos, but I was out)

a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper



Combine cornbread mix, egg, and milk in a bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Follow directions on cornbread mix package to cook cornbread.

Serve warm.

Huevos Rancheros

A few months ago I posted a recipe for Huevos, but I've tweaked it a bit since then. I've upped the amount of vegetables, adding more carrots, bell peppers, garlic, and onions. I also now add some tomato sauce along with the Cholula hot sauce.

After I sauted the vegetables, I cooked them in the sauce, covered, until tender. I then added the egg and covered again to make it really fluffy.



I just ate this for dinner, and it was delicious. It doesn't even need the chorizo or Soyrizo...of course, that makes everything better.

And for dessert...



Better-for-me Banana Split

Ingredients:

Fat-free plain yogurt
Stevia in the raw for sweetness
Vanilla extract
Banana
Ground flax seeds
Caramel sauce

This was yummy.

Huevos

I just made a delicious breakfast: Huevos Rancheros. It came in at only about 297 calories. I had a banana beforehand so my total caloric intake for breakfast was 387 g.

I've been doing very well this week with keeping my caloric intake at about 1500. My trainer did the math this morning and said I can go down to 1300 safely. I'll shoot for between the two for now. 1300 calories would come out to 3 meals at 400 calories each with a 100 calorie snack. I think this is also the flat belly diet.

I've been drinking Coke Zero instead of regular sodas and this week, and I discovered I like Pepsi Max (zero calorie as well) just as well as Coke Zero. I was going to splurge yesterday and have a small regular Coke with my happy meal at McDonald's, but a couple of small sips in I wasn't enjoying it like I thought I would so I put it down. I'm not going to waste my limited calories on something that isn't good.

I also keep plenty of SOBE Lifewater handy. These are calorie-free, contain vitamins, and use stevia as the sweetener instead of aspartame. My favorite flavors are Mango Melon and Yumberry Pomegranate. The Cherimoya punch is also very good. If you are a Hi-C fan/orange "drank" fan you will love the tangerine/orange flavor...I'm not a fan.

I have been tracking my calories and other nutritional info at myfitnesspal.com. They have a really good database of foods that includes brand names and restaurant foods. If you don't find exactly what you are looking for, they allow you to create a new listing. So hopefully most of the recipes I post from now on will also contain some nutritional data...approximate data at least. Here's the recipe for this morning's breakfast:

Huevo(s) Rancheros

1.5 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 green bell pepper, julienned

small handful of baby carrots, julienned

1 tbs Soyrizo (veggie chorizo...I've only found it here at Wal-Mart and Kroger)

2-3 tbs salsa (I used some from a local restaurant: Casa Blanca)

Cholula hot sauce (or other hot sauce) to taste (I used about 1.5 tbs)

1 egg

salt/pepper to taste

3 Tostito's organic blue corn chips (optional)

Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over med-high heat. Add peppers and carrots and cook for 3-5 min stirring occasionally. Add Soyrizo, stir and cook until Soyrizo is hot. Add salsa and hot sauce, stir and cover. Let cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Make some room in your pan and add the egg and salt/pepper. You are pretty much frying the egg. Once I flipped mine I mixed it into the vegetable mixture a bit. Cook the egg to your liking and serve with the blue corn chips. It is very flavorful and filling. Plus, you are getting some of your veggies first thing in the morning.

Cal: 297 g; Carbs: 23 g; Fat: 16 g; Protein: 12 g; Fiber: 5 g

Chayote Squash Chicken and Rice

When I went to the grocery store yesterday to pick up a few things, I was trying to come up with something for dinner that would include yellow summer squash. My mind was swirling around Mexican food. I was thinking about something with chipotle peppers, maybe coating the squash with chipotle pepper paste and roasting it.

My eyes fell onto some chayote squash, so I grabbed a couple. I had worked with one before but it was years ago. Chayote is pronounced [chah-YOH-teh] and resembles a green pear in appearance, taste and texture. It is sometimes called a vegetable pear.


I had picked up a rotisserie chicken as well as some dried chorizo sausage (I love chorizo!). When I make chicken tacos or enchiladas I start with some shredded rotisserie chicken, so I grabbed the chicken and went to work. I used a fork to shred the chicken this time and it worked great. I hate shredding it with my fingers even though it is very effective. I will use the fork from now on. I still had no idea of what exactly I was making. I had no taco shells and no tortillas, so I would not be making tacos or enchiladas.

I added some extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic and put it in a non-stick pan on low heat. I decided I wanted to add the chayote to the chicken mixture, so I sliced and diced it. There was somewhat of a seed pocket at the very center. It was very easy to work around and discard.

Well, here's the recipe with my usual nonmeasurement:

Chayote Squash Chicken and Rice

1 pack yellow rice (I use Vigo brand)
Extra virgin olive oil
Minced garlic (about a tablespoon)
1 bay leaf
Ground cumin (about a tablespoon)
Smoked paprika (small sprinkling)
Dried oregano (1-2 teaspoons)
Freshly ground black pepper (1-2 teaspoons)
Chorizo (I used one small dried sausage,sliced, but ground chorizo would work too)
1 chayote squash, diced
Shredded rotisserie chicken (1 to 1 1/2 cups)
Chicken broth (about 1 cup)
Salt to taste
Sprinkling of shredded cheese (I had mozzarella on hand)
Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Get yellow rice cooking according to package directions. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in non-stick pan over very low heat. Add seasonings to oil (garlic thru black pepper). I shredded my chicken and sliced and diced my chorizo and chayote squash while the pan and seasonings were heating up.

Raise heat of pan to medium and stir seasonings and oil. When they start to sizzle a little, add the chorizo and chayote and stir to coat. Heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add chicken and stir to coat. Add chicken broth, a little salt if needed, and simmer over medium heat until liquid reduces.




After most of the liquid has reduced, top with a sprinkling of cheese and toss the mixture. Serve over rice with a garnish of fresh cilantro.

This was very flavorful. I was a little too heavy-handed with the salt, but other than that it was fantastic. I will definitely make this again. It would be a great enchilada or taco filling.