Assuming Harry ever finishes digging us out, there’s a chance we’ll actually be celebrating New Year’s Eve this year—even before the boy came along, neither Stephen nor I were terribly into the whole concept. But we’ve got friends with a daughter Harry’s age who just moved back into the area, so we thought it might be fun to have a faux-countdown at, say, eight o’clock. Then they’d take their little girl and hit the road, and I could still be asleep by 11:30. Nice.
In honor of this little gathering, for which the menu remains undetermined, I thought I’d do a listy-post of nibbles that might work for your New Year’s Eve festivities.
Happy New Year! How are you celebrating?
My mom’s Fancy Meatballs, which I blogged about for my first NYE as a married woman (and as a food blogger, for that matter).
Marinated Roasted Peppers. Put them on a platter with some crusty bread and hummus, and you’re done. So much tastier than jarred, too—they’re definitely worth the minimal effort required.
Roasted Red Pepper Spread, a dip recipe that actually calls for the jarred kind but would be absolutely spectacular with homemade.
The Barefoot Contessa’s Roasted Eggplant Spread. One of the easiest hors d’oeuvres you can make, short of buying a crudite platter at Costco.
Parmesan Crackers. So simple, just four ingredients (and one of them is water). But those four items, mixed together and baked, turn into a savory biscuit so memorable I’m salivating just thinking about them.
Broiled (or Grilled) Ravioli. Put the ravioli on a platter with a small bowl of marinara for dipping—yummmm.
Crispy Baked Risotto Cakes. Here’s a chance to kill two birds with one stone. Make a big batch of risotto for dinner tonight, and use the leftovers for NYE—just shape the cakes a bit smaller and serve on a platter, sauce on the side.
Figgy Grilled Cheese on Pumpernickel. Make this on that cute little party-sized pumpernickel, halve into triangles, and voila!
Jim Lahey’s Mushroom Pizza. The crust is almost cracker-like, it’s so crisp. Cut it into small squares and you’ve got finger food.
Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Kebabs. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and use short skewers, to make it easier to eat standing up. Serve with tzaziki for dipping.
Herbed Polenta Triangles. Cut them smaller, top with grated Parm, and broil until the cheese bubbles.
Baked Potato Chips. I don’t need to explain why these are good, do I?
Curry Roasted Chickpeas. Better make a triple recipe—once you start eating these, it’s hard to stop.