Luck for the New Year
Tradition has it that some foods are considered lucky, especially when consumed on the first day of the new year. Legumes (beans) represent coins and greens, like kale and collards, represent paper money. Considering that these foods are really healthy anyway, eating them on New Year's Day seems like a good way to begin the new year. This evening, on the eve of the new year, I've made a pot of black eyed peas. I made them today because soups, stews, and beans always taste better the next day. Some notes about the recipe: If you like your beans spicy, you can use a spicier sausage, like andouille sausage in place of the kielbasa. Ham is good too, as is the broth from simmering a ham bone, which would be an acceptable substitution for the chicken broth. I think it gives a great flavor boost to these beans, but I've only used 2 tablespoons here because nobody else in my family likes peppers. So I just sneak in a little bit for flavor and leave the pieces big e