Good Luck Food For The New Millennium - Recipe

Ebony, Dec, 1999 by Charlotte Lyons

At the beginning of each year, on New Year's Day, many people continue the age-old tradition of preparing foods that are believed to bring good luck and prosperity, There is a widespread belief that what we eat can influence what the year will bring.

Black-eyed peas are thought to be the key to good fortune. Eating rice, greens and fish on the first day of the year is believed to bring financial wealth.

So with thoughts of good fortune and prosperity in mind, planning your millennium New Year's celebration menu should be as simple as following a little bit of tradition.

Collard Greens

1 pound smoked turkey parts
1 1/2 quarts water
1 to 2 hot pepper pods or 1/2 teaspoon
  crushed red pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 pounds fresh collard greens or
  mixed greens
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
  Salt and pepper to taste

Place turkey parts in Dutch oven or large saucepan; add water, pepper pods, and garlic. Cover; bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Break off and discard stems of collards. Wash leaves thoroughly. Slice leaves into bite-size pieces by rolling several leaves together and slicing in 1/4-inch strips. Add collards, onion, celery, green pepper, sugar, oil, salt, and pepper. Cook until greens are done, 45 to 60 minutes.

Yields 8 to 10 servings

Spicy Oven-Fried Catfish

4 dressed, farm-raised catfish (about
  7 ounces each)
1/4 yellow cornmeal
1/4 dry breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 cayenne pepper
1/8 ground thyme
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 butter or margarine, melted

Move oven rack to position slightly above middle of oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and thyme. Dip fish into milk; coat with cornmeal mixture. Place in 13x9x2-inch rectangular pan coated with vegetable cooking spray. Pour butter over fish. Bake uncovered until fish flakes very easily with fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Yields 4 servings

Cornmeal Rolls

3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sour cream
  Melted butter or margarine

Sift together flour, cornmeal, soda, baking powder, sugar and salt. Blend egg into sour cream; stir in dry ingredients. Turn dough onto floured pastry cloth and knead lightly; roll 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Brush with melted butter, crease and fold over; sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Place on baking sheet. Bake in 425-degree oven until lightly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Yields about 10 to 12 rolls

Hopping John

6 to 8 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 16-ounce package frozen black-eyed
  peas
3 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 crushed red pepper

Cook onion and celery with bacon and thyme until tender; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Let stand 5 minutes.

Yields 6 servings

Easy Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup light mayonnaise or salad
  dressing
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  Dash hot pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients in small bowl; chill. Serve with fish.

Yields about 1/2 cup sauce

Easy Pina Colada Cake

1 18 1/8-ounce package yellow cake
  mix
1 3 3/4-ounce package instant vanilla
  pudding and pie filling
1 15-ounce can cream of coconut
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons rum
1/3 cup vegetable off
4 eggs
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple,
  well-drained
  Whipped cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, 1/2 cup cream of coconut, 1/2 cup rum, oil and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in pineapple. Pour into well-greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake until done, about 50 to 60 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove from pan. With skewer, poke holes about 1 inch apart in cake almost to bottom. Combine remaining cream of coconut and rum. Pour over cake. Chill thoroughly. If desired, garnish with pineapple and cherries. Serve with whipped cream.

Yields 1 10-inch cake

Citrus Ambrosia

2 eggs
1/2 sugar
  Grated peel of 1/2 lemon
1/4 fresh, squeezed lemon juice
2 oranges, peeled and cut into half-cartwheel
  slices
2 tangerine, peeled, segmented and
  seeded
  Toasted shredded or flaked
  coconut
  Cherries
  Mint leaves

To make sauce, beat the eggs well in a saucepan. Stir in the sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Cover and chill. Divide fruit into 4 individual dessert dishes or shallow champagne glasses and chill. Spoon the sauce over the fruit, sprinkle with coconut and garnish with cherries and mint.

Yields 4 servings

Lite Sweet Potato Pie

4 egg whites
3/4 sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange rind
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 to 3/4 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
  Dash salt
2 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell