Get Lucky in the New Year with Slow-Cooker Black-Eyed Peas & Greens

I’m not what you would call a superstitious person, but I do like to partake in fun food traditions like lucky foods for a lucky New Year! As such, I’ve combined some of the luckiest foods in one slow-cooker creation: beans, greens, and pork! Start the New Year off right with lucky foods and a bowl of hearty, veggie filled goodness. For my vegetarian friends, simply omit the meat and sub vegetable broth, and you have a great vegetarian dish.

Happy 2013 everyone !

Recipe notes: You don’t need to soak your beans – cooking low & slow with produce tender beans without the extra step of soaking. Also, if you have leftover ham from the holidays you can easily throw that into this dish. You can substitute the ham hock for 2 cups chopped ham.

Ingredients

• 1 large ham hock
• 4 slices thick-sliced bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped finely
• 2 stalks celery, chopped finely
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted
• 3 cans (14.5 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Splash olive oil
• 2 lbs. mixed greens (collards, mustard, kale – whichever you prefer)
• S/P

Instructions

In a large slow-cooker combine the ham hock, bacon, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Add the black-eyed peas. Pour the chicken broth over all the ingredients. Stir to combine. Add enough water to cover the other ingredients (this will vary depending on the size of your slow-cooker). Add the bay leaf, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Add a splash of olive oil.  Stir to combine. Cover the slow-cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the beans are tender.

Remove the ham hock and shred the the meat, discarding skin and bones. Return meat to the slow-cooker. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the greens prior to serving, let soak in the warm broth for a few minutes to soften. Taste and add S/P as needed to season – I suggest doing this at the very end because most likely you won’t need much seasoning (the pork is salty). Serve immediately. For a spicy kick, stir in a splash of hot sauce to each bowl.

Serves: 8-10

Recipe source: Original

Time: 6-8 hours plus prep

Peppermint Pattie Stuffed Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

Well, say hello to the “winner” of the Christmas cookie baking event this year. I tried several new recipes this year and shared them with family, co-workers, party-goers, and neighbors. This one definitely got the biggest and best response. Really,  how can any cookie compete with a double dark chocolate cookie stuffed with a York Peppermint patty? Especially right out of the oven. See that picture? Take note of the ooey gooey chocolate chunks and white peppermint yumminess spilling out the middle. Then get your butt in the kitchen and make some! Oh, and try, just try to not eat the batter … it’s ridiculously good.

Recipe notes: These make really big cookies, but the recipe makes about a dozen only. Just keep that in mind in case you want to make a few batches. I suggest doing one batch at a time, rather than doubling ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Special Dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 15 York Peppermint patties (you may have a few left over)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl,  beat butter on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Beat in oil, brown sugar and sugar until well combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Taking about 1/4 cup at a time, slowly beat flour mixture into sugar mixture, scraping sides as needed. Stir in chopped chocolate.

Drop one rounded tablespoon of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Flatten slightly as you push a peppermint pattie into the dough. Top with another tablespoon of dough. Gently spread the dough around the pattie so it is completely covered by dough. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or just until edges begin to set. Let cool 1 minute on cookie sheets and then transfer to racks to cool.

Makes: 12-14 cookies (depending on how much dough gets eaten!!)

Recipe source: Publix Grape Winter 2012

Time: ~40 minutes

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts & Pomegranate

If I could choose only one way to prepare vegetables forever more, it would definitely be roasting. Roasting not only gives vegetables a soft and tender texture, but also provides depth of flavor that cannot be beat. Oh, and it’s super easy! If you think you don’t like a certain vegetable, try roasting – you may change your mind!  This roasted vegetable side dish is my new addiction. Sweet Brussels sprouts paired with crunchy roasted walnuts (which taste like popcorn – is this just me?) and juicy pomegranate – perfection. Not to mention you have a plate full of seasonal color

Recipe notes: For more on pomegranate, including how to open one, see this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed & halved
• S/P
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 pomegranate, arils removed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with S/P; toss to coat.

Roast for about 25 minutes, or until sprouts just begin to brown and are tender. Take the pan out of oven and sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top. Return to the oven and roast for another 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and plate. Sprinkle fresh pomegranate arils on top of the brussels sprouts and serve immediately.

Serves: 6

Recipe source: Original

Time: 40 minutes

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Mexican hot chocolate often contains spices such as cinnamon and chile. This cookie evokes that yummy beverage in cookie form. You can simply use the cinnamon and they are delicious, or if you want a little pep in your step (or cookie), add the chile powder also!

Ingredients

• 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 and 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon chile powder (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 and 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder (if using). Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Press the bottom of a glass into each cookie to flatten out a bit.

Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. (DO NOT OVERCOOK … they will look undercooked but will set fine. Otherwise, they get crunchy really quickly.) Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

Makes: ~30 cookies

Recipe source: Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe

Time: 30 minutes

Red Wine Poached Apples with Vanilla Yogurt

This is a great dessert to wow folks at a holiday dinner … It tastes wonderful and is visually beautiful. The wine syrup is deliciously sweet and flavorful and poached apples are soft, yet hold a bit of the lovely apple crunch.

Recipe notes: Any type of fruity red wine will work – I used a berry-rich Merlot. I used Braeburn apples, but any variety will work depending on the flavor you prefer. I also slice the bottom of the apples off evenly, so they rest evenly in the pan. Lastly, if you can’t find vanilla bean paste (which I love as a sub for vanilla beans) you can use a whole vanilla beans, scraping the seeds into the yogurt.

Because this can be difficult to prepare when hosting a dinner, you can prepare everything ahead of time, preferably that day. Just stir the yogurt to refresh and reheat the syrup. If you let the apples sit out of the fridge for an hour or so (covered), they should be fine and are great at room temperature. You just don’t want to serve cold apples. But room temp is great, and the warm syrup will heat them up as well.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 cups fruity red wine
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 strips orange peel
• 1 strip lemon peel
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 4 apples, peeled & cored
• 1 cup 2% Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste

Instructions

Combine wine, water, sugar, orange juice, peels, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add apples; reduce heat to low and simmer, occasionally rotating apples, until tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.

Using silicone tongs, or a slotted spoon, transfer apples to a plate. Strain poaching liquid into a small saucepan, discarding solids. Set saucepan over medium-high heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until poaching liquid is reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Syrup will thicken as it cools.

Combine yogurt, honey, and vanilla bean paste in a small bowl.

Divide yogurt among plates. Place warm apples on top. Drizzle syrup over.

Serves: 4

Recipe source: Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe

Time: ~1 hour