New year recipes

New Year's Eve clock cake: three airy white cake layers stacked with silky chocolate cream filling, wrapped in rich Hungarian chocolate frosting and decorated to look like a clock striking midnight.

Traditional Greek vasilopita, a fragrant New Year's bread scented with orange zest, cinnamon, and masticha. A golden, egg-glazed yeast loaf topped with almonds to ring in good luck.

Good luck New Year's soup: a hearty mix of black-eyed peas, lentils, and beans simmered low with smoky ham, tomato, and garlic until thick. The legume-packed pot that's said to bring prosperity in the new year.

Traditional Chinese New Year noodles with glass noodles, dried mushrooms, lily buds, and fermented bean curd sauce. Long noodles symbolize longevity and good fortune.

Beijing's most famous dish, Peking Duck is traditionally served with Mandarin pancakes, and green onions for brushing on the hoisin sauce.

Pretzel and peanut butter truffles roll crunchy peanut butter and chopped salted pretzels into bites, freeze them firm, and dip in melted milk chocolate. Three ingredients and no baking required.

For Chinese New Year, this vegetarian ham is always welcomed.

Lentils with cotechino sausage, an Italian New Year's tradition. Slow-poached pork sausage served over lentils braised with sage, soffritto, and tomato.

Traditional Southern Hoppin' John with dried black-eyed peas, rice, ham, and cayenne. A one-pot New Year's Day staple believed to bring good luck.

Pozole is a New Mexican holiday stew of pork shoulder simmered until tender with hominy and mild chili powder. The long cooking produces a rich broth and meat that falls into silky shreds. Serve it with warm corn tortillas for Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.

Vegan Hoppin' John salad tosses black-eyed peas, brown rice, spinach, and onion in a tangy vinegar dressing. A chilled, plant-based take on the Southern New Year's tradition.