New Year's Feast

Welp- I'm glad to be home after a week at my parents. I didn't realize how much I hate having others control my meal planning and preparation. So, I've made up for it...all in one day.

I ended up slicing up some yellow squash with my new slicer to go with our New Year's Eve steak dinner, by the way. Not sure what to do with it now, but I'll come up with something. A nice saute with onions, butter, and wine, perhaps?

I've made the ugliest, yet most heavenly coconut cream pie ever. That's what I get for trying to fit a 10-inch recipe into a 9-inch pie crust. Here's a shot of the pie sans whipped cream.

Coconut Cream Pie- Southern Living 2005
1 pricked and pre-baked pie crust (9 inches)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups half-and-half (milk also works)
4 egg yolks
3 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (keep it pure, people)

Combine sugar, cornstarch in a heavy saucepan. Whisk together egg yolks and half-and-half. Gradually whisk egg mixture into sugar mixture; bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil one minute, remove from heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, placing the wrap directly on the filling in the pan; let stand 30 minutes. Spoon into pie crust, cover and chill 30 minutes or until set. Cover with whipped cream and garnish with toasted coconut.

Whipped Cream
Beat 2 cups of whipping cream until foamy; gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla, beating until peaks form.



Happy New Year, southern-style.

Here's a shot of the Hoppin' John I put together today. Mmm....bacon.

Here's the HJ in final stages of cooking. Beans not mushy, just barely firm to the bite. Just need some rice, greens, and cornbread. Perfection. My South Carolina kin would be very proud.

Hoppin' John

From “The Glory of Southern Cooking,” by James Villas (Wiley, 2007).

1/4 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 pounds black-eyed peas, fresh or frozen

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (lots and lots, please)

Red pepper flakes to taste (I used a few pinches of cayenne instead)

Hot, cooked rice

3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

FRY the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

ADD the peas, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the peas are tender but not mushy, about 1 hour. (It may take less time for frozen peas, so taste them after 30 minutes.)

DRAIN the peas, then serve over hot rice topped with chopped tomato.

I always like a couple shots of hot sauce (Texas Pete) on this.