It’s a tradition in my family to eat Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day. This is my Mom’s recipe, made in the Crock-Pot.

Scroll down for the recipe.

New Year’s Eve last year was a blast, the best part being I got to spend it with my honey, Ashton.

My parents and I rented a condo out in Santa Rosa Beach, FL and we spent a relaxing weekend by the beach. Instead of big parties and fireworks we decided to have a fun dinner out with friends on New Year’s Eve and then a home cooked dinner with my family on New Year’s Day.

Scroll down for my Mama’s Hoppin’ John New Years recipe!

All dressed up and ready for dinner!

He always makes me laugh!

Dinner and drinks with friends!

Being silly~

Jason, Crystal, and Nathan.

My sweet friend, Nathan!

Ashton and I

What an amazing night! I love you guys!

Mama’s Hoppin’ John New Years recipe:

It’s a tradition in my family to eat Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day.

Here’s a little tidbit from Wikipedia:

“Throughout the United States, eating Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck. The peas are symbolic of pennies or coins, and a coin is sometimes added to the pot or left under the dinner bowls. Collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, chard, kale, and cabbage etc. along with this dish are supposed to also add to the wealth since they are the color of money. Another traditional food, cornbread can also be served to represent wealth, being the color of gold. On the
day after New Year’s Day, leftover “Hoppin’ John” is called “Skippin’
Jenny,” and further demonstrates one’s frugality, bringing a hope for an
even better chance of prosperity in the New Year.”

Print Recipe

Mama's Hoppin' John in the Crock-Pot

Ingredients

2 32 oz containers vegetable broth
16 oz bag dried black eyed peas
1 large Valida onion diced
salt pork or large ham hock
2 red bell peppers diced
1/2 cup parsley
1 green pepper diced
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1 1/2 tbsp Cajun seasoning Mama likes Emeril's Cajun Essence
1 tsp garlic powder
12 oz can whole stewed tomatoes Mama likes Cento brand, Italian style
1 large tomato diced
salt/pepper to taste

Instructions

Rinse beans and pick through, then soak in water overnight.
Rinse beans in the morning and transfer to a crock-pot.
Cover beans with the broth.
Add diced bell peppers, onion (reserve 1/2 cup onion for topping), Worcestershire, parsley, ham hock, and stewed tomatoes with juice. Mix together and break tomatoes apart into smaller pieces. Add all seasonings, stir, cover, and cook in the crock-pot on high for 3-4 hours or low 4-6 hours.
Serve with white rice and cornbread and top with diced tomatoes and onion.