New Year's Eve: What are You Eating or Serving?

[Lilija]

Could definitely use some help from the eGulleters out there--My boyfriend and I typically do NYE dinner for his extended family, about 20 people of various tastes. Ages range from 10 to 85, and there are the expected concerns of diabetes, cholesterol, etc. In past years we've done rosemary roasted chicken and braised ribs. The catch is that the hosts live on a military base, so grocery shopping is a bit limited, especially for the protein (we cleaned them out of ribs last year!). We have basic kitchen equipment to use, and we usually bring our own spices. I'll be making a couple of loaves to go along with dinner, but the rest of the menu is pretty open. Suggestions of things that are "festive" enough but still easy to get ingredients?

There's always ham! Ham is a crowd pleaser, easy to get, and can be dressed up or down, as your group requires.

[janeer]

my friend is hosting a party. 2 of us are helping out. One hosting is in charge of the space. Another person is in charge of alcohol. And im in charge of food. Im going with a theme called mini this mini that. It will be a collection of small things. ie mini tacos mini burgers mini soups. if u have any other suggestions for things that i can minify id take them. thanks

mini tourtieres. Mini quiche. pizza bites, soup in shot glasses, a rich bell pepper soup would work very well. Mini popovers. I do an asian beef thing in wonton cups.

in addition to above (soup is always a hit like this; billi bi is special and nice): mini kebabs/brochettes of all kinds on tiny skewers; mini chicken legs ("drumettes," made from the wings) with a dipping sauce; mini gougere and/or savory-stuffed mini pate a choux shells; mini blini; mini sandwiches of any kinds. Mini pates can be made in party-rye bread pans. I once made mini chicken pot pies (in tart shells) that were very popular. I love this kind of party!

[JAZ]

my friend is hosting a party. 2 of us are helping out. One hosting is in charge of the space. Another person is in charge of alcohol. And im in charge of food. Im going with a theme called mini this mini that. It will be a collection of small things. ie mini tacos mini burgers mini soups. if u have any other suggestions for things that i can minify id take them. thanks

I'm a big fan of small bites for parties, so I make lots of miniature versions of food. Some hits are miniature "twice baked" potatoes with small red or white potatoes, mini-quesadillas (much less messy than mini-tacos) and miniature patty melts on cocktail rye. Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook has some great ideas, including (I think) miniature b'stillas in mini muffin tins.

[LindaK]

Mel, how much cooking can you do in advance? is transporting food a problem? that might help with the selection issue and, of course, making it easier for you on NYE.

[Mel Z]

I'm taking the train in from 5 hours away, so transporting food is unlikely :-)

I'll be there on the 28th, though, so prep ahead is certainly fine. We won't be up to much besides skiing and lots of bridge.

Ham sounds like a good option if we can find one large enough, though--any favorite recipes/glazes?

[Okanagancook]

Well so far I have 'trotter spring rolls' from Happy in the Kitchen already prepared and ready to be wrapped and deep fried. Anyone tried these? I'll have gravlax from A Matter of Taste by Lucy Waverman and James Chatto (a wonderful cookbook). From Martha: Vegetable Crudites with buttermilk peppercorn dip; porcini stuffed mushrooms with Camembert; Endive with goat cheese, fig and honey glazed pecans; the bread sticks. Various olives. A platter of Italian cured meats/some cheese. And later a smoked pork butt on the Big Green Egg with homemade bread and AdHoc coleslaw. That's the core of the menu in a buffet style.

[Peter the eater]

I adore the New Year celebrations. Time to try new stuff, new ingredients, new gizmos. No idea what's on the menu yet.

[Pierogi]

...Ham sounds like a good option if we can find one large enough, though--any favorite recipes/glazes?

My favorite is a mixture of orange marmalade and horseradish. I think there may be some brown sugar in there as well. The ham is also basted with orange juice before the glaze is applied. If you're interested, let me know and I'll dig out the actual propotions. It's really a great mix of flavors !

[cathyeats]

I'm not hosting this year, but am making an appetizer for my friend's party. I've been craving stuffed mushrooms for some reason. But since I don't eat dairy it was a bit hard to find a recipe. So I made up my own, and they turned out really great. I featured these as part of my healthy holiday recipe series, and people have really loved them. I promise you, the cheese eaters will have no idea they're vegan!

Stuffed Mushrooms with Pecans

3/4 cup freshly made bread crumbs from whole wheat bread (just throw a piece of bread in the food processor)

1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 to 4 ounces extra firm tofu (1/4 of one package)

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 ounces baby bella mushrooms (about 16)

Place the bread crumbs and pecans in a large bowl. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onions and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the oregano, tofu, yeast, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and mash with a fork. Cook for 3 minutes, then add to the bowl with the bread crumbs. Pull the stems from the mushrooms, which should leave a small cavity for filling. Press a spoonful of filling into the mushroom, mounding it a bit on top. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are browned. Serve immediately.

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer

[Mano]

Oxtail ravioli, hanger steak argrodolce and a chocolate raspberry tart are for certain. We'll decide on the rest during a morning trip to Philly's Italian Market.

[Chris Amirault]

Interesting ideas so far. Need to update last year's menu quite a bit. I still need to avoid gluten as much as possible. Thinking about a lot of Southeast Asian things.... Hrm.

[rooftop1000]

Barring Rain or High Winds...we are deepfrying...everything I can think of.

So far we have that

good old free supermarket turkey

assorted root veg run through the regular slicer or a rotary slicer to make curly fries

thinly sliced onions and jalepenos dredged in cornmeal

other veg battered

mozzerela sticks

mini corn dogs

pickles

cod fritters

churros

apple fritters

I am thinking about injecting one side of the turkey with Jerk Seasoning, just have to decide weather to infuse the seasoning into broth or melted chicken fat

and sure if ya want to "come up the mountain your invited" LOL

tracey

[jsmeeker]

For New Years day, I'll make some buaffalo wings to nosh on during the bowl games. For dinner, some sort of red coconut curry shrimp dish. (using up a bottle of pre-prepared sauce I got as a Christmas gift). What I really need is an idea for New Years Eve dinner. I'll be working all day, so it has to be something I can whip up pretty quickly and easily when I get home. Need to figure that part out soon. Going to grocery store tonight after work, and won't be visiting any store on Friday or Saturday.

[Peter the eater]

I'm done working for 2010 so it's plan tonight, cook tomorrow am and eat with friends pm.

Lots of local stuff on hand: lobsters, lamb, game hens, sunchokes, beets, parsnip, berries, etc. I've always wanted to makes a lobster poutine. And what to do with the sack of dulse.

[Genkinaonna]

Could you use the dulse to make seaweed sables (Around My French Table)? It's one of the recipes I've been wanting to try. And if you want to send some my way... : )

And lobster poutine sounds incredible!

Edited December 30, 2010 by Genkinaonna (log)

[robirdstx]

...What I really need is an idea for New Years Eve dinner. I'll be working all day, so it has to be something I can whip up pretty quickly and easily when I get home. Need to figure that part out soon. Going to grocery store tonight after work, and won't be visiting any store on Friday or Saturday.

How about fajitas? Chicken or beef or both!

Edited December 30, 2010 by robirdstx (log)

[Peter the eater]

Could you use the dulse to make seaweed sables (From My French Kitchen)? It's one of the recipes I've been wanting to try. And if you want to send some my way... : )

And lobster poutine sounds incredible!

I like the idea of seaweed cookies. Dulse is the wiliest of ingredients, I just wasted 20 minutes trying to powder it in my coffee grinder. Now the small flakes are soaking in vinegar on their way to becoming salad dressing. I should have toasted them first.

[Marlene]

I'm done working for 2010 so it's plan tonight, cook tomorrow am and eat with friends pm.

Lots of local stuff on hand: lobsters, lamb, game hens, sunchokes, beets, parsnip, berries, etc. I've always wanted to makes a lobster poutine. And what to do with the sack of dulse.

I'm pretty sure Mark McKewan has a recipe for lobster poutine in his new book which I got for Christmas

[toolprincess]

New Year's Eve dinner (as picked (mostly) by an 8 year old)

Fettucine alfredo (will be making homemade sauce with butter, cream and parmesan)

will pan sautee some chicken for the adults to add to their fettucine if wanted

garlic bread

iceberg lettuce salad with cucumber and choice of ranch or catalina

dessert will be brownies.

late-night ball drop snacks will be:

popcorn, chips and cheese dip/salsa, more brownies, and nuts. As the only adult who will eat it at the gathering I may throw in some hummus and veggies for dipping.

New Year's dinner will be traditional

pork chops, black-eyed peas with chow-chow, rice, and collard greens. Both the collards and peas will have generous hamhock infusions.

edited to add that aside from the pork chops I will largely enjoy this traditional meal on my own. As my SO won't touch any of it. except the chops and rice.

Edited December 30, 2010 by toolprincess (log)

[ChrisTaylor]

http://www.thepressclub.com.au/

New Years Eve Menu

On Arrival: Ocean Eight Cuvee ‘The Press Club’ 2 gr Dosage NV Mornington Peninsula, Vic

“Snacks”: Steamed egg krema with salmon rillette; Kalamaki of yellowfin tuna, watermelon and sesame

Cantina di Monteforte Garganega 2006 Soave Classico Superiore D.O.C.G. Veneto, Italy

Crayfish tsoureki toastaki, heirloom tomato, pipperi, tarragon

Marc Bredif Chenin Blanc 1996, Vouvray A.O.C. Loire Valley, France

Kritharaki of perigord black truffles, cepe veloute

Barbeito Sercial 10 Y.O. Madeira

Snapper, sardines, calamari, pipperi, melitzana, parsley

Philipponnat Brut Reserve 2000, Mareuil sur Aÿ, Champagne, France

Duck breast, apple and celery horiatiki, beetroot

Evesham Wood Pinot Noir 2009, Willamette Valley Oregon, U.S.A.

Beef scotch, mushrooms, cauliflower, patata

Yarra Yering ‘Gruyere’ Shiraz 2008, Yarra Valley, Vic

“Stelios Parliaros” olive oil and sokolata, banana, pine nuts

Argyros Vinsanto Mezzo Assyrtiko Blend 2002, Santorini, Hellenic Republic

[Mjx]

We're having dinner at someone else's home, and the projected menu is:

Beetroot carpaccio

Jerusalem artichoke soup with blue cheese, garnished with mushrooms fried with bacon

Leg of lamb with baked potatoes, seasoned mayonnaise, and a small salad

Cheese plate (to be brought by my boyfriend and another guest)

Assorted home-made ice cream, and truffles (the latter will be lime-clove and tobacco-whiskey; my contribution)

There will various wines, but I don't know what they will be, and there will be a Mont Michel Brut Cava champagne, about which the host expresses doubts, describing it as 'not one I would myself buy or get, so it must be from last year'. I'm afraid I continue to be the equivalent of the village idiot when it comes to anything alcoholic but Madeira (I'm perfectly capable of drinking sweet champagne and liking it), so I have no idea of what that comment implies.

[Lilija]

Party plans have been canceled, we decided not to drive the hour to hang out with boring family, stay at home, and be boring in our own happy way, drinking the Christmas-gift booze, and eating the way we like to eat.

We can't settle on any one cuisine. Dim Sum, Japanese nibbles, maybe stuffed tofu, spring rolls, dumplings of some sort. We're going to the huge Asian superstore tomorrow morning, with no real list, just a few ideas, and an open mind. I want Spam musubi(!!) and umeboshi. He wants chirashizushi. I want a soup of some sort, and maybe some chicken wings or chicken karage. It's just the four of us, we're not having a proper dinner, just going to make things and eat them, and play video games till we pass out. I have lots of fun new beers to try, too.

It'll be extremely immoderate consumption of the highest order, and now freed from the boring party plans, we're looking forward to tomorrow with light hearts, and a huge appetite.

[kayb]

http://www.thepressclub.com.au/

New Years Eve Menu

On Arrival: Ocean Eight Cuvee ‘The Press Club’ 2 gr Dosage NV Mornington Peninsula, Vic

“Snacks”: Steamed egg krema with salmon rillette; Kalamaki of yellowfin tuna, watermelon and sesame

Cantina di Monteforte Garganega 2006 Soave Classico Superiore D.O.C.G. Veneto, Italy

Crayfish tsoureki toastaki, heirloom tomato, pipperi, tarragon

Marc Bredif Chenin Blanc 1996, Vouvray A.O.C. Loire Valley, France

Kritharaki of perigord black truffles, cepe veloute

Barbeito Sercial 10 Y.O. Madeira

Snapper, sardines, calamari, pipperi, melitzana, parsley

Philipponnat Brut Reserve 2000, Mareuil sur Aÿ, Champagne, France

Duck breast, apple and celery horiatiki, beetroot

Evesham Wood Pinot Noir 2009, Willamette Valley Oregon, U.S.A.

Beef scotch, mushrooms, cauliflower, patata

Yarra Yering ‘Gruyere’ Shiraz 2008, Yarra Valley, Vic

“Stelios Parliaros” olive oil and sokolata, banana, pine nuts

Argyros Vinsanto Mezzo Assyrtiko Blend 2002, Santorini, Hellenic Republic

May I come to your party? I'll be happy to bus tables and wash dishes....

[Marlene]

We are having company at the cottage tomorrow, but we're keeping it simple.

Bacon cheddar puffs to start

Steaks

either baked potatoes or a gratin, but I don't have my slicer here which means I'd have to slice by hand

Cumin honey carrots

Bread pudding with caramel sauce

Cristal champagne at midnight while we watch the ball drop.

[Peter the eater]

Here's my plan for tomorrow tonight:

appetizer

lobster poutine

salad

baby spinach and sunchokes with north atlantic shrimp and raspberry dulse vinaigrette

main

maple-glazed game hen with minty peas and roasted roots (beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots)

desert

blueberry ginger granita