A New Years Eve Dinner Buffet

A New Years Eve Dinner Menu!

Another year come and gone! And as you might expect from a food blog, it is time to roll out the New Years Eve Dinner Menu and New Years Eve Drinks recipes. This year has had its ups and downs as all years do. Sometimes the flavor pairings worked and sometimes they didn’t. C’est la vie! It is better to have flavored and lost then to never have flavored at all! A few dishes were burned and a few were just perfect and I am still enjoying all of them, even the burnt ones.

New Years Eve is an odd holiday. By the time it rolls around I have had about enough. I don’t want to go anywhere, especially out in the cold waiting for a ball to drop with a bunch of strangers. I just want to have a few folks over and enjoy some good food and drink a little champagne or perhaps some scotch. Plus, while I love cooking, I like a New Years Eve dinner menu that is a bit simpler. I also like to set up a buffet and let others serve themselves. It feels more active and dynamic. After Thanksgiving, the holiday parties and all the other holiday feasting, it is nice to have a New Years Eve Dinner menu and New Years Eve Drinks that are a little easier to create. It leaves a bit more time for reflection on where we have been and about the exciting things ahead. So, to make sure that we end this year on a high, but low stress note, assembled for your pleasure and use are all the New Years Eve Dinner Menu and New Years Eve Drinks recipes you will need to put together a nice buffet. There is even a plan to help you place the dishes on the buffet. Like the New Years Eve Dinner Menu, it is simple, even obvious, so no worries!

I hope that you find this helpful and the New Years Eve Dinner Menu and New Years Eve Drinks recipes tasty! May your New Year be full of health, happiness and good times! I look forward to being with you in the New Year! I’ll see you in 2016!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

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New Years Eve Dinner Recipes

 

Parsnip Soup

Notes
Yield – 8-9 Cups of soup.

Any root vegetable will do.

This soup can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

It is always nice to have a croutons to dip. Drizzle olive oil on slices of baguette. Season with salt and pepper. Bake at 350F until golden. You can also buy some long bread sticks!

TIP: Want to cheat? Don’t bother straining the soup. Just Buy your favorite soup! Don’t tell a soul!

Ingredients

 

• 2 medium sweet onion
• 3 lb parsnips
• 3 apples, red or green
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup of cream
• olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Dice the onion.
2. Peel and dice the parsnips into small cubes.
3. Peel and dice the apple into small cubes.
4. Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium pot over medium heat.
5. Add the onions.
6. When the onions are soft add the parsnips.
7. Add the apples. Cook until the apples are soft.
8. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the parsnips and apples are very soft.
9. Add the cream.
10. Blend in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender.
11. OPTIONAL – Strain through a sieve.
12. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
13. Serve Hot!

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Garlicy Beef Tenderloin Sliders

Notes
Yield – Plenty of Sliders!

If you are not a garlic lover or plan to do a lot of kissing on New Years Eve, you may wish to skip the studding of the tenderloin.

TIP: Want to cheat? Use purchased rotisserie chicken and rolls.

Ingredients

For The Beef

• 1 2.5-3 lb Beef Tenderloin
• 8 cloves of garlic
• salt and pepper

For The Sauce Raifort

• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 4 heaping tablespoons of prepared horseradish
• salt and pepper

For The Onions

• 5 medium sweet onions
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

For The Beef

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Trim the excess fat off the tenderloin.
3. Peel the garlic cloves and slice them into small slivers.
4. Using a sharp knife, make slice small slices all over the tenderloin the tenderloin.
5. Insert garlic slivers in the slices.
6. Season generously with salt and pepper.
7. Roast the tenderloin on a baking sheet or roasting pan in the oven until the temperature of the thickest part of the tenderloin registers between 130F and 140 F for medium.
8. Remove from the oven and let rest before allowing guests to slice pieces.
9. Reserve any juices from the roasting of the tenderloin.

For The Sauce Raifort

1. In a bowl mix the cream and horseradish. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Using a hand mixer, mix the cream until it thickens but not to stiff peaks.
3. Hold in the refrigerator.

For The Onions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Peel the onions. Slice the onions in rounds making sure to keep the slices whole. Slice the onions thick about 1/4 inch.
3. On a baking sheet, drizzle the slices with olive oil and any juices from the roasted tenderloin.
4. Roast in the oven until tender and just beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

To Serve

1. Make thin slices of the beef (allow your guest to do this as needed).
2. Slice a wheat roll and layer in the beef, a slice of roasted onion and a large dollop of sauce raifort.
3. Enjoy!

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Roasted Sweet Potato Spears

Notes
Yield – 4 lb of sweet potatoes

Clean the potatoes well as the skin is not removed in this recipe.

You can add a dash of chill if you are in the mood for a spicy sweet version.

When placing the potato spears on the buffet, let guests know that it is finger food!

TIP: Want to cheat? Purchase frozen sweet or regular potato fries and bake those. You can also consider frozen potato soufflés or even roasted new potatoes.

Ingredients

 

• 4 lbs sweet potatoes
• 4 tbsp dark brown sugar
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Clean the sweet potatoes well. Slice the potatoes in long spears.
3. In a large bowl, drizzle the spears with olive oil.
4. Sprinkle the brown sugar into the bowl and mix well.
5. Season with a dash or salt and pepper
6. Place the potato spears on a baking tray or in a a roasting pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake until browning and very tender.
7. Place the potato spears on the buffet and let your guests know it is finger food!

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Kale Salad

Notes
Yield – About 1.5 lb of salad

Clean the kale well. If you can get it already de-stemmed, great!

This should be made the day of the celebration It can be made a few hours ahead and dressed right before serving.

TIP: Want to cheat? Make a regular salad and buy the dressing already made. Or, skip the salad and buy crudite, onions dip mix and sour cream.

Ingredients

 

• 1 lb of kale
• 1/2 pound of mixed salad greens
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 large lemon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Clean the kale and greens.
2. De-stem the kale and rip the leaves into small pieces.
3. In a large bowl, mix the greens and kale.
4. Drizzle the leaves with olive oil until just coated. Toss well.
5. Juice the lemon and drizzle the lemon a little at a time over the greens mixing as you go until it is as lemony as you like. If you would rather measure, the ratio should be 2 parts oil to 1 part acid. Mix enough oil and lemon juice in this ratio to lightly coat the greens. Toss well.
6. Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese. Toss well.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Wheat Rolls

Notes
Yield – About a dozen rolls.

Can You Make it Ahead? Absolutely Yes! You can bake the rolls a day or more in advance or make and freeze a week in advance.

TIP: Want to cheat? Purchase nice rolls from your favorite bakery or grocery store. We used our bread maker to save time!! It is a great time saver with so many other things to do! Plus, it does a lot of the work while you are doing something else. Getting 2 things done at once is fantastic!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp of sugar
• 1 tsp yeast
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1.5 tsp of salt

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients in the bread machine.
2. Use the dough cycle.
3. When the dough is done rising, punch it down.
4. Shape into rolls using a 3 or 4 inch cookie cutter as a guide. Place on a baking tray that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
5. Let them rise again in a warm spot, covered with a towel.
6. When they are doubled in volume bake at 350F about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and hollow sounding when you tap them.

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Gruyere and Oregano Popovers

Notes
Yield – 12 popovers

Popovers are a lovely addition to any buffet or meal. If you can not find gruyere, cheddar will be fine. You can also leave the cheese out without adjustment.

TIP: Want to cheat? Just skip these and make extra wheat rolls.

Ingredients

 

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of finely shredded gruyere cheese
• 2 tsp dried oregano or italian herbs
• vegetable oil – like sunflower oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. In a 12 cupmuffin tin, plac 1/2 tsp of oil in each cup.
3. Place the eggs, milk, flour, cheese and herbs into a blender.
4. Season the contents of the blender with salt and pepper.
5. Blend on high for 30 seconds. You can whisk this all together in a bowl, they just won’t be as light.
6. Place the muffin tin in the oven to heat the oil for about three minutes.
7. When the oil is hot, carefully fill each cup 1/2 full with batter.
8. Return to the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and continue baking until they are fully browned.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
10. Serve Warm

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Baked Pears

Notes
Yield – 12 Baked Pear Halves

Find the juiciest and ripest pears you can. The pears can be prepared in advance but should be baked on the day. Keep the prepared pears in the refrigerator covered tightly with plastic wrap.

It might be chilly out, but these are nice with a little Vanilla Ice Cream.

Prefer Baked Apples? Check out this video.

TIP: Want to cheat? Buy a pie or cake at your favorite bakery. Check out the frozen food section for frozen fruit options.

Ingredients

 

• 6 ripe pears
• light brown sugar
• 6 tbsp butter
• cinnamon
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Wash the pears. Slice the pears in half from top to bottom. Remove the core and seeds with a spoon.
2. Place the pear halves in a baking dish.
3. Sprinkle the pears liberally with brown sugar.
4. Sprinkle the pears to taste with cinnamon.
5. Place 1/2 tbsp of butter in the scooped out section of the pear.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pears are soft and the butter and sugar are all liquid.
7. In a large bowl, mix the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla.
8. Beat the cream with a hand blender until stiff peaks form.

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Boozey Espresso Shots

Notes
Yield – Makes about 30 – 30 ml shots

The Boozey Espresso Shots should be made the day of the party. Use a robust espresso so your guests have the buzz to make until midnight.

You can get a can of whipped cream and your guests can make a pretty whipped cream dollop on top of them!

Make a few different versions by varying the alcohol. If alcohol is not your thing, flavor it with vanilla (or other) extract to taste.

TIP: Want to cheat? Brew up a good pot of coffee and put the cream, sugar and booze out for your guests to partake in as they wish.

Ingredients

 

• 2 cups of fresh espresso (15 shots)
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 cup of booze – Amaretto or Mint Irish Creme, Creme de Menthe, or Chambord
• 5 tbsp sugar

Directions

1. Put the coffee in a small pot with the sugar. Heat the coffee stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and let cool.
2. When the coffee is cool, mix the coffee, cream and booze in a large measuring cup.
3. Pour the mixture into espresso cups.
4. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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Dont Forget The Champagne!

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The Buffet Settings

The buffet should be set up in order with all the utensils out for the convenience of the guests.

A Suggested Buffet Setting Plan for A Simple New Years Eve Dinner Menu

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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