I’ve never been the biggest fan of celebrating New Year’s. I typically don’t go all out to welcome the new year. While I do believe in self-improvement and setting goals, I tend to do it whenever the mood strikes me throughout the year. However, I’ve decided to take a more optimistic approach for the upcoming year.

To be completely honest, I’m not very familiar with the various traditions associated with New Year’s Day. My father-in-law insists that doing laundry on New Year’s Day will result in a year filled with endless laundry. Fortunately, we experienced some plumbing problems as we transitioned into 2023, so I suppose I’m safe from that superstition.

I’ve heard that consuming certain foods on the first day of the year can bring good luck for the remainder of the year. Different countries have their own unique traditions. Grapes are eaten in Spain, tamales in Mexico, and something called Glücksschweinare in Germany… each place has its own lucky food. In the southern U.S., they indulge in Hoppin’ John. Or Hopping John, if you’re looking to keep things concise.

Prior to January 1, 2024, I had never had Hoppin’ John. However, the fundamental ingredients – black-eyed peas, rice, bacon, and an array of vegetables – are delightful on their own. It’s difficult to fathom how they could be anything but delicious when combined. And indeed, they were delicious. Okay, so maybe the beans could have been a tad softer, but still delicious.

What I failed to anticipate was the sheer amount of Hoppin’ John this recipe yielded. I probably should have gleaned that from the hefty quantities listed in the ingredients: four cups of peas, eight cups of chicken broth, and so forth. Nevertheless, I was still taken aback by the massive quantity of food it produced.

Thus, I am commencing the new year with an abundance of Hoppin’ John in the fridge. It’s not exactly ideal, but at least I won’t have to prepare any for the first day of 2025. That’s the optimism kicking in once more! It seems like things are off to a promising start.

Just in case you’re inclined to give it a try, here’s the recipe I followed. Just a heads up – it makes a copious amount of food.

[Insert recipe here]

And with that, we now have Hoppin’ John on the menu until 2025. Who would have thought? Perhaps it will bring us good luck, just as the tradition dictates. Or at the very least, it’ll keep our tummies satisfied for the next few days.