I was introduced to the traditional "Lucky" New Year's meal in 1985. As a girl whose entire family (with the exception of one Great-Grandmother) had lived for three generations in the Pacific Northwest, I had never heard of such a tradition. A lot more than possessions got left behind on the Oregon Trail.
My hubby is from Pittsburgh, PA, and they eat pork roast in sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and apple sauce. Sometimes they go all out and do German Potato Salad. A new brother-in-law, in 1991, added link sausage to the pork and sauerkraut. He was from South PGH. I know, you can feel your arteries clogging as you read this.

Then I moved to GA and discovered that they have a "Lucky" meal too! Black-eyed-peas and collard greens. From my understanding, it takes about a whole grocery cart of raw collard greens to make a 1/2 cup cooked. I have never cooked any in my 24 years of Southern living so I am going on hearsay.

I won't be making the PGH pork fest until January 2nd this year. Good thing we are not superstitious! We will be traveling to Atlanta to see my Western-born nephew and his new baby, plus some visiting family. He moved to GA in 1991 and the PGH pork fest became his favorite meal. He is special to us, like a son, so I try to make it for him when we visit.

Blessing to all in the New Year!!!