The Recipe for Good Luck in the New Year: Black-Eyed Peas!

The New Year is almost here!  And with that comes a great reason to throw a holiday party. For this occasion however, we bypass the New Year’s Eve ruckus to focus on the New Year’s Day goodness . . . as in the Rose Bowl Parade, football games and good eats!

Our annual New Year’s Open House features 3 key ingredients:

Black-Eyed Peas: for good luck

Cabbage: for money

Gumbo: ‘cuz it’s good!

These are fun traditions that come from my Texas roots and growing up close to New Orleans (we lived there for 2 years, too!).

To ensure that all of you have lots of luck in 2017, I’ll share the easiest black-eyed pea recipe with you: Texas Caviar.  It’s great to put out while watching a game, to nurse the previous evening’s festivities or to serve as a side dish at your New Year’s Day feast.

Happy New Year, y’all!

Texas Caviar

Ingredients
3 16oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 4oz. can diced green chilies
1 10oz. can Rotel (tomato & green chilies)
1 green bell pepper
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 T oregano
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t black pepper
1 cup vinaigrette (my favorite: Annie’s Naturals Shitake Sesame…smoky & the perfect complement to all the flavors)

Step 1

Drain & rinse black-eyed peas. Begin adding in diced green chilies and Rotel.

Step 2

Add bell pepper, cilantro, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.

Step 3

Pour vinaigrette over ingredients and stir. Refrigerate 4-6 hours (or overnight) in a sealed container, wait & anticipate.

Step 4

Serve with corn tortilla chips. Scoop-shaped chips are best to scoop up all that yumminess.

May your 2017 be filled with happiness, good health . . . and lots of good luck!