An Elegant Affair for New Year's Eve

• Make cream puff dough for Gorgonzola and Rosemary Cream Puffs, following Do-Ahead recipe tip; store tightly wrapped in freezer.
• Make topiary for Chocolate Truffles Topiary, but do not add truffles.
• Make tree for Green Olive Tree, but do not add olives.
• Make Pistachio Fudge Cups, but do not frost; store tightly covered in freezer.

Up to 2 Weeks Before

• Make chutney for Brie with Cranberry Chutney; store covered in glass or plastic container in refrigerator.

Two Days Before

• Make Chicken Terrine.
• Make Orange-Ginger Cheesecake; store tightly covered in refrigerator. Prepare fruit for cheesecake; store in refrigerator.
• Prepare fruit for Festive Fruit Platter; store covered in refrigerator. Make sour cream-brown sugar dip for fruit; store covered in refrigerator.

The Day Before

•  Make Buttermilk Dressing for Vegetable Buffet Platter; store dressing tightly covered in refrigerator. Follow the Purchasing recipe tip to eliminate veggie prep.
• Place truffles on topiary.

The Morning Of

• Unmold terrine onto serving platter; store covered in refrigerator.
• Prepare olives for tree; refrigerate.
• Remove fudge cups from freezer; thaw at room temperature. Frost, then store loosely covered.

About 2 Hours Before Serving

• Place olives on tree and add peanuts; store in cool place until the party.
•  Place raspberries in topiary pot.

About 30 Minutes Before Serving

• Bake and complete cream puffs.

About 15 Minutes Before Serving

• Bake Brie. Topped baked Brie with chutney and almonds.

Just Before Serving

• Mix Cranberry-Apple Spritzer ingredients.

• Light up your party! Arrange strings of miniature white lights (electric or battery-operated) in baskets, around mirrors or in crystal bowls.
• Greet guests with a party atmosphere by lighting your drive and walkway with luminarias. You can purchase luminaria bags at party stores. Fill with about 3 inches of sand or kitty litter, place a 1-pint canning jar into the sand and add a votive candle. Light the candles shortly before guests arrive.

Serve It with Style

• Make the serving trays as inviting as possible by decorating them with a garnish. Most garnishes can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Kumquats, radish roses, green onion brushes, purple kale, cherry tomato flowers, mushroom flowers, citrus flowers, citrus twists and tomato wings can add quick color to a tray.
• Dazzle desserts by dusting with "snowy" powdered sugar or tucking in chocolate stars. See the Chocolate Cutouts recipe with Star-Studded Celebration Cupcakes for directions.
• Make several Green Olive Trees, creating the trees in different sizes and varying the types of olives. Group with the other appetizers.
• Add dimension to the buffet table by using serving pieces of various heights or pedestal serving pieces.
• Sauces and dips look great when served in a stemmed martini or margarita glass.
• Choose a three-tiered plate for appetizers or miniature desserts such as the Pistachio Fudge Cups.
• Make several Chocolate Truffles Topiaries and place with the desserts. Wrap extra truffles individually and give to guests as they leave the party.