lentils and black-eyed peas

Happy New Year's Day!! 2013 was a bit of a challenge so I'm hoping that 2014 will be a better playmate. And to welcome in the new year, I've spent the morning making the traditional foods. My family started out with lentil soup, and the more you eat lentils, the more wealth you're supposed to accumulate in the new year. I've used the same recipe for at least a decade now, and today I tried a few changes to make it even more delicious. It's bubbling on the stove top right now, and the lentils are cooking, so *fingers-crossed* that it will be delicious. The second dish I make is a black-eyed pea salsa. The black-eyed peas are for luck, and I picked up the tradition from some friends from the South. It's all fresh veggies chopped up and marinated in olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. The longer it sits, the more delicious it is. (Many may think that black-eyed peas taste like dirt, and aren't tasty at all, but that's just because the usual way to make them involves cooking them with ham hocks. Fresh is much better.) I have to admit, though, it didn't make it past noon. It's already been devoured!!