For many families, tradition is the backbone of holiday menu planning, and Kardea Brown is no exception. When asked to list her most memorable holiday dishes from her formative years, Brown was quick to mention her grandmother. “My grandmother’s stuffing, and her macaroni and cheese,” Brown said without skipping a beat. “And something that we make in the Gullah culture called Sweet Potato Pone. It’s like shredded sweet potatoes — almost made like a sweet potato pie — just in a casserole form. It’s one of my favorite things to eat during the holidays.”

Of course, Brown continues to serve time-honored classics into the start of a new year. When it comes to New Year’s entertaining, there are several menu items that Brown says are essential. “We have to do our traditional Hoppin’ John, collard greens,” she says, “and my mom has started a tradition with our family where we do fried chicken with that.” For those unfamiliar with Hoppin’ John, the recipe is a Southern New Year’s staple said to usher in luck, featuring ingredients like black-eyed peas, long-grained rice, and smoked meat. Like Hoppin John’, collard greens are another culinary good luck charm thought to bring about prosperity.