New Year's Eve

I'll be slipping into pjs shortly.  Sushi is ready.  Sparkling red grape is chillin' in the fridge and pizza will be cooking on the stone soon.  Snacks and games and the new iCarly top the list of fun for the evening.   I know you're jealous.  Don't hate. 

Going out with a bang?  Need some last minute snackers and eats?
Try these out for a tasty New Year's Eve!

Cheesy Potato Dippers

1 package (24 oz) frozen potato wedges with skins
1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, drained
Heat oven to 450°F. Bake potato wedges as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in large saucepan, cook ground beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in cheese, tomato sauce and chiles. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted and mixture is hot, stirring frequently.

Serve hot potato wedges with cheese dip.


Pepperoni Crescents
1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls (or my roll dough)
32 Pepperoni slices
4 cheese sticks (sliced in half to total 8)
Prepared marinara sauce

Slice each cheese stick in half. Unroll crescent rolls.

Place 4 slices of pepperoni on each crescent and then 1 cheese stick.

Roll up, starting with large end first, like a crescent, and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Serve with marinara.

Cake Batter Dip

1 box of cake mix (any flavor) (Funfetti mix is really cute for a party)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 cups cool whip
Animal crackers, graham crackers, Nilla Wafers or fresh fruit

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Serve with your favorite crackers.


Smores pockets
Crust

1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (8 graham cracker squares, finely crushed)
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

1/2 cup marshmallow creme
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened (1 oz)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 425°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.

Unroll pie crusts. With 3-inch round cutter, cut 10 rounds from each crust. In small shallow bowl, mix cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Brush both sides of pie crust rounds with butter; dip into crumb mixture to coat.

Place 10 coated pie crust rounds on cookie sheet. Stir together filling ingredients. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon filling in center of each of the 10 rounds. Place remaining pie crust rounds on top of the filling on each. Pinch edges to seal.

Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store covered in refrigerator.

Spinach and Bacon dip
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
1 lb. Velveeta cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 oz. Cream Cheese, cubed
1 can (10 oz.) Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained
8 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled

MICROWAVE ingredients in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 5 min. or until VELVEETA is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 3 min.

Great with Tortilla chips


Savory Parmesan Bites
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

HEAT oven to 350°F.
BEAT cream cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan with mixer until well blended.
SEPARATE dough into 8 rectangles; seal seams. Spread with cream cheese mixture; top with peppers and parsley. Fold each rectangle lengthwise into thirds to enclose filling; cut into 4 squares. Place, seam-sides down, on baking sheet; top with remaining Parmesan.
BAKE 13 to 15 min. or until golden brown.

Calzones
1 loaf of French bread
1/2 pound sliced ham
1/2 pound sliced hard salami
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup jarred marinara sauce

Roll each loaf of dough into a rectangle about 8 inches by 12 inches.
Layer ham and salami down the center of each rolled loaf lengthwise.
Top meats with 1 cup shredded mozzarella for each roll.
Fold short ends of each loaf in about 1/2 inch and seal. Roll from the long sides and pinch well to seal the entire loaf. You should have 2 long rolls.
Bake, seam side down on a greased baking sheet in a 375 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cut each roll into 8 slices and serve with marinara for dipping.

(These could be done with cheese only if you like Ricotta and Garlic, mozzarella mixed together as the filling.)

Chicken Salad Curry Cups
1 can (12.5 oz) white chicken breast, drained
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup chopped cashews
1 tablespoon mild curry paste
24 frozen mini fillo shells (from two 2.1-oz packages)
24 fresh parsley leaves

In medium bowl, stir together all ingredients except fillo shells and parsley.
2 Just before serving, spoon about 1 tablespoon chicken mixture into each fillo shell. Garnish with parsley.