Woohoo! 2013 is coming to a close, which means it’s time to celebrate!! We personally don’t care to drive on NYE, so we stay home most years, and either have a small group over here, or celebrate by ourselves. Along with celebrating and reflecting on the ending year, and sharing thoughts about the year to come, though, we make lots of awesome food. 🙂 Here are some New Year’s Eve recipes you might enjoy:
1. Cream cheese with green pepper jelly. I’ve really enjoyed sharing our fun canning experiences with my still-urban sis-in-law, whose garden bounty, in many ways, surpassed ours. She and Rick’s brother constructed some raised beds and pulled off an awesome bounty of lettuces, peppers and other goodies, from which she promptly canned a nice “crop” of green pepper jelly. For those of you who’ve never had green pepper jelly, know that it’s delicious, and goes great with nearly any type of basic cracker. To achieve this special look, sis-in-law took a bar of cream cheese, cut it diagonally, flipped the one piece to create a triangle shape, smothered with the jelly (any type of pepper jelly, or even a sweet salsa, like a peach salsa, will work here), and then cut out chunks of red pepper for the ornaments and star. The stem is a simple slice of celery stick. Delish as an appetizer, quick to make, and pretty too!
2. Puppy Chow. In our family, we’ve got certain desserts, appetizers or dishes that we make only on certain occasions, and Puppy Chow is saved for New Year’s Eve. This easy-peasy, tasty treat is a snap to make:
1/2 a stick of real butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla
1.5 c. powdered sugar
9 c. rice or corn Chex (a 12 oz. box of cereal will due here)
Pour Chex into large bowl. Melt butter in medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Add in peanut butter and chocolate chips, mixing until fully melted and combined. Remove from heat, add vanilla and mix well. Pour chocolate mixture over Chex, and mix gently and thoroughly with a spoon until all of the cereal is covered with chocolate. Then add the 1.5 c. powdered sugar, and mix well again, making sure to coat all pieces thoroughly. Spread on a cookie sheet to cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. This treat is easily 15 minutes from start to finish, and goes over well with everyone we serve it to.
3. Homemade potato chip/veggie dip. This recipe came about when we started working to eliminate additives such as MSG and high fructose corn syrup from our diet. The commercial dips were loaded with stuff we couldn’t pronounce and had never heard of, so we started experimenting with stuff at home. This particular dip is always a huge hit with guests. You can find the recipe by clicking here. It’s super easy, and you’ve likely already got all of the ingredients in your house.
4. Turkey roll-ups. Excuse the poor-quality pic here, my camera’s been acting funny and I have absolutely no idea how to fix it. These delightful appetizers are delicious and always a great way for me to get my kids to eat veggies. Simply:
Take a flour tortilla at room temperature. Spread cream cheese onto the half furthest away from you. On the half closest to you, place a thin slice or two of turkey, ham, or roast beef (or skip the meat and do veggies only), top that with thinly sliced cheese, tomato, red onion, cucumber or any other veggie that suites your tastes, keeping the veggies closest to your side of the tortilla. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll up tightly (the cream cheese on the furthest half of the tortilla will serve as “glue” to keep it from unrolling), and either serve sliced in half as a sandwich, or sliced thinly as I’ve done here for an appetizer. All party pleasers that are pretty easy to throw together.
What are your big plans/favorite treats for New Year’s Eve?
What are our big plans? Stay home with the family. We don’t do much but relax and enjoy each other company. Happy New Year!
Same here, Brit, and I just love it! Enjoy your New Year’s. 🙂
I always stay home on New Year’s Eve. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever gone out to celebrate. When we were kids my Mom would make a bunch of finger foods, we’d play board games, and watch Elvis movies. That’s kind of the same thing I do with my kids (only we watch Barbie movies instead of Elvis 😉
Sounds like the perfect New Year’s, Alexa. 🙂 Funny: my three youngest just pulled out a Barbie movie after a year-long Barbie hiatus (they are 10, 9 and 7), and it was so wonderful to know they’re not too grown up for Barbie. 🙂
Looks delicious! Our big plans are right there with Brit and Alexa: stay home and relax. My mother-in-law is in town so we’ll be spending it with her, but other than that nothing special. Maybe my wife and I will share a glass of sparkling cider once (if?) the kids go down, haha.
That seems to be the order of the day! We’ll be raising that sparkling glass of cider right along with you guys. Have a glorious New Years, Matt. 🙂
You are making me hungry Laurie! I actually canned pepper jelly this year and gave it as Christmas presents to my family. I could literally eat that jelly by the spoonful. I used a mix of red and green peppers as well as jalapeno for a little heat. It sounds strange pepper jelly, but it is soo good.
Have a great New Years!
LOL, yes, I was making me hungry too as I prepared the photo shots. 🙂 I’m so impressed that you canned pepper jelly too – it is so good! We may just try some next year, along with Dandelion Jelly. 🙂
Those treats look very tasty! My wife and I are staying home for New Year’s Eve. Our sister-in-law will be joining us as she’s in town for a couple of days. It will be a relaxing time to catch up and discuss the events of 2013. Have a very Happy New Year!
Sounds like a fun New Years, Richie! Have a great time relaxing at home.
We are staying home on New Year’s Eve as well, Laurie. Plan to watch some movies and eat pizza, and go to bed early 🙂
Wow, us PF bloggers must all be introverts, LOL. 🙂 Sounds like a wonderful night – have fun, Mackenzie!
I’m apparently the oddball. We usually go out after a mini celebration with the girls. The snacks looks delicious. I can’t wait until the holidays are over and everyone stops tempting me with all their holiday treats and finger foods! Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve with your family and I wish for you and your family an amazing 2014!
Oh, Shannon, yes, I SO get that. As much as I love all of the treats, I can’t wait till they’re all out of the house! Have a great time celebrating with your family, my friend!
Good stuff! I’ll have to show this to my wife to see if we can incorporate any into this year’s plan…
We usually don’t do much for New Year’s Eve now that we have the young kids and no babysitter. We usually just make some fun appetizers and just spend some family time together, so nothing big unfortunately.
Same here, Brad, but after many years of doing it this way, we’ve come to thoroughly enjoy it. A quiet, peaceful kind of a party. 🙂
Yuuumm! I haven’t had puppy chow in forever but now I really miss it 🙂
I hope you have a great New Year’s!
LOL, you’ll have to make some up soon, Michelle. 🙂
Puppy Chow is my weakness. When my wife makes it, she has to hide little tupperwares of it in the freezer so I won’t eat it all.
Love the idea of a green pepper chili app, too. You’re making me hungry, Laurie!
Oh, that’s funny, DB40! You sound like my kids. 🙂 The green pepper jelly is indeed yummy – maybe you guys can make some this summer. 🙂
I think we are staying in this year as well for NYE.
I just don’t have any desire to navigate past all of the drunk drivers, to be honest.
But we will certainly be at least cooking up some delicious food!
That’s one of the primary reasons we stay in on NYE, too, Jefferson. Are we planning a primal party diet for the festivities? 🙂
I love the puppy chow. ha ha! I’ll more than likely stay home and probably just watch Netflix by myself. I really don’t like to go out that night at all. Too crazy…and expensive.
We’re right there with you, Tonya – a night at home with Netflix is perfect!
I LOVE puppy chow! Great suggestions, Laurie! Unfortunately I have a lot to get done tonight and a full work day tomorrow so I will probably just bring a salad or something easy to the New Year’s Eve get-together we have going on : )
A salad is the perfect balance to the plethora of junk food you’ll probably find – great call, DC. Have a wonderful New Years, my friend! 🙂
Thanks for sharing these recipes! The Puppy Chow looks like a must try. I have a 4 year old so we will be staying in. We’re looking forward to having friends over and enjoying the evening. Happy New Year everyone!
Oh, yes, Kay, Puppy Chow is a 4-year-old’s dream treat. Happy New Year to you. Sounds like a great night. 🙂
Mmm, the puppy chow looks awesome! I’ll sleep early and usually avoid going out/riff-raff, so I’m with you when it comes to celebrating at home. Happy New Year, Laurie and family!! 🙂
Thanks, Anna! I was just talking to Rick about how I’ll likely be crashed on the couch by 8. Sweetie pie #2 was up at 6a.m. for some unknown reasons, so she’ll likely be crashed on the couch with me. Party on! 🙂
Keeping New Year’s mellow. In Hawaii we make Mochi for good luck which is a Japanese item. To a great new 2014 Laurie to you and your family.
Sounds fun, Charles! Have a wonderful night. 🙂
I am not allowed near puppy chow. Can’t. Stop. Eating. It.
Oh, yes, I definitely have a huge problem with my addiction there. For that reason, I’m dreading tonight. 🙂
We made puppy chow at Christmas (we call it muddy buddy). I think I ate the whole batch myself. I’ve also made something similar to your turkey roll-ups. We like to add some fresh herbs to the cream cheese (put in the food processor to mix is all together first). Eric and I were planning to go out with some friends tonight, but it looks like we’ll be at home with the plumber (hopefully installing a new furnace-fingers crossed). Something I never imagined myself saying! Sometimes being an adult isn’t very fun 😉 Happy New Year!
Love the idea about adding the herbs to the rollups! LOL, yes, getting a new furnace is typical of a real adult New Year’s celebration – congrats. 🙂
Yummy! All these look delicious! My cousin made some tortilla rollups for Christmas and I’m not ashamed to admit that I ate more than my fair share. 😀 In fact, I’m heading out to the store so I can make some for New Years! So good! Enjoy your New Year’s Eve munching on yummy snacks and Happy New Year!
LOL, yes, it’s easy to shove those babies down, isn’t it? Are you here in town still, enjoying the subzero weather?
Laurie – I make the puppy chow in our family, and I add 1 cup peanut butter, and 1 whole stick of butter. I add the same amount of other ingredients (9 cups of chex). Try it out sometime. 🙂
Happy New Years to you and your family!
Oh my goodness, Charlie – the calories!!!! I’m sure it’s quite delicious, though, with the added creaminess. Have a great New Year’s, my friend! 🙂
Wow, those look really delicious! We usually feel like we should do something on New Year’s, but I’d prefer to hang out with a small group of people like what you’re doing. Tried the Time Square experience but never make it due to the cold, the fact that you have to get their ultra early to grab a decent spot, among other reasons. Trust me…going there was not my idea. In anycase, this year, we are staying home. Baby is already asleep and I’m not even sure we’ll make it to midnight. Though Baby LRC does wake up around that time so we might ring in the new year with that =)
LOL, welcome to parenthood, Andrew. 🙂 Rick was in bed by 9, I was asleep on the couch by 9:30, along with two of the kids. The other two, our “night owls”, rang in the New Year. 🙂
Green pepper jelly is quite possibly the most amazing thing in the world. I would eat it 6 times a week if I could, but I am defintely going to have to try your idea next year, because it’s pretty adorable.
LOL, funny. 🙂 It is delightful, though, and you should try canning some!! Bell has a canning book (on Amazon) that has super easy recipes and techniques.