Hello 2013! Oh, how I have been looking forward to greeting you.

No seriously. I just got a feeling about you, two thousand and thirteen. Yeah–you’re gonna be good. Shit, I hope the best yet. I just know it. Not saying there was anything wrong with 2012– just if there was any song that would describe the past year it would be this one. Hold, wait + roll on. 

What I am looking forward to in the New Year? 

Well, first things first.

And that would be these here. Black-eyed peas, ham hock + greens for good luck.

Maybe some money.

Eat more than few bowlfuls of greens for your money.

Ya heard me? 

Eatin’ your peas + greens on New Year’s Day here in the South goes without sayin’.

Eat ‘em all dang New Year’s week long. 

It is your culinary obligation.

It’s tradition.

It’s a cure.

It is also a good idea to have a nosh plate of plenty hanging around while those bad boys simmer and you find yourself doing the cliche thing: writing a list.

One that is not of resolutes. But rather a game plan.

Game plan to invest. 

Invest in your-dang-self. Go ahead. Laugh.

Hell, cackle like I did. Then just do it.

Fulfill those obligations–

Without sayin’.  

New Year’s black-eyed peas + (biscuit) pan bread

Yield: 1 large 4 qt pot of peas

Prep time: overnight soaking of peas plus 10 mins

Cook time: a few good hours of simmering

Soak a 1 lb bag dried black-eyed peas overnight. 

First thing in the morning, place a 4 quart pot over medium heat.

Chop 1 medium onion, 4 stalks celery + 4 cloves garlic. Set aside. 

Place a smoked ham hock into the pot for a few minutes until hock starts to grease the pot. Once the pot is good and greased, toss in your onion and garlic. Cover and allow to sweat for few minutes stirring occasionally. Onions, celery, and garlic should be translucent. Now you can add your peas to the pot. Add a one or two cups chicken stock until the peas are just covered. Add 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 small fresh bay leaves, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and a few dashes of hot chili sauce. Cover, stirring occasionally, until the broth darkens, is reduced by about half, and peas are soft not creamy. This could take a few hours or less. 

Be sure y'all made a good sized pot of rice while those peas were simmering to perfection.

Serve over rice.  

(Biscuit) Pan bread

No peas or beans would be complete without some good pan bread. My father loves to make pan bread with Great Northern beans and rice. This is as close to his recipe as I could do. This comes out closer to biscuit skillet bread. Easy and quick way to satisfy a biscuit craving too.

Place a 8 to 10 inch skillet over medium high heat.

Add 2 tbsp bacon fat. Coat evenly and around the sides. 

In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups all purpose flour, 3 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. Whisk to combine ingredients evenly. Measure out 1 cup whole milk. Set aside

Next, cut 4 tbsp cold butter into flour mixture with food processor until butter/flour mixture appears crumbly.  In small amounts add whole milk, a few splashes at a time, until the mixture is tacky and just combined. 

Scrap the dough out into the hot skillet, reduce heat to medium and with a heat proof spatula spread the dough out as best you can within a ½" of the sides of the skillet. Cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove lid. Check the sides of pan bread to see it has started to brown. Once the sides and the bread have setup a bit it is time to flip. Cover and repeat. It is not an exact science– you may have a few burned spots, it is all good. 

Serve with peas + rice.  

Wishing y'all the best in 2013!

(oh and good food too!)