New Year's Finger Food Recap

This time I really mean it!  I'm taking a few days off to give my typing fingers and toes a little rest.  But before I do, here are a few easy dairy, meat and parve last-minute suggestions (in no particular order) for your New Year's  parties:   

Potato Latkes  -- make them in advance.  And a little smaller.  Do not place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.  Just lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, freeze then bag 'em.  Just before serving, pop (still frozen, but out of the bag) in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with apple sauce (parve), or with a dab of sour cream (dairy) and budget-blowing caviar.  Don't say you've OD'ed on latkes during Chanukah.  That's so last week.

 Lazy Pizza (dairy) -- assemble a few hours in advance and store in fridge. Just before serving, pop in a 350F oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts and becomes barely brown.  Cut into quarters for dainty-ish servings.

  Curried Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches (meat) 

 Caprese Skewers (dairy)

 

Sundried Tomato Basil Pesto Canapes (dairy)

 

Stuffed Dates with Almonds (dairy) -- make it easier by just shoving whole almonds into the cream cheese mixture, as shown in the center date.

 
Mahogany Wings (meat) -- If for some reason the wings overcook, serve them during the football game when no one will notice.

 

Chicken Satay Bites (meat) or Greek Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce (meat) -- sorry, no photos of either.  But they are GREAT at a party.  Have I ever lied to you?

 

 

Chicken Spring Rolls (meat) -- cut rolls into sushi-sized pieces.

Turkey Wraps with Cranberry Mayo (meat) -- let random relative make this ... you know the one,  that person who has to hover over you in the kitchen while you do all the work while constantly asking "what can I do to help?" but you never let them before because they could burn water but can't possibly mess this one up, while you work on something else.  Cut into pinwheels.  You do this part, why take chances?

Syrian Beef Kabobs (meat)  make mini-meatball version.  Serve with toothpicks.

 

Bruschetta (parve) -- make topping the evening or morning of.  Assemble just before serving.

Pickled Grapes (parve) -- make first to allow grapes to marinate.  Then try not to eat then all while making everything else.

Guacamole, Black Bean Salsa and Pico de Gallo (all parve)

Baked Tortilla Chips (parve) -- to serve with the guacamole, Black Bean Salsa and Pico de Gallo

Hummus (parve)  -- serve with pita triangles.

 Chocolate-Dipped Pretzels -- after slaving over all the other recipes, make something really easy (dairy or parve, depending upon the chocolate).  Or let kids make this.  Of course then you have to clean up the counter, the floor, them, the dog ...

 Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing (parve)

 Traditional Chocolate Pudding (dairy) -- fill half of those shooter glasses you got for Chanukah and didn't know what to do with them.

 Honey-Vanilla Pudding (dairy) -- for those commies who hate chocolate.Use the other half of those shooter glasses.

 Mississippi Mud Cake (dairy/parve)  an easy warm dessert.  Tastes so much more better than it looks.

Gut shabbos, shabbat shalom and happy New Year!