It’s become a New Year’s tradition here to make a big pot of Hoppin’ John for dinner (and for leftovers later).

Hoppin’ John is basically black eyed peas and smoked ham, usually ham hock, with a few other things. I didn’t have ham hocks so I chopped a bunch of Black Forest ham and thick bacon this year. Eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day is considered lucky, so we should be good for the year.