New Year's Menus??

[NW CTC]

Who's serving what on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day? Anything interesting and or traditional in your households?

As a military brat my husband spent a lot of time living in the south, so we always eat Hoppin' John on January first for good luck. I like to make it a day ahead to let the flavors blend, if possible. This year we have a particularly tasty ham to throw into the pot... This isn't a sophisticated dish but it maintains the tradition and is nice and warming.

Anyone else?

[jjjenny]

It has always been a tradition to eat black eye peas on New Year's day. Since we moved to Louisiana, we have added cabbage and pork, just as they do.

What the heck is Hoppin John? I've lived in several southern states and have never heard of it.

[NW CTC]

It has always been a tradition to eat black eye peas on New Year's day. Since we moved to Louisiana, we have added cabbage and pork, just as they do.

What the heck is Hoppin John? I've lived in several southern states and have never heard of it.

Black-eyed peas with a hambone are commonly referred to in parts of the south as Hoppin' John. I can't even begin to remember where I first heard it.

[Lynn]

We usually have prime rib and crab legs on NY Eve, but because I have worked on NY Eve (at the jewelry store) I decided to try QVC's beef wellington and combine it with their crabcakes (which are awesome).
Here in PA it is Kraut at midnight! So on New Year Day we will have pork, sauerkraut and neflies.

Oh and we will put coins over the doorway!

[deangreenhoe]

Here it's always some kind of pork dish (ham, roasted loin, etc; ) and definitely black eyed peas for good luck. We always have some kind of greens as well, usually collard or spinach.

My grandma always made a big pot of navy bean soup for New Years Eve. Now there's a good way to get the next year off to a rousing start. :lol:

[Ned]

Growing up, my brother and I used to visit my Grandmother, Great Aunt and Uncle's home for new year's eve. We watched Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians on TV. Our grandmother and great aunt (sisters) used to serve one our favorites at 11:45PM, fried corn meal mush with maple syrup. Do you believe that? Looking back, I sure don't.

Nowadays I'm a little more sophisticated than that. We go to a neighbor's home with 20 other couples for our new year's eve celebration each year, where we have some great desserts, and toast the beginning of the new year with champagne and strawberries.

Prior to going there, we have a dinner at home, of my homemade Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes, Roasted Yams, and French Beans, with a mixed green salad. I usually start with Clams Casino for this special meal. This year, since we had crab cakes for dinner a couple of nights ago, I'm substituting my home "wet aged" sirloin strip steak, which I'll put on the grill.

(I purchase whole strip loins at BJ's, of the highest quality they sell, trim them of excess fat, cut them into thick individual strip steaks, vacuum pack them, which helps draw out the juices giving them a deeper, more concentrated flavor, then let them "wet-age" in the fridge for a week, which works exceedingly well to tenderize the steaks and increase their flavor even more. At that point I freeze them. I'm still hesitant of "dry-aging" them, with regard to mold and other health and safety concerns.)

I'd like to wish all my Tripso friends and their families a Gut un Gezunt Yor, a Happy and Healthy New Year.

[Kairho]

New Years has never been a big deal for either family. Usually, there is still a little turkey left over from Christmas for sandwiches on New Years Day.

And tonight we will go out to dinner ... an Indian restaurant, I believe, has been selected. But always home well before the craziness.

[cole75]

I'll be slinging beers at the bar.. to me it's just not that big of a deal and I'd rather be making money than spending money...

I get paid for the night/free entertainment from the band and drunks... and I won't have to work too late as I'll be off by probably 12:30 or 1 am..

[jjjenny]

Whatever everyone does, please be safe and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR, all year long.

[jimtbay]

Dinner in tonight with about 20 or so, give or take a few, fireworks at 9, champange toasting at midnight, a relaxing time.

[maryb]

Black-eyed peas with a hambone are commonly referred to in parts of the south as Hoppin' John. I can't even begin to remember where I first heard it.

Actually it is black-eyed peas cooked w/ham hock but also has rice cooked in it. We will have the black-eyed peas, cornbread(jalapino) and pork roast with dumplings along with some green vegetable and salad. Desert will be more of Deano's pie. There is a dime placed under each plate for prosperity (the peas are for luck). I have been eating black eyed peas for luck for soooooo long I'm now afraid not to!

[mtp51]

Shrimp with homemade spicy cocktail sauce, twice baked potatoes & filet mignon. Play a quick (maybe) game of Wii and in bed by 10 or 1030 - hopefully.
The checkout lady at the grocery store this afternoon said she and her husband hunker down and listen to the police band radio. I'll bet that is pretty entertaining!
Smoke-free Illinois goes into effect at 1201am. I wonder how many bars will enforce that tonight....

Safe travels and happy new year to all!!

[GREGGWELPE]

Black-eyed peas with a hambone are commonly referred to in parts of the south as Hoppin' John. I can't even begin to remember where I first heard it. My mother usually uses salt pork when cooking the peas, but this year opted to use ham hocks which worked fine. She served the peas with cornbread and some other appetizers for New Year's. I use ham hocks when I cook up some red/pinto beans which always add a lot of flavor....

[travelwhiz]

We had the peas, for luck, cornbread, pork chops and cabbage, for money...I hope that everyone here has a wonderful 2008.

[azagt]

Rare prime rib, yorkshire pud, parsnips and peas. for dessert Creme de Coeur...ooh oooh!

[vacationagent]

Hoppin' John usually has rice in it, too. It can be served cold, like a relish or hot like pea soup or peas as a side dish. My mother would make it with onion, garlic, bell peppers, and hot peppers.

For New Year's Day at my house: black-eyed peas cooked with the Christmas ham bone; cornbread; and cole slaw (I'm not wild about cooked cabbage.) (Black eyed peas for good luck and cabbage for good fortune). After all the excesses of the holidays, a meal of pea soup and cornbread is welcome!