Invite friends in from the cold for a heart-warming New Year's Eve Party. We've kept it simple. Trendy winter flavors greet guests with seasonal cheer while soups and breads warm their tummies. Top off the evening with fabulous chocolate cheesecake and drinks to match.

Make It Easy on Yourself

• Re-purpose your holiday decorations, keeping to a snowy winter theme. Santas get packed for another year!
  
  
• Choose one soup recipe or several; send guests home with their favorite in a totable container for eating on New Year's Day.
  
  
• Let someone else do the cooking! Bakeries and take-out can be the source of some of the food you serve. It's the getting together that counts.
  
  
• Build your party around an afternoon ice skating or skiing. Or play touch football or golf in the snow! You'll work up an appetite for a tasty meal.
  
  

The Season's Best Desserts

• Everybody loves cheesecake it seems. Here are tips if you are a rookie making one.
  
  
• Apples and pears top the winter eating local list. A warm crisp or easy crostata could fill the bill on this night.
  
  
• Go European. Offer a dried fruit and dessert cheese plate like one of these: Perfect Cheese Plate or Fruit and Cheese Platter.
  
  
• Dip into dessert fondue. Check out one of these: Caramel-Coffee Fondue or Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fondue.

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