Now that we are done cooking our Christmas meals, it’s time to move on to New Year’s. Here in the south, we make the same dishes every year, hoping to bring wealth, health, and good luck for the year moving forward. Hopping John, Collard Greens, Fried Chicken (at least at my house), and cornbread are the items that bring all of the positive vibes to life. There are so many ways to make all of these items, so I’ve rounded up a list of what I think are some of the best recipes for each dish to help you make the perfect New Year’s dinner.

1. Collards by Jocelyn Delk – Jocelyn Delk, aka Grandbaby Cakes, is one of my favorite chefs, so I will try my best not to include all of her recipes in this post, haha! Her recipe is beautifully thought out and written. It covers all the steps from cleaning the greens + meats, and she also provides a vegan version!
2. Hopping John by The Pioneer Woman— I did some digging to find a recipe similar to what my mom makes at home, and this one takes the cake. I love it when chefs provide options and thorough breakdowns, as the Pioneer Woman does with this recipe. The ingredients are simple, and you can tell that her version is made with love. 
3. Cornbread by Alex Guarnaschelli – Okay, Im going to be honest. The best cornbread is the one from the Jiffy Box, haha! For those of you who are against box mix and you still want to make it from scratch, this recipe from Alex has a beautiful layout. Her recipe is an easy one, so don’t be afraid to go for it. If it turns out bad, you can always go back to Jiffy.
4. Fried Chicken by Grandbaby Cakes—I am pretty proud of myself for limiting the number of recipes from Jocelyn. I’ve personally tried this recipe once before, and it’s fabulous. When making fried chicken, my secret is coating it with yellow mustard after you’ve seasoned it, trust me. Follow her recipe and add my little tip, and you’ll have the whole house asking you for more.

Happy Cooking! x