Thursday, January 2, 2014

Good Luck, Prosperity, & Good Health

You're lookin' at my New Year Meal.

Here in my part of the south, this is the typical January 1 meal. I'm not a superstitious person so this meal is more out of tradition and remembrance of my Grandma Dorothy. She had very definite things she expected done. 
"Decent folk do certain things"
She would always be reminding us of what decent folk "do or "don't do." 
Grandma Dorothy's New Year's Meal always, always, consisted of black-eyed peas for luck, collard greens for the money, and hog jowl for health and it better be on the table at 12:00 pm.
"On the Dot!"

I always do a version of her meal. It will usually consist of the peas, a green, and some pork. I often will go with pork chop or even sometimes it's been thick cut bacon. I thought of which direction I was going to take with it, when discovering the hog jowl was either sold out or maybe they don't supply it anymore. Many food items that were so common can't even be found, lately. 
So I went with another old-time favorite...fatback!

I bet those health conscience folks out there are rolling eyes and thinking they are reading total insanity.

If you haven't had good ole salty fatback you probably don't know where it's at!!

I made no great preparation for this meal; my peas and collard greens came straight from the can. I did chunk a good bit of ham in the peas with some salt & pepper. My collard greens are
Margret Holmes brand. If you must buy greens in the can, they are the ones to want for.
Glory brand is good as well but you just about can't beat Margret Holmes for the seasoning. I drain just a bit of the juice off and cook them down in the iron skillet I had cooked the fatback(cook on medium heat unitl it's nice and golden) in.
Potato cakes made from some leftover mashed potatoes and a cornmeal muffin.
As Grandpa Jones would say,"Yum, yum!"

Are you asking yourself how this meal could be good for you at all?
I too questioned such a meal
but
I honestly have been nursing an extreme cough for about 3 weeks. I awoke to a full nights sleep and have had the slightest of coughs so far the morning....
I don't know....
Maybe the money's on the way too..LOL..

BE BLESSED!

2 comments:

  1. I usually do this too, but have not this year. Grandma Dorothy would be so shocked! LOL

    That plate looks good!

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    1. I'm going to tell you everybody in this house has walked around for at least a day or two sucking on a piece of fatback. Oh, for shame...for shame..you better at least eat some greens...lol..

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