New Years Menu (help)?

iheartcutepuppies

So for New years eve, we are having a few couples over. Last year we hosted & put together this elegant amazing dinner (various cheese platters, petite appetizers, winter salad, squash, brussel sprouts, rack of lamb, pots de creme and creme brulee for dessert...)...this year I am leaning towards something more relaxing, chill, but still elegant. There will be probably 6-8 of us plus an infant (who won't be eating this food!).

We're leaning towards smaller items; almost like tapas.

So here is what I have so far.

Appetizers:

I am going to pick up cheese that I can eat (pasteurized but not something you can find every day...this should be an interesting challenge for me) & make baked brie, served w/ some french bread, crackers, grapes, fig jam, etc.

H really wants beef franks in a blanket (we may make these by hand) 

Possibly feta & onion tartlettes

What else? H was thinking a baked dip of some sort. Maybe spinach artichoke?

Salads:

Deconstructed Salad (I'm fancy- all it means is I am plating these things separate as some guests are allergic to nuts :-)): Mixed greens, candied walnuts, craisins, goat cheese (hopefully I can find pasteurized!).

Caprese salad (Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella, salt/pepper, balsamic glaze)

Anything else? 

Main course: 

Mini Beef Wellingtons- H is making- prepping early so we can just throw them in)

Mini Grilled Pizzas (H is making also, prepping early so we can just throw them in)

Maybe something chicken, but I have no idea!! I made chicken parm bites before, but I wasn't thrilled with them. Maybe chicken/pesto/sundried tomato roll ups (flatten chicken tender, layer ingredients, rollup, stick tooth pick in them, bake?

Mini turkey or chicken burgers with garlic aioli, tomato, and arugala? I'm leaning towards this.

I also saw a beef tenderloin on foccacia toast, but it may exude even more effort, plus it would be 2 beefs...which is no worry for me, as I am loving red meat right now...

Dessert:

I will be making pots de creme or creme brulee again

What else? 

 

 

 

 

KSMILEY 77

Yummm!!! I love tapas/appetizer parties! We do these every year for Christmas Eve dinner, so I just had one. My favorite things that we did are: cherry tomato, mozzarella, basil on a toothpick with balsaamic drizzle (easy to pick up and eat) shrimp cocktail crab claws with mustard sauce sweet and sour meatballs cheese plate with fancy crackers and french baguettes MUSHROOM AND PARMIGIANO BRUSCHETTA 1 cup chopped plum tomato 4 TBSP sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons capers 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/8 teaspoon salt 20 thinly sliced basil leaves 4 teaspoons butter 2/3 cup sliced cremini mushrooms 2/3 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps 2/3 cup sliced baby portobello mushrooms 1/2 cup chopped green onions 2 garlic cloves, minced 16 (1/2 inch thick) slices diagonally cut French bred baguette, toasted 1/2 cup (1-2 oz.) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl, set aside Melt butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add mushroom mixture to tomato mix; toss well to combine. Spoon about 1 TBSP mushroom mix onto each bread slice. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Serve immediately. CHIPOTLE SHRIMP CUPS 36 wonton wrappers 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup chopped cooked shrimp 1 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers 1 cup bottled chipotle salsa 1/2 cup chopped green onions Preheat oven to 350. Fit 1 wonton wrapper into each of 36 mini muffin cups coated with cooking spray, pressing the wrappers into sides of cups. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes or until ightly browned. Keep wontons in muffin cups. Combine cheese and remaining ingredients, and spoon about 1 TBSP cheese mixture into each wonton cup. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from muffin cups. Serve immediately. We did some other things too, but these were peoples faves.

KSMILEY 77

I made paragraphs.... I swear! LOL sorry about that!

burkems

I am not fancy in any way (for various reasons), so I will be of little help. I just wanted to say that a) that sounds awesome so far and b) if you can't find goat cheese pasteurized, you can get pasteurized bleu cheese or feta crumbles at the supermarket- I believe Kraft makes the containers.

justrachet

burkems:

I am not fancy in any way (for various reasons), so I will be of little help.

This. And I'm saving that Chipotle Shrimp Cups recipe. That looks way yummy. 

iheartcutepuppies

Parmesan Mushroom bruschetta sounds awesome! I wonder if we can sub chicken for shrimp- we don't eat shrimp. But H would love that!!

 Melissa- thanks for the heads up re: bleu cheese. I knew about the feta one...but H loves bleu and that would work really well w/ the salad. Thanks!! 

Vikki2pay

That sounds fabulous!!

I love the idea of the mini beef wellingtons.