Ring in the New Year with a Few Recipes for Good Luck

For many eons, bread was a primary source of nourishment. So it comes as no surprise that it symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Maybe that’s why money is sometimes referred to as bread…or dough!

Lucky You

In Greece, a type of bread called vasilopita is traditionally made on New Year’s Day to commemorate the charitable giving of bread with a coin baked into it, a tradition started long ago by St. Basil. If you were the lucky one who received the coin, it was said that prosperity and blessings would be yours for the next 12 months.

This Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread includes a dash of the color red, which the Chinese consider to be lucky. Many of us consider ourselves lucky to have modern conveniences, such as the Hamilton Beach Artisan Dough & Bread Maker, which make bread-baking oh so easy.

Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread

(Adapted from HamiltonBeach.com)

1 cup water
¼ cup orange juice
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 ½ tablespoons nonfat dry milk
2 ½ tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces
4 cups bread flour
2 ½ teaspoons orange zest
2 ½ teaspoons bread machine yeast
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except cranberries and pecans in the breadmaker pan in order listed.
2. Choose the Sweet Bread cycle, 2-pound loaf for size of bread, and light for crust color. Press Start.
3. Add cranberries and pecans at Add Ingredient signal. Breadmaker will beep 10 times about 30 minutes after the cycle begins. When done, remove bread from breadmaker and carefully remove kneading paddle from bottom of loaf.
4. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing with a bread knife.

Lucky Soup

Households across the US prepare black-eyed peas and other bean dishes with green vegetables on New Year’s Day. What’s behind this mysterious tradition? Beans and peas symbolize coins, and greens, well—they’re the color of money.

Some like to add a new penny or dime to this dish for good luck, but that’s up to you; if you do, make sure you sanitize it before adding it to the dish, and add it just before serving. If the coin happens to grace your bowl with its presence, you’ll have good luck for the rest of the year. Just don’t swallow it—if you do, your year will be unlucky.

We love the Hamilton Beach 8-Quart Slow Cooker (in lucky red, no less)—it’ll help you kick off a prosperous year ahead with a delicious spin on the time-honored classic.

Slow Cooker Minestrone with Kale & Kielbasa

(Adapted from HamiltonBeach.com)

1 package (14 ounces) kielbasa, cut in 1-inch slices
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in ½-inch slice
2 medium zucchini, cut in ½-inch slices
2 ribs celery, cut in ½-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 bulb fennel white part only, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) chicken broth
1 can ( 15 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 cups chopped kale
1 cup ditalini pasta
Chopped parsley
Grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except kale, pasta, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.
2. Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours. If using LOW, turn slow cooker to HIGH. Add kale and pasta. Cook for 30 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese before serving.

Serves 8–10