Tarragon Chicken Salad w/grapes

At midnight on New Year's Eve, revelers in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries eat 12 grapes — one for every strike of the clock and month in the year. This custom grew from a grape surplus in the Alicante region of Spain in 1909, and celebrates the coming of a sweet year.

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3/4 - 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup grapes, (raisins or craisins)
• 1 cup diced red onion

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.

2. Arrange the chicken in the baking dish, cover, and bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and shred.

3. In a large bowl, mix the shredded chicken, celery, tarragon, parsley, mayonnaise, raisins, and onion. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until chilled, before serving.

Cabbage

It's no coincidence that this good-luck food is the color of money. Greens, such as kale, collards, and cabbage, are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day because of their association with wealth and economic prosperity.

• 3 slices bacon, cut into thirds
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 head cabbage, cored and sliced
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 pinch white sugar

Directions

1. Place the bacon and vegetable oil into a large pot over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Add cabbage, onion, and sugar to the pot; cook and stir continuously for 5 minutes, until tender.

Fried Cabbage Texas Style

• 1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 6 slices bacon
• 5 tablespoons corn bread mix
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and julienned
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the shredded cabbage into a large bowl, and sprinkle the sugar over it. This will remove the excess water from the cabbage. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside, reserving grease in skillet.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the cornbread mix and cayenne pepper. Stir into the cabbage until well blended. In the skillet the bacon was cooked in, saute onion and jalapeno in the hot bacon grease until tender. Stir in cabbage, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the cabbage wilts, about 15 minutes. Stir in crumbled bacon, and serve immediately.

Smoked Salmon Spread and Bagels

In North America, Asia, and Europe, people eat fish to celebrate the new year. In some countries, people associate fish with moving forward into the new year since fish swim forward. Other people think fish symbolize abundance since they swim in schools.


• 4 ounce(s) reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
• 4 ounce(s) smoked salmon, chopped
• 1 container(s) (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon(s) capers, drained and chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lemon
• 2 bagels , preferably sesame seed and poppy seed
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, thinly sliced
• 4 red radishes, thinly sliced
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Directions

1. Prepare smoked salmon spread: In large bowl, stir cream cheese until light and fluffy. Fold in salmon, sour cream, dill, capers, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. From lemon, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 1 teaspoon juice; stir juice and peel into mixture in bowl. Transfer to serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut bagels in half to form 4 shapes that resemble the letter "C." Place bagel halves with cut side down, and cut each lengthwise into four slices to form 16 flat "C" shapes. Cut each in half crosswise to form 32 triangular shapes.

3. On large cookie sheet, arrange bagel slices in single layer; bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

4. Serve toasts with spread and onion, cucumber, and radishes for topping.

Tarragon Chicken with Grapes

At midnight on New Year's Eve, revelers in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries eat 12 grapes — one for every strike of the clock and month in the year. This custom grew from a grape surplus in the Alicante region of Spain in 1909, and celebrates the coming of a sweet year.


• 1 cup(s) quick-cooking (10-minute) brown rice
• 4 medium skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
• 3 teaspoon(s) chopped fresh tarragon leaves, plus additional sprigs for garnish
• Salt and pepper
• 4 teaspoon(s) olive oil
• 1 small (4 to 6 ounces) onion
• 1/2 cup(s) dry white wine
• 2 cup(s) seedless red grapes
• 1 cup(s) chicken broth
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Directions

1. Prepare rice as label directs.

2. Meanwhile, with meat mallet, pound chicken (placed between 2 sheets plastic wrap) to an even 1/2-inch thickness; season with 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

3. In 12-inch skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil on medium until hot. Add chicken and cook 12 to 14 minutes or until browned on both sides and chicken loses its pink color throughout, turning over once. Transfer chicken to platter; cover with foil to keep warm.

4. To same skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and heat on medium until hot. Add onion and cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in wine and cook on medium-high 1 minute. Add grapes, broth, and remaining 1 teaspoon tarragon and heat to boiling. Cook 5 minutes or until grapes are tender, stirring occasionally.

5. To serve, divide rice evenly among 4 dinner plates; top each with a chicken breast. Spoon grape sauce over chicken; garnish with tarragon sprigs.

Orange Upside-Down Cake

When the Chinese celebrate New Year's Day, they often set out bowls of oranges and tangerines to promote prosperity. This tradition developed from a play on words: "tangerine" and "orange" sound much like "luck" and "wealth," respectively, in the Chinese language.

• 1 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup(s) packed light brown sugar
• 3 navel oranges
• 1 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup(s) cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 cup(s) milk
• 1/4 cup(s) olive oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bottom of 10-inch cast iron or heavy skillet with ovenproof handle, spread butter. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.

2. From oranges, grate 1 teaspoon peel; set aside. Cut peel and pith from oranges; discard. Slice oranges crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; arrange in single layer over sugar in skillet (if necessary, cut 1 or 2 slices into pieces to fit into spaces).

3. In large bowl, with wire whisk, combine flour, granulated sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In small bowl, whisk milk, oil, egg, vanilla, and orange peel until blended. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to flour mixture and beat until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat 1 minute. Spoon batter over oranges and spread evenly.

4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on wire rack 10 minutes. Run knife around side of cake to loosen from skillet. Place platter on top of skillet; carefully invert cake onto platter. Remove skillet. Let cool 30 minutes.

Pomegranate-Berry Smoothie

Long associated with abundance and fertility, pomegranates are eaten in Turkey and other Mediterranean countries for luck in the new year.


• 1/2 cup(s) chilled pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup(s) vanilla low-fat yogurt
• 1 cup(s) frozen mixed berries

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Directions

1. In blender, place juice, yogurt, and berries. Cover and blend until pureed

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

A common good luck food in the southern United States, black-eyed peas are thought to bring prosperity, their shape and abundance representing coins. Hoppin' John is the classic Southern New Year's dish.
• 1/3 cup(s) olive oil, (1 1⁄2-inches thick)
• 2 1/2 tablespoon(s) cider vineger
• 1 tablespoon(s) spicy brown mustard
• 2 teaspoon(s) grated yellow onion
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoon(s) honey
• 2 can(s) (15.5 ounces) black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained
• 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 large tomato , seeded, diced
• 4 thin ribs celery, thinly sliced (3⁄4 cup)
• 2 carrots, peeled, finely diced (3⁄4 cup)
• 2 tablespoon(s) chopped parsley
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Directions

1. Whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, onion, salt, pepper, and honey in a large bowl; add black-eyed peas, bell pepper, tomato, celery, carrots, and parsley. Gently stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving.

Garlic Pork Roast

Due to pigs' dining habits, many countries, including Austria, Cuba, and Spain, view pork as a good-luck food. As pigs root for food, they keep their feet planted and push their snouts forward, signifying progress and future properity.


• 1 (4-pound) bone-in center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed (see note below)
• 2 clove(s) garlic, cut into thin slivers
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground pepper
• 2 teaspoon(s) olive oil
• 2 small (1/2 pound each) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 medium (1-pound) fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 8 wedges
• 1 small (1 1/4-pound) rutabaga, peeled, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 2 (4 ounces each) parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut about ten 1/2-inch-deep slits in pork and insert sliver of garlic in each. In cup, combine 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; use to rub on pork. Place pork, fat side up, in large roasting pan (17" by 11 1/2").

2. In large bowl, combine oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with sweet potatoes, fennel, rutabaga, and parsnips; toss to coat. Arrange vegetables around pork in roasting pan.

3. Roast pork and vegetables 1 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of roast (not touching bone) reaches 150 degrees F. (Internal temperature of meat will rise 5 to 10 degrees F upon standing.)

4. When roast is done, place on warm large platter; with slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to same platter. Cover with foil and let roast stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier slicing.

5. Meanwhile, add 1 cup water to drippings in pan; heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring until browned bits are loosened from bottom of pan. Skim and discard fat. Discard string, if any, from roast. Serve pork with vegetables and pan-juice