Well, we did it. We had our traditional New Year’s Day meal of pork, sauerkraut and black-eyed peas. This year we added mashed potatoes and fried apples, topped off with Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and my new recipe for shortbread cookies.
In other words, life is good.
It was made better this year by the addition of McCormick’s new Recipe Inspirations. I picked up the one for Apple and Sage Pork Chops, and adapted it to a pork roast. I simply coated the roast according to the directions, and then seared it in a bit of good olive oil in a pan, about 2 minutes per side. Next, I plopped it in the crockpot and let it go for several hours, until the internal temperature got above 175 degrees (if you don’t have a good meat thermometer, let this be the year you add one to your kitchen).
The pork was tender and the seasonings the perfect addition to our tradition. It’s a tradition that started when we lived in Pennsylvania, where our neighbors taught us the lore of the black-eyed peas and how they bring good luck for the new year.
If you want to see more of those good luck ideas, see our video, “Getting Lucky on New Year’s.”
Sure, I could do it without the packaged product—and quite likely will next time, with a little garlic, sage, paprika, thyme and allspice. But kudos to McCormick for helping me put it all together this time so I could see how it’s supposed to taste. For those who are uneasy with experimentation, it’s a great way to learn more and bring out some new flavors to enhance your life.
So, here’s to a little experimentation, a simple recipe or two, and great flavors ahead for 2012. It’s what we’ll bring you, so check in often as we share. It’s part of what makes food fun.
