What's for Dinner, Tues., Dec. 31, 2024

[NJCher]

I'm going to pick up dips on the way home from the lumberyard, where I'll close out my budget for the year on the garden stuff.

I'm having finger foods tonight:

Chinese dumplings. Hoisin sauce.

Flatbread pizza, sausage with red pepper sauce

Cold shrimp cocktail.

Fizzy mocktail drinks using a variety of fruit juices and flavored waters. Cranberry, orange juice, mostly.

Happy New Year, everybody, and if you want a good recipe for Hoppin' John:

Link at Washington Post recipe section, no paywall.


Ingredients:

1 pound smoked turkey neck bones, wings or legs, or a ham hock (bacon and salt pork can be substituted, but their fat must be rendered; see VARIATIONS)

1 medium yellow or white onion (8 ounces), peeled and halved

1 tablespoon fine salt, divided, plus more as needed

1 pound dried field peas, rinsed, sorted and soaked for at least 2 hours and up to overnight

2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cups Carolina Gold rice (see headnote)

Directions at link above.