The holiday season is busy. Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah there are many reasons to be out of the house. Once New Year’s Eve rolls around, spending a night on the town isn’t always at the top of a must-do list. With a little prep watching the ball drop from your couch can be just as exciting. Featuring nicer appetizers, restaurant-quality main meals, fancy cocktails, and elegant sweet treats, these recipes for an at-home New Year’s Eve will help you celebrate in style and be in bed by 12:01.
Spinach and Bacon Tart
“This easy tart is a great appetizer or a side dish with a salad for a special lunch. Feta and goat cheese can be substituted for the Gruyere.” – Joanne
Shrimp Etouffee
“A proper Etouffee must be cooked for hours, however this recipe has been toned down to 2 hours. You can also play with the heat index by adding or subtracting hot sauce, but once you’ve added it be prepared to reap what you sowed.” – Scott
Cheddar Cheese Risotto
“Takes some time, but worth it. This dish will serve 2 if used as a main dish.” – Melanie
Greek New Year’s Cake
“My mom makes this cake every New Year. You slice the cake from oldest to youngest and that is the piece they eat. If you find the hidden coin, you will have good luck for the year.” – Nicole
Peppercorn Crusted Pork Loin With Creamy Sauce
“Great to have during the fall months when the weather outside is crisp.” – Sara
Flourless Chocolate Torte
“The men in my life (husband, sons, and grandsons) love this flourless chocolate torte.” – Connie
Beef Tenderloin Crostini
“I love to entertain with family and friends. This is one of my many hor devours I love to make. They are so easy to make. Try this for your next cocktail party.” – Sherri
Salmon With Red Wine Braised Cherry Tomatoes
“I made this up when I wanted to find a way to get some cherry tomatoes into my mother-in-law who refused to eat them raw. The description may seem lengthy, but, the dish was ready within twenty minutes.” – Marion
Holiday Toddy
“Gramma used to do something like this with red wine during the holidays, but I never liked the after-taste of heavy red wines. When I moved out on my own I noticed that I really missed the smell of this simmering through the house though! So through some trial and error (and a completely content to be a guinea pig husband!) I finally came up with this. It’s similar to a wassail I guess, but wasn’t really based on one.” – ‘Ria
Cheese Triangles
“Anyone can make this tasty appetizer.” – Scott
Louisiana Shrimp Mold
“This nostalgic Louisiana Shrimp Mold is rich with warm spices and flavors, it delivers a mild kick without being too spicy.” – Debbie
Savory Mushroom Brie En Croûte
“My husband and I love to entertain. I love Brie, and he loves mushrooms. I tried to create a new recipe that includes both to share with our friends. Everyone loves this recipe, so I wanted to share it.” – Arlene
Lemon Chicken
“This is my family’s all-time favorite dish. It is requested for every special occasion dinner. It takes some time, but it is worth it!” – Tammi
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
“I love making meatballs as an appetizer for parties. I made several different types, and I decided I needed a spicy meatball. This is what I came up with.” – Melissa
Classic Creme Brulee
“So good!” – Linda
Spinach and Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
“Spinach and Feta make for the best combination. Add bacon and it can’t be beat!” – Liz
Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Crostini
“This is a personal favorite snack of mine. I had something close to this in Seattle but I have redone it to this.” – Tara
Crawfish Bread
“This is one of my go-to appetizers! It’s easy and flavorful. If you aren’t a crawfish fan, substitute shrimp (peeled and deveined) for the crawfish. Or, if you’re feeling it… substitute crabmeat. This bread will disappear from the table!” – Sylvia
Simple Caramel Flan
“This is a very easy flan to make. My mother-in-law was Spanish. She hailed from New York City but her parents were from Puerto Rico and South America. This is one of my favorite recipes she shared with me.” – Linda
Filet De Boeuf En Croute (Filet Mignon in Puff Pastry)
“I actually prefer not to eat out on Valentine’s Day. I hate fighting the crowds, the noise, and the usually bad service because the restaurant is jam-packed. Here’s what I make for the main course, and it’s to die for. Almost too pretty to eat…. almost! This is very easy to make, too.” – Kelly
Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Recipe
“This is my go-to meal for date night. This sounds complicated, but it is so easy.” – Danny
Traditional Gnocchi
“When I asked my mom if we had a family recipe for gnocchi, she told me she never took it because she didn’t care much for gnocchi. Sounds crazy, I know. But a little while later she called me with my Aunt Angela’s gnocchi recipe. My Aunt Angie is FBI and one of the most amazing cooks in my family. I hope you enjoy my family Gnocchi recipe.” – Anthony
Classic Delmonico Steak (With Herbed Butter)
“Delmonico steak is world-famous, first introduced by Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City in the mid-1800s. This recipe is a classic method of preparing a quality Delmonico steak by slowly pan-searing the beef until it’s sizzling hot, and then topping it with a pat of garlic-herb butter for added flavor.” – Vickie
Delicious Spinach Artichoke Dip
“I’ve always loved this dip, I just wanted to make my own version. This was my crack at it and it was delicious. I will never buy it again! Eat it cold or serve it hot and bubbly — either way, it’s great.” – Bre
Smoky Stuffed Mushrooms
“I love mushrooms any way I can get them. I created this recipe one night because I was craving something different. Even my then 3-year-old, who said she didn’t like mushrooms, gobbled them up! WARNING: These are addictive, and it’s a rich dish because of the bacon drippings or butter… but please give them a try!” – Karen
Chicken Cordon Bleu With Sauce
“Another one of my husband’s favorites. I make this a lot. We especially like the sauce. This recipe is much better than the plain Chicken Cordon Bleu recipes because of the sauce.” – Betty
Lobster Ravioli
“There is only one word to describe this lobster ravioli recipe…YUMMY!” – Michelle
Hot Cheesy Pepperoni Dip
“I have been making this dip for over a decade now. Everyone loves it and asks for the recipe or asks me to bring it to get-togethers. I will make this as an easy lunch sometimes.” – Chrissy
A RED HAT “SCARLETT FLOZZIE” VODKA MARTINI
“I have been trying to come up with a special cocktail for my group of Red Hat Ladies. First I tried making rhubarb juice along with cranberry juice and vodka etc. Then I ran across a recipe in our newspaper and after I kicked it around and played with it. This beautiful scarlet red martini evolved!” – Nancy J.
Shrimp Scampi Dip Recipe
“A hot cheese dip with all of the flavours of lemony and buttery shrimp scampi with plenty of chunks of succulent shrimp.” – Kevin