5 New Year's Day Food Recipes

Here are 5 New Year's Day food recipes to help you celebrate the new year. The first day of the new year has been continuously celebrated by many cultures and there are many New Year's Day food traditions. 

Cake Donuts

In many cultures, a ring is considered lucky and represents the completion of a cycle. The Dutch eat donuts on New Year's Day to bring good fortune!

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 quarts vegetable oil for deep frying
• Topping: 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup white sugar

1. In bowl with lid, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, stirring well. Add milk, egg, butter and vanilla, stirring until well blended. Cover and refrigerate one hour.
2. In deep-fryer, heat oil to 370 degrees. Flour a cutting board and roll dough to half-inch thickness. Cut three-inch rounds; cut half-inch rounds from center.
3. Fry donuts in hot oil, turning once, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain completely. Top with cinnamon sugar.

Snow Peas and Cabbage Slaw

Black-eyed snow peas are considered lucky in the United States and Japan because they resemble money.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. snow peas
• 1-1/2 lbs. green cabbage, shredded
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1. In a large stockpot, bring four to six cups of water to a rolling boil. Submerse snow peas in water for fifteen to twenty seconds and remove immediately. Transfer peas to a bowl of ice water. Drain and slice thinly.
2. Combine peas, cabbage, green onions, carrots, bell pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar.  
3. In a large bowl, combine the snow peas, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and green onions. Toss to coat with lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper, tossing again. Serve cold.

Italian Pork Chops

Throughout the United States, Sweden, Germany and Italy, pork is eaten on New Year's Day as a symbol of material wealth and being prosperous. Many nations have a tradition of consuming roasted, suckling pig, including Austria, Cuba, Spain, Portugal and Hungary.

Ingredients:

• 6 pork chops
• 3 cups saltine crackers, crushed
• 2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Recipe calls for an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
2. Combine crackers, Parmesan cheese, seasoning and garlic powder, mixing well. Dip pork chops in melted butter and coat in cracker mixture. Transfer coated pork chops to baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes.

Baked Cod

A number of factors have resulted in fish being a popular New Year's Day meal. Fish, such as herring and cod, keep well for transport. Fish is eaten in Europe and Japan during New Year celebrations.

Ingredients:

• (2) 8 oz. fillets cod
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
• 1 large egg, well beaten
• Nonstick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine the crushed croutons, parsley, mustard and salt. Dip cod filets pork chops in egg and coat in breadcrumbs. Transfer filet to baking dish. Bake uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes.

Grape Blue Cheese Salad 

Grapes are eaten to celebrate the New Year in Spain and Spanish-influenced countries throughout the New World. Grape eating is a relatively recent tradition that dates back to 1909 in the Alicante region of Spain. It originated as a means of dealing with a grape surplus, but continues today. Try to swallow twelve whole grapes before the twelfth stroke!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups seedless green grapes, halved
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

1. Combine grapes and walnuts in a glass serving bowl. Pour blue cheese dressing over grapes and stir thoroughly. Serve chilled.