Good Luck Layered Cornbread Salad

Happy New Year!

With the new year comes a conscious effort to eat a little healthier at our house, a least for a month or so :) I put together a layered salad with some healthy ingredients, adding a few ingredients to bring good luck for the new year too.

 For good luck in the new year I added cornbread, corn kernels, black-eyed peas, and bacon. Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes and smoked turkey for some protein, makes it a complete meal.

Cornbread is considered good luck for the new year since the color resembles gold. For extra luck add extra corn kernels, aka, golden nuggets to your cornbread. I added some thawed frozen corn for an additional golden nugget layer to the salad.

For the cornbread I used Jiffy corn muffin mix, baked in an 9 x 9 pan, quick & easy with the addition of an egg and milk and ready in about 20 minutes. Allow your cornbread to cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s is a Southern tradition and considered good luck due to their abundance and coin-like appearance. I added some bacon to top the salad for good luck and because everything is better with bacon. The custom of eating pork on New Year’s is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress, since they move forward rooting for their food.

Add your protein of choice for an entrée salad, chicken, turkey or ham for additional good luck for the new year.

If you’re superstitious, a word of warning:

Chicken is considered an unlucky food for New Year’s since they scratch backwards, and could cause regret or dwelling on the past. Another theory is that eating any winged fowl on New Year’s can cause good luck to fly away. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that our turkey was balanced by our cornbread, black-eyed peas and bacon and our good luck won’t fly the coop :)

This salad is flavorful and satisfying and the cornbread is a nice addition to the salad that adds just a bit of sweetness, whether it brings good luck or not!

 I like to use a trifle bowl for a layered salad since you can see the colorful layers. No recipe is required for this salad, just layer to your taste. Frozen corn, thawed, a package of grape or cherry tomatoes and a can of black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, lettuce, bacon, and protein of choice.

This is a crowd-pleasing salad and good to take to a potluck or on a picnic, packed in a jar. If you’re not a fan of black-eyed peas, you can substitute black beans or chickpeas. Add a layer of cheese if you like and serve with a buttermilk or Parmesan ranch dressing.

I have a small collection of vintage New Year post cards and one that offers a message for good luck. . .

A happy New Year, dear friend, that’s my wish for you.

And lots of good luck I also send to last the whole year through!

Wishing you Good Luck and Good Eats in the New Year!

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 Metamorphosis Monday