Receta New Year's Day Traditions
Happy New Year!
When the last of the party guests have finally gone home and
Your left with a headache and a mess..........
Why not take a few ibuprofen and prepare a "lucky" meal to enjoy on New Years Day.
You can increase your luck and good fortune with any or all of these six lucky foods.
Grapes
Cooked Greens
Legumes
Pork
Fish
Noodles and Grains
Start your New Year off right~
Happy New Year!!
Grapes~
In Spain, Portugal, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador and Peru
it is custom to consume 12 grapes at midnight. The goal is to eat
12 grapes before the last stroke of midnight. 12 grapes represent
the 12 months of the year.
Cooked Greens~
Cooked greens including cabbage, collards, kale and chard are consumed on New Years for a very simple reason, their green leaves look like folded money, thus symbolic of good fortune. The Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with a cinnamon sugar mixture, Germans eat sauerkraut (cabbage) and in Southern United States collards are the greens of choice.
Legumes~
Legumes include beans, peas and lentils. Legumes are symbolic of money/coins. A very lucky dish could include pork, legumes and greens. In the Southern US, its traditional to eat black-eyed peas or cowpeas in a dish called hoppin' john. Hoppin' John is made with pork, beans and greens.
Pork~
Pork is symbolic of progress, wealth and prosperity. Roast duckling is served in Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungry and Austria. Pigs Feet are eaten in Sweden and Roast Pork or Sausages are preferred by Germans.
Fish~
Fish is believed to be lucky because their scales resemble coins and fish swim in schools which symbolize abundance. Pickled herring is consumed at midnight in Poland and Germany. Dried salt cod is also eaten in many countries.
Noodles and Grains~
Noodles are symbolic of long life and grains like rice and quinoa stand for abundance. Long noodles are to be slurped up whole, without breaking the noodle for added luck.
- Lentils and Pork~
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 6 oz smoked cooked ham, chopped*
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 t dried basil leaves
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/4 t pepper
- In a large saucepan, bring beef broth to a boil over high heat
- Stir in the lentils
- Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes
- Add the sausage, potatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, celery
- basil leaves, salt and pepper
Bring to a boil
Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or
Until lentils and vegetables are tender
Serve with cooked greens~
*Cooked ham hocks or cooked pork sausages can be substituted for the ham.
Happy New Year!!