FOR LUCK IN NEW YEAR 2008

Many people believe that a we can affect the luck we have through out the year by what we do or eat on the first day of the year.

In my family it was considered good luck if the first visitor we had on New Years Day was a tall dark headed man.

In the South, we always eat Black-eye peas, cooked with hog jowls
or ham. Black-eye peas are considered good luck in many cultures and
and hog meat symbolizes properity.

Collard with ham hocks are traditional in the South also,as they
are thought to bring money for the coming years.

COLLARD GREENS WITH HAM HOCKS

3-4 HEADS OF FRESH COLLARDS, CLEANED AND STEMED.
6 SLICES OF BACON
1 SMOKED HAM HOCK
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
8 CUPS WATER
(2 MED.ONIONS, CHOPPED - GARLIC, MINCED) OPTIONAL

COOK BACON IN A LARGE STOCK POT, SAVING AS MUCH FAT AS POSSIBLE. ADD WATER TO THE POT AND BRING TO A BOIL. ADD HAM HOCK, SALT AND PEPPER AND BOIL FOR 20-30 MINS.
ADD COLLARDS AND BRING TO A BOIL. CUT HEAT BACK AND COOK FOR 3 - 4 HOURS UNTIL
WELL DONE AND MOST OF THE WATER IS COOKED AWAY. HAD SOME FOR CHRISTMAS AND THEY
WERE SO GOOD!!!
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BLACK-EYED PEAS WITH HAM HOCK

EATING THESE WILL BRING YOU LUCK IN THE NEW YEAR.

3 ½ CUPS, CANNED, FROZEN OR FRESH, BLACK-EYED PEAS
3 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH
4 OZ FINELY CHOPPED HAM
1 ONION
GARLIC, CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES
(OPTIONAL)
PEPPER TO TASTE

BRING ALL INGREDIENTS TO BOIL IN HEAVY LARGE
POT. REDUCE HEAT TO SIMMER AND COOK, STIRRING
OCCASIONALLY, UNTIL PEAS ARE DONE, ABOUT
45 MINUTES.
SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER.
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NEW YEARS TOASTS:

LOVE TO ONE, FRIENDSHIP TO MANY, AND GOOD WILL TO ALL.
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MAY THE CLOUDS IN YOUR LIFE FORM ONLY A BACKGROUND FOR
A LOVELY SUNSET.
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MAY THE FRIENDS OF OUR YOUTH BE THE COMPANIONS OF OUR
OLD AGE.
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HERE'S TO ETERNITY, MAY WE SPEND IT IN AS GOOD COMPANY
AS THIS NIGHT FINDS US.
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MAY EACH OF YOU HAVE A HAPPY AND GLORIOUS NEW YEAR IN 2008.