New Year's Dinner

Traditional fare calls for Hoppin' John and greens. The rice and peas for good luck and the greens for money.
I served a Hoppin' John soup and not one but three types of greens this year. Surely, someone will when the lottery! ;o))

Hoppin' John Soup
3 cups cooked black eyed peas
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic minced
3/4 lb. sausage
salt & pepper to taste
Cook black eyed peas in chicken stock until done.( I used a spicy all natural chicken sausage but any type will do or omit all together.) Saute sausage, onion and garlic together and add to peas. Add cooked brown rice. Simmer until thick.

I picked lots of fresh greens from the garden. Spinach, kale and collards graced our table. I cooked the collards the way my grandmother did by boiling a ham hock covered with water for an hour and then adding the collards. They cooked until tender and were served with a splash of vinegar. I also served a pan of crispy kale to top the peas and spinach salads. The salads had chunks of local apples, cranberries, feta and walnuts. A delicious and healthy way to start the new year!