At least six different kinds of cheese: an aged cheddar, some brie, a fontina, a feta, a blue cheese of some sort and something new
Three different kinds of salami and some kind of exotic ham like speck
Crackers of all sorts plus a loaf of good local bread
Lox and boiled shrimp
Nuts like walnuts and pecans
Two different kinds of dips like tzatziki and hummus with blanched veggies
Fresh fruit like oranges and grapes
A box of expensive chocolates
Wine and champagne as well as a bottle of port and a glass of sparkling apple juice for the kids
My family and I like to sit and nosh all night basically. I would like to go out but my favorite babysitter went off to college three years ago so we’ve made it a family night since then.
Sounds awesome; I think we’ll do that this year, since it’ll be just the three of us at home. (Babysitters??? What are those???)
For a while my husband and I would do a progressive dinner downtown, trying to take as long as possible with each course so we could land at our favorite bar not very long before midnight, where friends were guaranteed to be found.
My mother used to see New Year’s Day as an opportunity to give an elegant dinner that wasn’t scripted the way Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter are. A standing rib roast was the most memorable one.
Goin’ to a friend’s theme party - Speakeasy/Roaring 20’s this year. It’s a largely outdoor party, so we generally do a Crock-Pot of something warm and alcohol absorbing, so people can help themselves as they desire. I thought, since we’re in Chicago, that I could use the theme as an excuse for some Chicago style Italian American food. This year I’m doing two Crocks of “gravy” - pasta sauce (one meat, one vegan) - and pasta, garlic bread, and a third Crock of Italian Beef with a tray of rolls. Others will be bringing munchies, including vegetables.
New Years Day will be ham, black-eyed peas and greens, of course. One of my favorite stolen traditions.
It’s my sister’s birthday on New Year’s Day, and we’ll be getting the takeout food of her choice (usually chicken, but she may be leaning towards pizza this time.)
Some years we have done chocolate fondue and I am thinking about doing it again this year. We do several different kinds of fruits, pretzels, and sometimes marshmallows.
Funny - we were talking about this today (my husband and I.) He wants something to nosh on all day so I’ll most likely do the little smokies he likes - I’ll do some in the chili sauce/grape jelly stuff he likes, and the other half I’ll wrap with bacon, sprinkle with brown sugar, and bake. Those are his absolute favorites. I’ll probably do the salsa/velveeta thing with nachos (that’s MY thing) and I’ll also do a baby shrimp pasta type salad that he can put on Ritz crackers - yes, he goes bonkers for that too. It’s just the two of us - he’s been incredibly wonderful lately (probably for the food - snort) and we aren’t going anywhere. We’ll have his Patron, I’ll have my Cold Duck, we’ll both have beer, and knowing us, we’ll be asleep by 10:00.
GODDAMNIT - I forgot I have to make Manhattan Clam Chowder too! Screw it - he’s having soup. FORGET noshing all day. I gotta do the soup, HE WILL ENJOY IT (or I will hurt him!) And I’m still having my velveeta and salsa and nachos. And my Cold Duck. And NOW, because he pissed me off reminiding me of this, I’m getting myself some dark chocolate TOO! I’ll get him his Patron only because I’ll drink it too. Note to self - buy limes tomorrow. When you’re getting all the OTHER crap for the stupid soup.
Friends of mine have hosted New Years for the past 12 years…there will be 40 or 50 of us there, I think. This year’s theme is Jimmy Buffet. I’m working on a Cheeseburger (in Paradise) Cake. I baked the layers today. Two white chocolate cakes - a 9" round and a 9" bowl shaped. That’s the bun - they’ll get a brown icing, and rice krispies for the sesame seeds.
One layer in rich dark chocolate, also a 9" round. That’s the meat.
I have green fondant for lettuce, red fondant for tomato, and yellow fondant for cheese.
I just sharpened a wooden dowel (food grade!) to stick through the whole thing as a giant ‘tooth pick’…to help hold it in place while I drive to the party.
I’ve never tried anything this complicated in a cake…I’m a bit nervous. I can make a nice, clean two layer cake. I’m crazy for trying this, right?
My backup plan is to bring beer. And to never mention this again.
-D/a
We’re hosting our usual group of friends, and I’m going to do a (kosher) turkey on the Weber charcoal grill. Outside temperature is supposed to be in the 20s, so it’ll be a li’l challenging.
It’s pitch up, so I don’t know what others are bringing (my wife organizes it)…
I’m going for Chinese BBQ in Uptown for dinner. If Ba Le is open, I’ll pick up a bunch of banh mi sandwiches to bring to a party later. If not, I’ll find some chicken wings to bring.
My recommendation on Weber Smokey Mountain couldn’t be higher, especially if you’re routinely smoking turkeys. You can borrow mine if you like.
My mom is bringing pork and sauerkraut over and I will make some mashed potatoes. That’s our traditional fare for the day.
Last night I went to a small gathering. My friend made us tacos and beans. I made some nice appetizers: sliced radishes on cream cheese on rye, and pear slices wrapped in prosciutto. I had never done those before but they were both very good and really easy to fix.
I know, self quoting, but I decided to BBQ today, too. Cold, clear and minimal wind are pretty much ideal conditions. I’ve got a boneless turkey breast, a rack of babybacks and 1.5lbs of rib tips. Happy New Year!
I had to work until 11:30 last night. I stopped at In And Out on the way home and saw the new year in while chomping on a double double and fries and slurping down a chocolate shake.
I’m having a few of my new neighbors over to my just-moved-into house.
Asti Spumante (with orange juice, if desired)
Sparking grape juice for non-drinkers
Cheese and two different kinds of crackers
Texas caviar (black-eyed pea salad… made it yesterday, and boy, is it YUMMY!)
Deviled eggs with a dab of wasabi on them
Cookies (plain, anise biscotti, & chocolate dipped)
Strawberries
Coffee
Side note: whenever I do anything like this–dinner, party, buffet-- I have to make a list of what I’m serving, no matter how simple and minimal. MANY times, after the last person has left, I’ll look in the microwave, or the veggie drawer of the fridge and find something I meant to serve. Makes me nuts when I do this. Except, of course, for the fact that I now have to eat the thing myself.
Made my signature French Pot Roast (a streamlined version of Boeuf Bourginon) for Eve, plain old ham and potatoes au gratin today. I wanted to make the pot roast as the Day’s meal but my wife sensibly pointed out the cleanup takes time and it is a work/school night… so piddling at the stacks was a pleasant enough chore to start the new year.
It’s only January 1 and I may have already eaten the unhealthiest meal I’ll eat in 2013.
I’m visiting family for the holidays. I was alone in the house at lunchtime so I was looking around for something to eat.
A leftover slice of bacon from breakfast. The last piece of ham from Christmas dinner. A little breakfast sausage. None of which was enough to make a meal out of.
But chop them all up and toss them in the frying pan. Add a tablespoon of fancy mustard. When it gets hot, scramble some eggs into it. And I’ve got myself both a meal and a future heart attack.
Happy discovery: I made deviled eggs. Then in my pantry, I discovered a tube of made-up wasabi. Squoze a pea-sized dab on the top of each egg. Zowie! Those little green firebombs took the eggs to a whole 'nother planet. Note to self: do this again.
