Clever Homemaking

Many cultures associate cabbage with prosperity. Since it often symbolizes paper money, it has become a common tradition to eat cabbage on New Year’s Day.

A lot of people simply boil the cabbage, season it with salt and pepper, and eat it along side their New Year’s meal. Personally, I like to spruce it up a bit:

1. Fry several slices of bacon.
2. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
3. Fry chopped cabbage in a spoonful of the remaining bacon grease.
4. Transfer cabbage to a plate. Salt and pepper the cabbage. Top with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil or butter
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
5 celery ribs, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
4 (15 oz) cans black-eyed peas, undrained
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup uncooked rice

Directions

1. In large saucepan, saute onion, bell pepper, and celery in oil or butter.
2. Add chicken broth, garlic, rice, black-eyed peas, diced tomatoes and green chiles, and diced tomatoes.
3. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.

Note: Sauce will thicken. Additional broth or water can be added to finished gumbo to reach the desired consistency.