Get ahead of New Year’s Eve with make-ahead hors d’oeuvres
I like the week between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s a time to rest and regroup — sleep in a little, finish up projects at home and at the office, return that shirt that’s a size too small and totally the wrong color.
Most of us celebrate New Year’s Eve in some fashion — with at least a passing nod, a little TV time and a toast. Maybe friends and family are dropping in, or you’re going to someone else’s party. Whatever your party style, nobody wants to spend time flambéing some elaborate last-minute hors d’oeuvres or being busy in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun. With a minimum of planning for food preparation, you can be chillin’ with friends, looking all New Years Eve cute, unflustered and in control of your celebration.
Whether you ring it in (will it really be 2013? Really?) at home or abroad, have a safe and Happy New Year.
Without further ado, here are three simple, festive do-ahead hors d’oeuvre recipes designed to take the pressure off on New Year’s Eve. These recipes serve 10-14 with other hors d’oeuvres.
PARTY SHRIMP COCKTAIL
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 cup (at least) cocktail sauce
10-12 ounces cooked, deveined, shelled shrimp, can be done the day before, kept refrigerated, crab meat can be used instead of shrimp
Let cream cheese stand at room temperature half an hour. When slightly softened, spread around inner surface of a 10-12 inch round platter just to 3/4 inch from rim.
Cover cream cheese with cocktail sauce.
Cover cocktail sauce with shrimp (if you are using large shrimp, cut them in two pieces).
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until half an hour before serving. Use a bread knife to spread on large crackers or slices of baguette.
BRUSCHETTA
1 large French baguette
1/2 stick salted butter
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 pound fresh Mozzarella cheese balls
6 ripe plum tomatoes
4 ounces pesto (homemade or jarred)
24 fresh basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in a small skillet. Crush garlic cloves and add to butter.
Cut baguette into 3/4 inch pieces (you should have about 24 slices). Butter one side of each slice; place on baking sheet, buttered side up. Bake in preheated oven 10-12 minutes or until bread begins to brown. Remove from cookie sheet and place on a rack to cool.
Slice tomatoes lengthwise into 4 pieces. Slice mozzarella balls into equal number of slices (each tomato slice should have a slice of mozzarella).
When ready to serve (just before the first guest appears or 5 minutes before you leave for the party) arrange baguette slices on a large platter and assemble Bruschetta: top each slice of toast with mozzarella, tomato, pesto and a basil leaf (you can chop basil if you wish instead of using the whole leaves).
Toast can be made and kept at room temperature, toppings can be prepared and refrigerated, all “the morning of.”
CANDIED BACON
1 pound hickory smoked bacon
Granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place slices of bacon side-by-side on a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides). Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes (until nearly done). Remove pan from oven and drizzle granulated sugar down entire length of each bacon strip. Replace pan in oven and allow to bake 2-3 minutes more, until sugar dissolves and bacon is uniformly browned.
When bacon is done (no floppy ends) remove pan from oven and place strips on 2-3 thicknesses of paper towels to allow it to drain completely.
As the bacon cools, the sugar will harden into a coating. After it is thoroughly drained, bacon can be chilled in the refrigerator for major “crunch.” It can be left in whole strips to serve, but is easier to handle when broken into halves or thirds.
Can be made “the morning of.”
Linda Conway Eriksson can be reached by e-mail at ieatatmoms@gmail.com.
