For several years our family and several others would gather at a friend’s home on New Year’s Eve and eat, drink, visit, play games and ring in the new year at midnight. Inevitably though, we would always fill up on the assorted appetizers and finger foods that by the time we sat down to dinner, we were already full. So in subsequent years we pared it down and just had appetizers and drinks and skipped the big sit-down meal.
Then we experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and everyone stayed home for New Year’s Eve. And we discovered that we liked that. Not only is there no pressure in having a nice relaxing evening at home, there are also no unreasonable expectations. Recent New Year’s Eves have found us comfortably ensconced in our pajamas, snacking, listening to music, watching movies, working jigsaw puzzles and playing games.
This year, however, we’ll be in Houston, attending the Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium and hopefully cheering on my Baylor Bears to a victory over LSU.
However, I did my due diligence and came up with several snacks that I think will be perfect fare for staying in and relaxing on New Year’s Eve. There’s French Onion Soup Bites, Antipasto Squares and Shrimp Dip. Hopefully, one or more of these will appeal to you. Happy New Year!
From delish.com
Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil and butter until butter is melted. Add onions; season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
Stir in broth and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost completely reduced but onions are still a little wet, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from heat.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unroll 1 can of crescent roll dough. Cut along the perforated line to make 2 pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise down the center to create 4 large rectangles (there should be a seam to guide you here). Cut each rectangle into 3 pieces. Press pieces into muffin cups, stretching as needed to completely cover the sides. Repeat with the remaining can.
Spoon 1 tablespoon onion mixture into each cup. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake bites until cheese is melted and dough is golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Transfer bites to a platter. Top with thyme.
From delish.com
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking sheet with cooking spray. Place one unrolled can of crescents on a prepared baking sheet and pinch together seams. Layer ham, pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella, and pepperoncini.
Unroll remaining tube of crescent dough and place on top of pepperoncini. Pinch together seams to seal.
Brush oil all over top of crescent dough, then sprinkle with Parmesan and oregano.
Bake until dough is golden and cooked through, about 35 minutes. (If dough is browning too quickly, cover with foil.)
Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing into squares.
My notes:
To avoid the bottom crust being soggy, bake just the bottom crust for 10 minutes and let it cool before adding the meats, cheeses and pepperoncini. Additionally, use a paper towel to blot the remaining ingredients and remove any moisture.
From thepioneerwoman.com
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the green onion and parsley. Mix on low speed just until combined.
Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp (if necessary) and chop into small pieces.
Use a rubber spatula to fold the shrimp into the dip. Transfer to a shallow, wide serving bowl and smooth into an even layer. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight.
Top with cocktail sauce and parsley, and serve with crackers.
