A New Year’s Meal

My mom and brother came up to celebrate a late Christmas with us in Georgia, but since they are leaving New Year’s day, I fixed my traditional New Year’s meal two days early.

For me, a New Year’s meal means ham, collard greens, black eyed peas and cornbread. And then I add whatever else I’m in the mood for – which this year meant we had green beans and mac and cheese. Talk about a feast! Most times I use hog jowl or salt pork, but this year I lucked out with my hubby picking up some house-smoked bacon from a local butcher shop and so half of my dishes were laden with bacon. Nothin’ wrong with that. Most of these recipes are just a few ingredients and pretty simple. It’s a mission to make it all, but well worth it when you sit down eat.

New Year’s Menu:

Ham with Honey Mustard Glaze
Southern Style Green Beans
Collard Greens
Black Eyed Peas
5 Cheese Mac and Cheese
Buttermilk Cornbread

And that, my friends, is a happy plate.

Honey Mustard Glaze for Ham

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp yellow mustard

1.) Over medium heat in a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and heat until it starts to bubble.
2.) Remove from heat and pour the glaze over a fully heated ham. Place ham back in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

Southern Style Green Beans

2 lbs fresh green beans, ends snapped off and snapped into 1″ to 2″ pieces
1/2 cup bacon, chopped (or you could sub with hog jowl or salt pork)
1/2 medium sized onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp sugar

1.) Add green beans to a large pot and fill with enough water to just cover the beans.
2.) Add bacon, onion, salt, pepper and sugar and heat to boil. Reduce heat to medium low (or until it reaches a low simmer) and cook uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Most of the water should be gone by the time they are done cooking.
3.) Taste beans and adjust salt, pepper and sugar to your liking.

I forgot to take a picture of the cooked beans in the pot. And now I’ve eaten them all. Oh well, a super-cropped image from the plate shot will have to do.

Collard Greens
3 tbsp butter (I used reserved bacon grease from breakfast – highly recommend)
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup bacon, chopped (or you could sub with hog jowl or salt pork)
2 lbs collard greens
5 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1.) In a large pot, heat butter and add onions to sauté. Add bacon and cook until onions are translucent. You don’t want the bacon to get crispy here.
2.) Add collards and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add water, salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer with the lid on.
3.) Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours or until they are as done as you’d like, and stir occasionally. Taste and adjust as needed.

Black Eyed Peas

1 lb dry black eyed peas, quick soaked (according to package)
6 cups water
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 cup bacon, chopped (or you could sub with hog jowl or salt pork)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1.) Place all ingredients in a large pot and heat to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with a lid slightly cracked for 1.5 to 2 hours. Do not stir often, as it will break the peas.

5 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

1 16-oz box pasta (elbows or rotini work well), cooked according to package
1 cup shredded white cheddar
1 cup shredded gruyere
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded yellow cheddar (divided)
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 12-oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1 stick of butter, melted
1 tsp salt

1.) Add all ingredients (except 1/2 cup of yellow cheddar) to a crock pot and mix well.
2.) Cook on low for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add remaining cheese to top and cook until melted.

Adapted from About.com’s Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

Buttermilk Cornbread

Recipe found here.