A New Year's Tradition

As turkey soups follows the Thanksgiving bird and as lamb curry follows the Easter lamb, ham and beans follows the Christmas ham. New Year's Day is perfect for a slow simmering pot of beans with the Christmas hambone.

But this year we went to a New Year's Day Open House and so the ham and beans had to wait until January 2. It was a cold day with snow still on the ground, the smell of the simmering soup wafted through the house as I took down the fresh greens and put away the nativity set. The tree would wait until the next day.

With any ham and beans, cornbread is a must. I like to bake it in a cast iron skillet. Served warm with butter melting inside. It is heaven and reminds me that perhaps I should make cornbread more often.

The beans are my grandmother's recipe -- simple. The beans (and like her I prefer the limas or "butter beans" as she called them), some onion and the ham bone. Cover with water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover. Simmer until done. An afternoon is perfect! Just make sure that the beans stay covered with water.

It's the first Blue Monday of 2010 so join Smiling Sally for other blues this Monday.