Yesterday, being Monday, was my first "real" day of this challenge. How did I do? Well...not too bad, actually. I got up at 6:30, rather than 6, but still managed to get breakfast on the table (nothing special, just cereal, juice and coffee) in time for us to all sit together and have our morning devotional. I also did a fair amount of laundry, including stripping my bed, and some random straightening. Joe actually had the day off from work yesterday and I am still hanging on to a dreadful cold, so I was a bit off my game. Still, I made a good lunch (a simple salad) and an excellent dinner (New Year's Soup, made from leftovers - recipe below, and Hoe Cakes), and even had time to make a run to the library and grab a cup of coffee with my friend. Last night, my fever returned and I was in bed at my goal time of 10:00, though I did lay there playing Angry Birds for an hour waiting on the cold meds to kick in, but that is an awful lot better than my normal time of two or three!
New Year's Soup
In a large pot, saute 1-2 diced sweet onions in your preference of oil or butter over medium heat. A bit of salt will draw out their moisture and speed the process. Once the onions are nice and soft, add 1 pound of sliced smoked sausage and brown over medium-high heat. When nicely browned, add one large bag of your choice of dark, leafy greens such as kale, collards, or turnip greens - being sure to remove any large, woody stems, and two large cans of crushed tomatoes - not tomato sauce or paste - and put a lid on your pot. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the greens to wilt. When the greens are very limp, add four cans of blank-eyed peas, drained and rinsed (or an equivalent amount of home-cooked beans) and 1-2 cans of chicken broth (depending on your desired consistency). Allow to heat through fully. Serve with hoe cakes and a healthy dash of hot sauce.
Hoe Cakes
Combine 2 boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix with 3/4 cup milk, 1 can of yellow corn, drained and 2 beaten eggs. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter at a time into a buttered cast iron skillet over medium heat. You should be able to fit three at a time. These are very much like cooking pancakes. When they bubble and get dry around the edges, it is time to flip. When fully cooked, remove to a paper towel. Continue in batches until all batter is used. Makes approximately 18.
