With best wishes and good luck to all, January’s recipes provide cooks with time-honored recipes provided by a dear friend whose early Deep South years formed a wide variety of traditions.
Hoppin’ John—also known as Carolina peas to folks further north—is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with good luck. One common tradition is each person at the meal should leave three peas on their plates to ensure good luck follows throughout the new year. Hoe cake gets its name from the original method of preparation—cooking the flat cornmeal cakes on a type of iron pan called a hoe. The term was first attested in 1745 by American writers, such as Washington Irving and Joel Barlow, and hoe cakes were a staple for Civil War soldiers. Whether the claims of good luck are true or not, Hoppin’ John and hoe cakes provide a warm and welcome meal at the end of a cold day.
Need a boost during the short daylight hours? Try our coffee cookies to deliver an extra punch of caffeine.
Stay warm and enjoy the kitchen moments of the new year.
Alabama Hoppin' John
In a slow cooker, place frozen peas and ham hock. Add water and cover. Cook for six to eight hours on high or until the meat easily flakes off ham bone. Fork meat off bones, stir into peas and set aside.
Cook rice as directed.
In a skillet, place tomatoes, butter, sugar and salt. Cook on medium heat until butter and sugar are well incorporated. Stir in bread crumbs and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until tomato mixture is thickened.
To plate, spoon rice onto a one-third section of a flat serving dish. Add the pea mixture into the second third and finish off with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with green onions.
Sue Hutchison was born and raised a block from the freeway in Southern California. She had an early start with industrial, large-scale cooking before age 20. She's always been both a beach bum and
at home in the kitchen, where she enjoys making new creations.
Coffee Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix shortening, butter, sugars, cocoa, egg, vanilla and coffee until well blended. Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt. Blend until all ingredients are incorporated. Stir in baking chips.
Mound by heaping teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Let cool on baking sheet. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for a week at room temperature.
Sue Hutchison was born and raised a block from the freeway in Southern California. She had an early start with industrial, large-scale cooking before age 20. She's always been both a beach bum and
at home in the kitchen, where she enjoys making new creations.
Deep South Hoe Cake
Mix cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add egg and enough water to make a stiff dough. Stir in green onions.
Form dough into flat pancake-like patties in your hand. Cook on a hot griddle until both sides are golden.
Serve hot with butter, honey or your choice of jam.
Sue Hutchison was born and raised a block from the freeway in Southern California. She had an early start with industrial, large-scale cooking before age 20. She's always been both a beach bum and
at home in the kitchen, where she enjoys making new creations.