Tasty New Year's Day Dinner

from JoeUser Forums
I don't know if I've ever mentioned it, but I enjoy cooking. Creating something tasty to eat is a real joy.

I am in the process of cooking my first dinner of the new year. I decided to go for something that, while fairly simple, is very good. I am making Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage. None of that boxed crap, but the real deal, from scratch. Well, ok, I bought the sausage lol.

It's simmering on the stove now and the house smells wonderful with the aromas of cayenne, onion, black and red peppers, and garlic. I don't use kidney beans but rather small Louisiana Red Beans like you're supposed to use. Mmmmmm mmmm good.
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Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top

Sounds good!  I normally love cooking but since I had so much post party clean up today we ended up just having sandwiches.  I'll cook my first dinner of 2006 tomorrow.

Happy New year!

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I normally love cooking but since I had so much post party clean up today we ended up just having sandwiches.

Understandable. Sunday is my normal house cleaning day anyway, and I have a tradition of doing a thorough house cleaning on 1/1, so I combined the two today. Is a kind of "out with the old, in with the new" thing for me.

Happy New Year!
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm cooking a roast with potatoes and carrots and it smells yummy.

I've never made red beans and rice but it sure sounds good. Enjoy your dinner.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm cooking a roast with potatoes and carrots and it smells yummy.

I've never made red beans and rice but it sure sounds good. Enjoy your dinner.

Roast is always a winner.

If you've never done red beans and rice I'd recommend using the Zatarain's mix as it can take a lot of trial and error to get it "just right" on your own. It's one of my favorite Creole dishes.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Here in Texas ya just gotta have Black eyed peas on new Years day for good luck. I had mine...
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've always liked black-eyed peas on rice. What can I say? I like rice
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yum...we've had red beans and rice with sausage for dinner several times...I have to say, though, ours has never been entirely from scratch. If you have a great recipe for it, maybe you
can share it sometime.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
Here in Texas ya just gotta have Black eyed peas on new Years day for good luck. I had mine...


I was so disappointed. We went to the store Friday, and I had black-eyed peas on my list and I managed to forget them. The commissary was insane, and there was no way I could convince Adrian that we should go back.

My Pa makes the best black-eyed peas...picks and shells them himself and cooks them with some ham in the pot. Canned peas have never tasted right to me.

Mason: Sounds yummy. I love having the house filled with the smell of spicy food. We had Spicy Fried Rice for lunch, and it turned out soooo good! We're having buttery basil shrimp for supper. It's a good day.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sounds wonderful Tex. Bummer about the peas, and I agree canned ones are yuk.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Bloom, I don't really use a "recipe" for mine. I just cook the beans with black pepper, red pepper, white pepper, garlic (cloves not powdered), cayenne pepper, onion, and just a touch of saffron. When beans are nearly done, add rice and sausage, simmer on low heat for 30 - 45 minutes, and eat up.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Typical German fare here: Sauerkraut with kielbasi and pork spare ribs and mashed potatoes.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
Tex - I ate a spoon of black eyed peas for Adrian, You and the boys each. So you will all have good luck this year! (lol) Even though I am on Weigth Watchers I managed to have Black eyed peas, roast, potatoes, and salad. Cabbage and ham for supper. Happy New Years Everyone!
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top

New years eve I spent with my hubby (we don't go out) and we had: shrimp cocktail, a mixed greens salad (with dried cherries, walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and raspberry vinaigrette), linguine portabella (it is linguine in a cream sauce made of cream, parmesan (fresh grated), mascarpone, and white wine, then it is mixed with mushrooms and topped with fresh tomatoes and green onions), and a NY strip for my hubby.  We had wine to drink and shrimp hors d'oeuvres to munch on later. (and, yes, I know hors d'oeuvres are before a meal....but whatever.)

Yesterday (New years) I made a vegetable lasagna which used my homemade sauce (from our garden veggies) for two layers, and the middle layer was a creamed spinach and cheese mixture topped with mushrooms.  One layer of noodles was replaced with zucchini, and there was probably about 2 pounds of cheese in it of various types (mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta, cottage, etc.).  Not exactly a "light" dinner, but it's OK as long as you eat it in small portions (well...that's at least what I tell myself, anyway....)

Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Are you Cajun?  Hmmmm!  Gooooooodddddd!
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
Are you Cajun? Hmmmm! Gooooooodddddd!


Technically no, but I was born in Louisiana (makes me a coon ass) and spent my formative years eating such tasty morsels. I've always had a soft spot for Cajun and Creole cooking.