Recipes to help ring in the new year

Ringing in the new year holds something different for many people. A large gathering of family or friends, or maybe a quiet evening of a couple of friends and playing games or playing cards, or a big supper then off to bed to enjoy black-eyed peas the next day. Whatever your tradition is, I'm sure it will involve some great food.

I have started off this column with a delicious one-dish casserole featuring black-eyed peas to bring good luck for your new year. The remainder of the column contains appetizers and one cowboy stew recipe that would be a good main dish to keep warm and guests can graze on it all evening.

I hope these recipes will add some joy to your new year celebration.

Happy New Year!

Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread Casserole

This Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread Casserole recipe is homemade cornbread loaded with sausage, creamed corn, cheddar cheese, black eyed peas, green chiles and jalapenos. Perfect for your New Year's Day meal! Can make ahead of time and freeze for up to a month. Everyone loves this easy one-pan meal.

• 1-pound hot pork sausage
• 1 cup white cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (15-ounce) can black eyed peas, drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup creamed corn
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced jalapenos
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can diced green chiles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a skillet over medium high heat, cook sausage until crumbled and no longer pink. Drain fat. Set aside.

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, eggs, buttermilk and oil. Stir cooked sausage, black eyed peas, cheese, creamed corn, jalapenos and green chiles into cornbread batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake, uncovered, for one hour.

Notes: I used a roll of Jimmy Dean sausage. This does have a kick from the jalapenos and green chiles. If you are worried about the heat, I would suggest omitting the jalapeños.

You can make this ahead of time and freeze it for up to a month. Bake the casserole and then freeze it. To reheat the casserole, thaw it and bake covered for 30 minutes at uncovered for 10 minutes. If you want to reheat this casserole frozen, bake it covered for an hour and uncovered for 10 minutes.

Source: www.plainchicken.com/black-eyed-pea-cornbread-casserole/?fbclid=IwAR2mTqGRDaIIhbroMLZVCQ55bMsiDWXmKuDvGCfCiEA9Ehs-E8stORrXpQI

Ham Salad Pinwheels

Love Ham Salad? Love Pinwheels? How about mashing the two together in these Ham Salad Pinwheels for the perfect appetizer or snack food?

• 8 ounces cooked ham, roughly chopped
• 1 hard-boiled egg, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 burrito sized tortillas

Place the ham, egg, celery, red onion, cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish and pepper into a food processor.

Pulse a few times to break up the ingredients and then scrape down the sides. Continue to pulse until everything is combined and well chopped up, you can leave this a little on the chunky or smooth side depending on your preference.

Place a tortilla on a clean work surface. Spread 1/4th of the ham salad mixture over the tortilla leaving a 1/2-inch border around the outside of the tortilla.

Take the bottom of the tortilla and begin to roll it over itself to form a log. Try to roll it tightly but not so tight that the tortilla breaks.

Take a large piece of plastic wrap and roll the log into the piece of plastic wrap tightly and tuck the ends under. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight is best. Discard the plastic wrap and cut them into about 1/2- inch slices. Serve immediately.

Notes: Use burrito-sized tortillas for this. It creates the perfect size pinwheel. If you are not a fan of sweet relish, you can use dill relish or omit all together. You can make these ahead of when you need them. They are best if they chill for at least four hours or overnight. You can easily double this recipe to serve more people. You can place these Ham Salad Pinwheels in an airtight container, and they should keep good for up to three days before they will get soggy. I don't recommend freezing them.

Source: www.thecountrycook.net/ham-salad-pinwheels/?fbclid=IwAR1KUdwicuI8GIkWTgxtk844GbDj-zVL0iYvXYVbiYayLeAtlBKftaOGTP0#recipe

Hot Crab Dip

A delicious hot party dip made with cream cheese, mayonnaise and fresh crab.

• 2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons grated onion
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning, or to taste, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, more or less
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained well and quartered, optional
• 1-pound premium crabmeat, drained

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2 -quart casserole dish; set aside.

Pour the crabmeat into a colander to drain and pick through for any stray shell; set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese with the mayonnaise, onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Old Bay, Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire. Add the cream a little at a time, using only enough to loosen the dip. Gently fold in the artichoke hearts, if using, and crab and spoon into a buttered casserole dish.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly, heated through and lightly browned on top.

Serve immediately with assorted crackers or toast points.

Source: www.deepsouthdish.com/2008/12/hot-crab-dip.html?fbclid=IwAR2291diu6VTfhKr848nGz6kxbOhWF-wQMnCkz-N88egPIUO2YHNyfoD4kc

Salmon Pinwheels

Fresh and flavorful, these Salmon Pinwheels are the perfect easy (but impressive) appetizer that are effortless, and everyone enjoys!

• 12 ounces smoked salmon pre-sliced

Filling:

• 10 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 teaspoons creamy horseradish sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill
• 2 small green onions, finely sliced
• 1/2 lemon, use the juice and the zest
• Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients for the filling and add pepper to taste.

Take a big piece of plastic wrap and place flat on a surface, evenly place the salmon slices beside each other on the plastic wrap. Make sure they overlap a tiny bit on all edges to get a nice salmon wrap.

Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the salmon, leaving out an inch at the bottom.

With the help of the plastic wrap carefully roll up the salmon from the top to the bottom. Try to wrap it as tight as possible.

Wrap the plastic around it at the end and place in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours to help the filling to set and the rolls to stabilize.

Take out of the refrigerator and cut into 1-inch rolls using a very sharp knife.

Serve cold.

Notes: You can double this recipe either by adding to the same roll or making two rolls. You can substitute the creamy horseradish sauce with cream cheese and chives. Make sure that you refrigerate these for at least 5 hours.

Source: www.thecountrycook.net/salmon-pinwheels/

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Crispy and flavorful baked chicken wings are so easy to prepare, and you don't have to bother with all the grease from frying!

• 4 pounds chicken wings, halved at joints, wingtips discarded
• 2 tablespoons baking powder (aluminum free)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Buffalo sauce:

• 1/3 cup Frank's Wings Hot Sauce
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Other Sauce ideas: honey BBQ sauce, ranch, honey garlic sauce, BBQ sauce

Adjust your oven rack to the upper-middle position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack (or use a cooling rack) on top. Spray the rack with non-stick spray.

Use paper towels to pat the wings dry and place them in a large bowl. It's important to dry them really well!

Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and baking powder in a small bowl. Then sprinkle the seasoning over the wings, tossing to evenly coat.

Arrange wings, skin side up, in single layer on prepared wire rack. Bake on the upper middle oven rack, turning every 20 minutes until wings are crispy and browned. The total cook time will depend on the size of the wings but may take up to 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer wings to bowl and toss with sauce.

For Buffalo sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat stir together all sauce ingredients. Mix well until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before adding to wings (or prepare the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate).

Source: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/crispy-baked-chicken-wings/

Cornbread Sausage Balls

Cornbread Sausage Balls — sausage balls made with cornbread mix instead of Bisquick. Sounds weird, but these are seriously the best sausage balls ever! Only four ingredients — sausage, cream cheese, cornbread mix and cheddar cheese. Can make in advance and freeze for a quick snack later. Great for parties, potlucks, tailgating and dinner!

• 1-pound hot sausage, uncooked
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) box Honey Cornbread and Muffin Mix
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients until well combined. (I use my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook attachment)

Use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until brown.

Notes: I used a box of sweet Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Mix. Feel free to substitute 2 boxes of Jiffy mix if you prefer. I used Jimmy Dean sausage. Do NOT cook the sausage. You are using the sausage raw. You can use any flavor of sausage you prefer. I like to use Hot and Maple. The dough will be a little sticky but resist the urge to add flour or more cornmeal. Once they are cooked they are perfect! Adding more dry ingredients will make the sausage balls tough and dry. Can Cornbread Sausage Balls be frozen? Yes! Form the dough into balls and place the baking sheet in the freezer. Once the balls are frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and store in the freezer. To bake sausage balls after freezing, simply add a few minutes to the cooking time.

Source: www.plainchicken.com/cornbread-sausage-balls/?fbclid=IwAR3Pwdq4gna-0k3sxhIgcHWJ3URvqao9GVEe-V_cjwaUWedLGIF_zQoAX1s

Black-Eyed Pea Bruschetta

• 1 seeded Italian baguette, cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 ounces finely chopped bacon or pancetta (optional)
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 bunch of fresh collard greens, washed, stemmed, and finely chopped
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and thoroughly rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and arrange bread slices between 2 baking sheets. Lightly drizzle with oil on both sides. Bake, flipping halfway through, until crispy and toasted, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until fat begins to render, and bacon starts to crisp and turn brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving excess fat in skillet.

In a medium bowl, massage 1/2 teaspoon salt into collard greens until greens begin to release water and soften, about 2 minutes. Add peas, bell pepper, scallion, and garlic and toss until combined; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, thyme, mustard, honey, Cajun seasoning, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of reserved bacon fat and remaining 2 tablespoons oil, whisking after each tablespoon, until vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified. Pour over pea mixture and toss to coat.

Smear toast with a thin layer of cheese. Top with 1 tablespoon pea mixture. Sprinkle with bacon, if using.

Source: www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a40010949/black-eyed-pea-bruschetta-recipe/

Corn and Shrimp Beignets

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 whole lemon
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (2 ears corn)
• 6 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups seltzer water or club soda
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Sweet red chile sauce or remoulade, for serving

Line a sheet pan with a wire rack. Fill a deep, medium saucepan with oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat over medium-high to 350 degrees.

While the oil heats, whisk the flour, ground cayenne, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Zest the lemon right into the bowl; slice the lemon into wedges and set aside for serving. To the bowl, add the chives, corn and shrimp. Stir to combine. Pour in the seltzer and stir until just combined. Fold in the sour cream until just incorporated.

Once a deep-fry or candy thermometer reads 350 degrees, the oil is ready. If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, you also can see if the oil is hot enough by dropping a tiny dollop of the batter into the pot: Bubbles should form around the batter immediately and the dollop should float to the surface. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, carefully drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil and fry, turning frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Maintain the temperature.

Transfer the beignets to the rack using a slotted spoon or tongs. Repeat the frying process with the remaining batter.

Serve the beignets warm, with lemon wedges for squeezing and with sweet chile sauce for dipping, if using. Sprinkle the beignets with a little salt, if you like.

Source: www.the2spoons.com/easy-fresh-off-the-cob-corn-and-shrimp-beignets/

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, one turn of the pan
• 24 large gourmet stuffing mushroom caps, stems removed and reserved brushed with damp towel
• Salt and pepper

Stuffing:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, half a turn of the pan
• 3/4-pound sweet bulk Italian sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 20 stems mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 rib of celery and green, leafy top from the heart of the stalk, chopped
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 3 slices white bread, toasted and buttered, chopped into small dice
• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, 2 handfuls

Preheat oven to 500 degrees .

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and mushroom caps and season caps with salt and pepper. Saute caps 5 to 7 minutes, until they are lightly browned and tender on edges. Turn caps up and let juices drain away from caps. Transfer caps to a small nonstick baking sheet.

Wipe out skillet and return to heat. Add a touch of oil and sausage to the hot skillet. Brown and crumble sausage for 3 minutes.

In a food processor pulse and chop the garlic, add mushroom stems and pulse to chop the mushroom stems. Add celery, onion and red bell pepper to the mushrooms and pulse to chop. Remove mixture from the processor and saute veggies and mushrooms over medium high heat another 3 to 5 minutes. Add dry, defrosted spinach and stir into stuffing. Add chopped bread and cheese to the pan and toss stuffing until bread is moist and stuffing is combined, 2 or 3 minutes.

Fill caps with stuffing using a small scoop or large spoon. Place caps in hot oven and reduce heat to 450 degrees. Bake 6 to 8 minutes to crisp edges of stuffing and set stuffing in mushrooms. Transfer stuffed mushrooms to a serving plate.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/sausage-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe-1940639

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking, and Happy New Year!