abracanabra: (Default)
Note: Serves 8 (over rice). This is mildly spicy--feel free to adjust up with more dried red pepper as wanted.

Collard Greens

6 c. water
1/2 lb. ham, chopped
2 bundles collard greens (about 3-4 lbs), rinsed and chopped
1 dried red pepper, minced (or 1 tsp. red pepper flakes)
1/4 c. vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Place water and ham in a large pot (stock pot size) with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil. Lower heat very low and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add collards and pepper flakes. Simmer covered for 2 hrs, stirring occasionally. Add vegetable oil and simmer covered for another 30 minutes.


Hoppin' John

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 strips bacon, choppped
1/2-1 lb ham, chopped
1 onion, minced
1 dried red pepper, minced (or 1 tsp. red pepper flakes)
1/2 celeriac root, minced (OR 1/2 c. chopped celery)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeƱo, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
4 c. chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dry thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste
White rice to serve over

Heat oil in large soup pot, add ham and sear on all sides, about 4 minutes.
Add bacon, onion, and dried red pepper. Cook until onion starts to brown.
Add celeriac, green pepper, jalapeno, and garlic, cook a couple more minutes.
Add black-eyed peas, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed.
Taste, and add salt or pepper as needed.
Serve over rice.

Traditional for New Years' Day, but good year-round!
abracanabra: (Default)
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Had knee surgery. Went to a convention. Joined a face-to-face writer's group. Started a SF/F writers' newsletter and market list. Visited Georgia. Biked to work for most of summer.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
That's a whole 'nother post. I will be making/revising New Years Resolutions, because I hear it'll bump up my chances of meeting my goals from 4% to a whole lot more.

3. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?
At [livejournal.com profile] gunn & [livejournal.com profile] ytinas's house!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandmother.

5. What countries did you visit?
Georgia. Oh, wait, the state Georgia, not the country.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Energy. Consistency of good work. Publications!

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 1st - our 7-year wedding anniversary.

8. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
I feel like I didn't achieve anything this year, but I know that's not true.

Um...learning to walk again?

9. What was your biggest failure?
Failure to get another job. Failure to get a raise.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only the after-effects.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My precious, beeeyooootiful new DSLR.

12. Where did most of your money go?
See question no. 11.

13. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Clockwork men with stopwatch hearts.

14. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Everything. Okay, more seriously--write, submit (both photos and stories), practice martial arts. Cultivate friendships--I'm really bad at that, even though it makes me sad.

15. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Alternating work and stressing-over-no-work.

16. What was your favorite TV program?
Dexter. On DVD.

17. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes. Though I'm trying very hard to downgrade from hate to dislike.

18. What was the best book you read?
Best, I don't know, but the one that lingers in the recesses of my mind is Glass Books of the Dream-Eaters.

19. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Pandora! (I'm not much of a music person.) No, wait--actually, Jill Tracy.

20. What was your favorite film of this year?
Wall-E

21. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Can't remember. Must be getting old.

22. What kept you sane?
My feet. They kept moving forward even when I didn't.

23. Who did you miss?
Everybody.

24. Who was the best new person you met?
I can't choose--I met too many new peoples of the writery and Sf/F variety. They're all still at the acquaintance stage, so I can't really judge yet.

25. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Things won't get better unless you have a plan that you stick to even when it's hard.

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abracanabra: (Default)
Abra Staffin-Wiebe

April 2025

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