Happy and Blessed New Year to all!

The JOY Kitchen is getting started with one of my favorite recipes that we traditionally have on New Year's Day!  It is called Hoppin' John New Year! 

And according to the good old Southern tradition, if you eat black eye peas on New Year's Day, you will be have prosperity in the new year. 

And if you desire wealth in the new year, you need to eat your greens.  So, eating both should lead to a wealthy and prosperous new year!  Who wouldn't want that?!  I know I do!

I don't know how true these traditions are, but it is fun adding them to the first day of the year and it absolutely brings HOPE for the future that lies in the new year ahead!  I am very fond of HOPE!  So, I'm in!

If you have finicky eaters who don't really care for blackeye peas, well, this is a simple and delicious way to cook them!  And I believe you will get them interested in eating them! 

You might consider adding a little spinach to the Hoppin' John dish below.  It just may add that little extra something to it.  Just try it, you might like it!  You never know until you try!  I am going to try it myself next year!  That is what I love about cooking.  The freedom you have in trying new things!  I Love it!

Or you could keep it simple and sauté some spinach, chard, or collard greens with bacon and onion in a stainless steel pan for the greens tradition. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do every new year! 

Wishing you Prosperity, Wealth, Love, and Blessings!