Casual Get-Together for New Year's Eve

Celebrate New Year's Eve without a lot of fuss! Gather friends and neighbors for a warm, cozy evening inside, or go outdoors if you're an active group. You'll find all the recipes and party-planning tips you'll need for an appetizer and dessert celebration to ring in this new year.

"Make collages using saved newspapers, magazines, vacation photos and other memorabilia to remember the past year."

Andi, Food Editor - Betty Crocker Kitchens

The Menu
Party Guide
Plan Ahead

Easy Decorations

Casual get-togethers are often impromptu and require no special decorations. If you want to decorate, consider one of these:

Encourage guests to bring a battery-operated alarm clock. Set the alarms to go off at midnight, and place the clocks all over the party area! Or place a collection of the clocks on a mirrored tray as a centerpiece.
Make a quick centerpiece by placing glittering ball ornaments in a wire basket or crystal bowl.

Fun Serving Ideas

Use hollowed-out colorful bell peppers, cabbage, squash or round bread loaves for fun and colorful containers to hold veggie dip.
Embellish mug handles or bases of stemware with metallic curly ribbon. A different color of ribbon for each guest can keep drinkware from being misplaced.
Bump up plain coffee served with dessert to an inviting espresso bar! Set up espresso carafes (regular and decaf) with extras for stir-ins and toppers.
Stir-Ins: flavored syrups, flavored creams or eggnog, cream and sugar
Toppers: whipped cream, ice-cream toppings, candy sprinkles, ground nutmeg or cinnamon

Casual Party Activities

Got snow? Make a snowperson! Ask guests to wear appropriate clothing.
Build a huge bonfire--remember to check your city's ordinances! Or just gather around your backyard fire pit. Tell stories of bygone years, or predict the future.
Hide a treasure of gold-colored medallions, gold foil-covered chocolate coins and golden baubles and beads found in craft stores. Entice guests with creative clues to answer so they can discover the treasure by the stroke of midnight.

Up to 2 Days Before

Bake wonton cups for Black Bean and Corn Wonton Cups, using recipe’s Do-Ahead Tip.

The Day Before

Bake Cajun Crab Cheesecake, using recipe’s Make-Ahead Tips. (You can make and freeze this cheesecake for up to one month!)
Make Apricot Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs; cool and refrigerate. (See recipe’s Did You Know? tip to make and freeze meatballs up to two months ahead.)
Make Fudgy Brownie Trifle; refrigerate. (See recipe’s Do-Ahead Tip for an even longer head start on making this dessert.)
Bake Lemon Linzer Bars; refrigerate.

The Morning Of

Prep vegetables and make dip for Roasted Vegetables with Creamy Caesar Dip. Cover dip and refrigerate; store veggies in food-safe plastic storage bags.
Make filling for Black Bean and Corn Wonton Cups; refrigerate.

About 30 Minutes Before Guests Arrive