Recipe for Disaster (49 page)

Hoppin’ John

SERVES 6 TO 8 AS A SIDE DISH, 4 AS A MAIN

Anneke needs all the good luck she can get, and starting the New Year with hoppin John is one way to invite it.

⅓ pound slab bacon, or ham hock

1 celery stalk, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 small red pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ pound dried black-eyed peas, about 2 cups

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 heaping teaspoon Cajun seasoning

2 cups long-grain rice

Salt

Scallions or green onions for garnish

If you are using bacon, cut it into small pieces and cook it slowly in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Once the bacon is crispy, increase the heat to medium-high and add the celery, onion, and red pepper, and sauté until they begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir well, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the black-eyed peas, bay leaf, thyme, and Cajun seasoning and cover with 4 cups of water. If you are using the ham hock, add it to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or longer if needed, until the peas are tender (not mushy).

While the black-eyed peas are cooking, cook the rice separately according to package instructions.

When the peas are tender, strain out the remaining cooking water. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the peas for salt and add more if needed. Ladle the peas over rice and garnish with scallions or green onions.

Collard Greens

SERVES 6

A traditional Southern favorite, and a delicious way to start the New Year, even if you are on your own.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

12 cups collard greens (or the green of your choice), stemmed, washed, and chopped

1 cup chicken stock

1 smoked turkey wing or leg

4 teaspoons cider vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Hot sauce (optional)

In a large pot, melt the butter with the oil. Sauté onion for about 5 minutes, without it coloring.

Stir in the assorted greens and cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are wilted and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, add the turkey wing or leg, reduce heat to low, and cover. Let simmer at least 2 hours. If it begins to get dry, add more stock or water.

At least 30 minutes before you serve, stir in the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste, and add hot sauce, if desired.

Corn Pudding

SERVES 6 TO 8

A classic recipe, simple and delicious. And its golden color cannot help but put you in a good mood.

1 can creamed corn

1 can whole kernel corn (do not strain or drain)

8 ounces sour cream

1 stick butter, softened

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 egg

Pinch salt

Pinch ground white pepper

Mix all together and bake in a square buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 350°F. Serve hot.

Don’t miss

Big Delicious Life

Stacey Ballis’s Most Awesome Recipes

One hundred and fifty simple and scrumptious recipes from Stacey Ballis’s hit novels
Recipe for Disaster
,
Out to Lunch
,
Off the Menu
, and
Good Enough to Eat
, as well as forty new, never-before-seen recipes!

Stacey Ballis is not a professional chef. She is, however, a foodie novelist, meal innovator, family cook, memory maker, and brussels sprout advocate who believes that delicious meals can be simple, fun, and creative. Her love of all things culinary has made her “foodie fiction” irresistible. Now all of the best recipes featured in her novels are available in one mouthwatering cookbook, including forty “lost” recipes that were not included in the original printings.

With dishes for every occasion, designed to appeal to both experienced cooks and kitchen newbies, this easily transportable digital collection will make every meal a happy moment and a special memory.

Available now from InterMix

www.penguin.com/book/big-delicious-life-by-stacey-ballis/9780698154032

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