Every New Year's Day since I've been married (almost 29 years), this is the meal I make! It's comfort food at best and this meal is also supposed to bring prosperity in the New Year :)

NEW YEAR’S DAY LUNCH MENU:

RECIPES BY:  MELISSA FRIDAY

COCA COLA HAM, FIELD PEAS WITH SNAPS, APPLE-CHEESE BAKE, TANGY CABBAGE & CORNBREAD

(For the record, I use a box of Jiffy cornbread…my favorite!)

COCA COLA HAM

1 (3-lb.) boneless, fully cooked ham

8-ounces coca cola

½ cup yellow mustard

1 cup brown sugar

Mix brown sugar and just about 1 to 2 tablespoon coke until it makes a paste.  Place ham in a shallow baking dish and rub paste over ham.  Pour coke all around ham, cover with foil and bake 50 minutes.  

FIELD PEAS WITH SNAPS

2 lbs. fresh or frozen field peas with snaps

1 pound thick-sliced peppered bacon, chopped

1 onion

4 cups water

1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder

1 or 2 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning

In a heavy-duty pot, sauté the chopped bacon for about 8 minutes or until the bacon becomes crispy.  With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and place on a plate lined with paper towels.  Add the onion to the bacon drippings and sauté for about 8 minutes.  Add the peas, water and seasonings and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered on very low for about 45 minutes or until the peas are tender.  Feel free to add more seasonings to your liking.  Add the crisp bacon over the top of the peas.  This is so good with a roast, rice & gravy and cornbread or ham and cabbage for New Year’s Day J  Enjoy!

APPLE-CHEESE BAKE

3 cans drained pie apples or fried apples

1 cup sugar

¾ cup flour

8-ounces Velveeta cheese, shredded

1 stick butter, dice into small pieces

Place the drained apples in a 13x9 baking dish.  Combine the sugar, flour, cheese and butter with a fork or in a food processor.  Spoon the mixture evenly over the apples.  Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes or until browned. 

TANGY CABBAGE

1 head of cabbage, cleaned and chopped

1 tablespoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder

½ stick butter

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

Boil cabbage for 10 to 15 minutes or until soft.  Drain well and place the cabbage back into the pot.  Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for about 10 minutes or until the butter is melted.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!