RECIPIES, it’s what I do best!  If you want the WOW! factor in your New Year’s Day party, pay attention, I’m here for you!!!  We’re gonna have Corned Beef and Cabbage, Collard Green Soup (if you’ve never had Collards, you haven’t really lived baby!), Blackeyed Peas with Hog Jowls and Southern Cornbread.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

3 Lbs. Corned Beef Brisket w/ Spice Packet - 2400 Calories

3 Large Onions - FREE

1 Large Head of Cabbage - FREE

Pepper To Taste - FREE

1. Place beef in a large Dutch Oven, cover with water and add spice packet.

2. Cover, bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and simmer for 3 hours or until tender.

3. Add onions, cabbage and pepper to taste and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

4. Place beef and vegetables on a platter and slice the corned beef across the grain.

Makes Twelve 200 Calorie Servings

Collard Green Soup

3 oz. Salt Pork - 600 Calories

1 Bunch of Collards - FREE

1 Tablespoon Salt - FREE

1 Tablespoon Sugar - 50 Calories

2 1/2 Slices Bacon - 250 Calories

1 Large Onion - FREE

1 16 oz. Can Great Northern Beans  - 200 Calories

1 16 oz.  Can White Kidney Beans - 200 Calories

1.  Start with cooking the collards a day ahead to let them waller in collard "pot likker" a while.  In a large soup pot, place sliced salt pork in the bottom and fry gently on medium low, turning frequently.

2. While the salt pork is doing its thing, fill up your sinks with fresh, cool water.  Take your collards and strip them by making a small fist and ripping off the leaves starting at the stem side.  RIP! RIP! RIP! is what I do like my grandma taught me, but if you want to be more refined and fancy, you can gently pull the leaves from the stems.  Wash your "mess" of collards thoroughly in the water you prepared.  I don’t even like a hint of sand, so I wash them four (YES, four) times.

3. Add 1/2 gallon of water, salt and sugar to your soup pot.  Throw in your collards.  Cook on medium high for 20-30 minutes until the collards are semi-soft.

4. Let the pot cool and place in the refrigerator.

5. The next morning, place your collard soup pot on the stove on medium-low heat.

6. In a medium frying pan, place bacon and onions and fry on medium until bacon is almost crisp.  Add to soup pot.

7. Add beans and garlic, bring to a boil.

8. Turn heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Makes Sixteen 100 Calorie Servings

Blackeyed Peas with Hog Jowls

1/2 Lb. Hog Jowls - 800 Calories

2, 16 oz. Cans Blackeyed Peas - 400 Calories

Garlic and Pepper To Taste - FREE

1. Place hog jowls in a large soup pot and fry on medium for about 30 minutes, turning often.

2. Add Blackeyed Peas, garlic and pepper and cook on medium for 20-30 minutes or until desired consistency.

Makes Six 200 Calorie Servings

Southern Cornbread

1/3 Cup Self Rising Flour - 150 Calories

1 1/2 Cups Cornmeal - 600 Calories

2 Small Eggs, Beaten - 100 Calories

1 1/2 Cups Buttermilk - 150 Caloires

1 1/2 Cups Milk - 200 Calories

1. Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place 9" greased skillet in oven to heat.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well.  Do not over mix.

4. Pour batter in heated skillet and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes Twelve 100 Calorie Servings

I surely hope y’all enjoy a super-de-duper down home Southern-Style New Year’s.  Try my recipes and let me know what you think!

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