New Year’s Eve is traditionally a time to party big and bold, and to indulge to extremes. New Year’s Day has become the pause to recover. So let’s just accept that and get over it and see what we can find to make this New Year’s Eve one to remember. I’ve got some fave ideas of my own to get you started…
A Cheese and/or Charcuterie (Cold Cut) platter is a great
complement to my fave hot Finger Foods!
I love finger foods! Here’s a list of the ones I get/make for New Year’s Eve:
- Mini Spring Rolls
- Mini Quiche
- Popcorn Chicken Bites
- Corn Flake-Crusted Jumbo Shrimp
- Mini Meatballs with both Sweet and Hot Dipping Sauce
- Garam Masala Chicken and Veg Samosas
- Thai Sesame Shrimp and Veg Samosas
- All-Canadian Cheddar and Bacon Samosas
- Smoked Salmon and Chive Cream Cheese on a Triscuit
Of course, you’ve got to have the essentials:
- Lots of Plain-Flavoured Crinkle Potato Chips (for dipping)
- Sausage Rolls
Here are my fave Dipping Sauces:
- Sour Cream and Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce
- Sriracha Mayo
- Abalone Sauce
- Plum Sauce with a sprinkle of Red Pepper Flakes
- Hoisin Sauce
- Soy, Lime and Honey Sauce
- Buffalo Sauce
And, if you crave a contrast to the hot treats above, don’t forget the traditional Cheese Board and Charcuterie (Cold Cut) Platter.
Of course, a nice Veggie Tray is always welcome and, as a responsible host, you’ll want to ensure that there’s plenty of Fibre available for guests who worry about that sort of thing.
What do I buy and what do I make?
I make my own Sausage Rolls, Chicken Bites, Samosas and the Smoked Salmon bites. I also make three of the sauces: Soy, Lime and Honey, Thai Sweet Red Chili and Sour Cream, and Plum and Red Pepper Sauce. As far as I know, you can’t buy those ready-mixed.
For Drinks, I try to stick to Bubbly. I refer you to my previous post on Champagne Cocktails… Have Beer on hand for those who aren’t Bubbly fans, plus a bottle of Rye and lots of Cola and Ginger Ale. Some folks won’t have Alcohol at all. Ask for the keys from the folks who do imbibe. Change the sheets in the guest bedroom. Air out the sleeping bags and extra blankets for floor and couch-dwellers.
Make sure you also have a big jug of Orange Juice on hand for the holiday. You’ll want to combine a little hair-of-the-dog with a gleeful eye-opener New Year’s Morning – a sparkling Mimosa! And now’s a good time to get in an extras loaf of Bread, an extra couple of dozen Eggs and an extra quart of Cream – for your New Year’s Morning Breakfast! If you entertain the way I do, You’ll have guests!
~ Maggie J.