Throughout the world there are certain foods traditionally eaten on New Year’s to bring luck.  It’s interesting to see how food traditions cross cultural lines, since there are a number of remarkable similarities all over the world. 

Here are a few of my favorite lucky New Year’s foods:

 

·         Eating fish in North America, Asia, and Europe is symbolic of moving forward into the New Year, since fish swim forward.

·         Greens, including cabbage in Germany, collards in the southern U.S., and kale in Denmark, are associated with bringing wealth because of their color.

·         Legumes, such as lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern U.S. are thought to bring prosperity because they look like small coins.  Also, they swell when cooked, which symbolizes increasing fortune. 

·         Long noodles in Asia are eaten to bring a long life.

·         Twelve grapes in Spain are eaten at midnight on New Year’s Eve, one grape for each stroke of the clock and month in the year.

·         Round or ring-shaped cakes or pastries are eaten across the world, and in specific cultures it is customary to hide a single coin in the cake, which brings the recipient good luck.

 

To read more about lucky New Year’s foods and traditions, see Delish or Epicurious.

 

The Guinness Book of World Records lists Auld Lange Syne as one of the three most commonly sung songs in the English language, along with Happy Birthday and For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.  Auld Lange Syne is a Scottish poem that Robert Burns wrote in 1788; in the language of Lowland Scots, the title of this song literally translates into “old long since”, meaning days gone by.  It’s typically sung at the stroke of midnight to celebrate New Year’s. 

 

Here’s one of my favorite renditions of this song:

Onto the food!  Mujadara is a Lebanese dish consisting of a rice and lentil pilaf topped with caramelized onion.  The rice and lentils are cooked separately and then combined before serving, which ensures that each component is cooked perfectly (since cooking everything together can result in a mushy dish).  Simple, delicious, and healthy, not to mention that dinner doesn’t get much cheaper than this dish!  Hubby’s been requesting this dish since it’s a favorite of his, and I thought the timing was perfect since many people think of lentils as a lucky New Year’s food because of their coin-like shape.

I’m not sure if it’s traditional or not, but Mike always eats his mujadara with a big bowl of plain yogurt to dollop on top, with wedges of raw onion and tomato to eat alongside.

Mujadara (Rice, Lentil, & Caramelized Onion Pilaf)

 

(Yield:  About 8-10 servings)

 

2 medium to large white or yellow onions, divided

4 TB olive oil, divided

2 c long grain brown or white rice

1 1/2 c brown lentils 

1 bay leaf

1 cardamom pod, crushed

1 clove

2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp allspice

Salt and pepper

Plain yogurt (optional, for serving)

Raw onion and tomato wedges (optional, for serving)

 

For the lentils:  Sort through the lentils to remove any small stones or pieces of dirt, and then rinse the lentils with cold water in a colander.  Bring 3 cups of water (or low-sodium broth) up to a boil, then add the lentils (don’t add salt because it can toughen the lentils).  Boil the lentils for three minutes, then turn down to a simmer and cook (covered) for 20 to 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not mushy.  Strain the lentils in a colander and set aside.

 

For the rice:  Dice one of the onions.  In a medium pot, heat 1 TB of oil on medium heat, and sauté the onion until softened (about 5-6 minutes).  Add 1 tsp salt, the bay leaf, cardamom pod, clove, cumin, allspice, and 1/4 tsp pepper and sauté another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant.  Add the dry rice and toast another minute, then add water and cook the rice according to the package directions.  Once it’s done, let the rice sit for about 10 minutes, then make sure to fluff the rice and remove the bay leaf, cardamom pod, and clove. 

 

For the caramelized onion:  Thinly slice the remaining onion into rings or half-rings.  In a separate pan, heat 2 TB of oil over medium-high heat until the oil starts to ripple, then add the onion and a pinch of salt, and stir to coat the onion with the oil.  Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes until the onion starts to soften and turn color (stirring occasionally).  Lower to the heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 to 20 more minutes (stirring occasionally) until the onions are a rich caramel color.  You can add a splash of water at any point in the process if the onions start to stick to the pan too much.

 

To serve:  Gently combine the fluffed rice, cooked lentils, and the remaining 1 TB of oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve with the caramelized onion on top of the pilaf.  If desired, serve with yogurt to dollop on top and raw tomato and onion wedges to eat alongside.

 

I recently had the honor of receiving the Sugar Doll award from my dear friend Chaya at Sweet and Savory Says It All.  In addition to being a fantastic cook, Chaya is a sincerely wonderful person.  She is thoughtful and kind, and it’s because of people like her that I have grown to love blogging.  Thank you, Chaya, for passing this lovely award on to me!

I’m supposed to share 10 interesting things about myself.  I don’t know what to tell you about myself that you might find interesting (lol!), but here are 10 things, interesting or otherwise:

 

1.      This coming May, Mike and I will celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. 

 

2.      I eat (at least) one apple a day, usually with breakfast.

 

3.      My true weakness is Swiss dark chocolate.

 

4.      My middle name is Elizabeth, after my mother.

 

5.      Mike and I want to call our first daughter Natalya Elizabeth (don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not pregnant yet, lol!).

 

6.      I started my blog after Mother’s Day last May, to share with you the meal I made for my mom.

 

7.      My favorite kind of cookies are chocolate chip.

 

8.      My favorite animals are elephants.  They are amazing creatures.  Did you know they have emotions similar to humans?  They actually mourn the loss of family members.

 

9.      I want to learn to play the bagpipes, but I’m afraid the neighbors (and Mike!) would kill me!

 

10.  The most beautiful place I’ve ever been to is Geneva, Switzerland.

 

I’m supposed to pass this award on to 10 bloggers.  If you haven’t checked out any of these bloggers, I seriously encourage you to do so…these blogs will enrich your life!

 

1.      Karyn of French Charming has a stunningly gorgeous blog and such an inspiring outlook on life.  Visiting her blog always lifts my spirits!

 

2.      Miranda of A Duck in Her Pond is an amazingly talented writer.  No matter what topic she’s writing on, I’m captivated. 

 

3.      Joy of Balance, Joy and Delicias is a very open and inviting person, which is reflected in her blog.  Lately I’ve been traveling vicariously through her fabulous trip to Germany and China.

 

4.      Sophia of Burp and Slurp opens her heart and her life to her readers, not to mention that she’s a fantastic cook.  Reading her deep, meaningful posts always make me introspective.

 

5.      Joanne of Eats Well With Others is so charismatic and funny.  I love her witty stories that entertain me while I drool over her delicious recipes.

 

6.      Marla of Family Fresh Cooking has a lovely blog full of tantalizing pictures of healthy, nourishing food.  If you’re looking for some healthy, delicious inspiration, check out her blog!

 

7.      Dorothy of Fuzzykoala’s Caketastic Adventures is an exceptionally wonderful baker (and cook!) with a great sense of humor.  Her confections are always as stunning to look at as I’m sure they are delicious!

 

8.      Brandy of Nutmeg Nanny has been such a pleasure to work with for our All Through the Year Cheer Project.  I’ve been so happy to get to know her and she’s so much fun…she’s one of the sweetest bakers I know!

 

9.      Donna of My Tasty Treasures has a hilarious sense of humor and a real zest for life.  And I have to say, she is the QUEEN of cookies and sweet treats!

 

10.  Rosa of Rosa’s Yummy Yums is a magnificent photographer.  Her baked goods are phenomenal – they always look like something you would find in a bakery!

 

I know that I could only pass this on to 10 bloggers, but I want you to know that you have all touched my life.

 

Happy New Year!