In the South, collards are a staple side dish, but they’re also a New Year’s Day tradition: My Meemaw (my East Texas grandmother) always made collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread for New Year’s Day. Every single year, without fail: greens for money, peas for luck in the coming year.

This soup is one of my go-to lunch soups, especially as the weather gets colder. It’s dead simple to make, keeps well, freezes well, and can be jazzed up multiple ways to keep it from getting boring.