GOOD LUCK RECIPES FOR THE NEW YEAR

A new year represents a fresh start and endless possibilities! Many cultures translate this into the kitchen, having traditions of eating lucky for the new year – while others find that a great New Year’s dinner is the perfect way to celebrate with family.

Read below for two easy recipes that can be made in a pressure cooker or slow cooker that use our delectable sausage and can get your new year’s off to a delicious, and maybe even lucky start.

Instant Pot Pork Kielbasa

There are many tales behind why pork and sauerkraut have become a traditional New Year’s meal. Some say they are meant to signify a hope of wealth in the new year. Whether you believe it to be a fortuitous meal or not, one thing that is certain is the enticing taste of this winter comfort food. The simplicity of the recipe will surprise you as you create the dish in no time, and its low carb content will leave you feeling satisfied, yet guilt-free!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of oil
1 pound of country pork ribs
14 oz of sliced Uncle Charley’s kielbasa
4 cups of sauerkraut
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1/3 cup of water

Directions

In the Instant Pot use the sauté function to brown the ribs in oil, salt and pepper
Add the sauerkraut and sprinkle brown sugar on top
Add the sliced kielbasa on top and pour in the water
Close the lid and make sure it is set to seal
Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes
When the timer goes off, allowing the pot to vent naturally and release all the steam. Once it vents completely, mix the sauerkraut and sausage together
Serve the pork and sauerkraut by itself or paired with mashed potatoes
This meal can also be made using a slow cooker: for richer flavors, brown the pork and sausage in a skillet before adding all the ingredients to a slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours

Crock-Pot Red Beans and Rice with Kielbasa

This traditional Louisiana dish is a delicious New Year’s meal that you can make easily in a crockpot. The long stew time required makes a slow cooker a great choice. While there are many variations of red beans and rice that use different types of meat, adding Uncle Charley’s Kielbasa creates a more mild, pleasant delight. To bring good luck to your dish, substituting the red beans with black-eyed peas is a way to give this dish a twist.
Ingredients
1 pound of dried small red beans or kidney beans
1 ½ quart of water
3 ribs of celery diced or sliced
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 lb of Uncle Charley’s Kielbasa
½ green bell pepper diced
2 to 3 teaspoons of Kosher salt
2 cups of long-grain rice

Directions

Place your dried beans in a bowl of cold water to rinse them and remove any floating beans. Drain your bean and remove small stones or malformed beans
Place the beans in the slow cooker and add the water
Add the celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker
Cover the slow cooker and let it cook on low heat for 6-7 hours or until the beans are tender (on high heat adjust the cooking time to 3.5 to 5 hours)
Brown the diced sausage in a skillet with vegetable oil
Add the sausage and chopped green pepper to the beans and veggies in the slow cooker
Salt to taste and allow the pot to cook on low for another hour
Prepare the long grain rice according to the directions on the package or according to your preferred method
Serve the red beans over the rice and with cornbread

Delicious!