Recipes for a Family New Year’s Eve Party

New Year’s Eve is almost upon us! The pandemic introduced us to the family New Year’s Eve celebration, and we loved it so much that we decided this is how we will celebrate every year (until the little darlings move out, I guess!). Each of us picks a movie or show to stream, we make lots of finger foods and mocktails, pull out all the cookies and fudge and candy we received for Christmas, and snuggle up on the couch together. If we make it to midnight, we have sparkling cider/champagne to toast each other.

I’ve pulled together some of our family’s favorite menu items to share with you. And may your family’s 2023 be the best year yet!

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade

We love this mocktail – it’s light and pretty and delicious!

Ingredients

1 ½ cups frozen raspberries
¾ cup sugar
Juice from 5 large lemons
4 COLD cans San Pellegrino Limonata (available at most grocery stores)
Lemon twists, fresh raspberries, and/or mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a blender, purée the raspberries, sugar, and half the lemon juice. Run the purée through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the seeds.

Combine the purée with the remaining lemon juice in a pitcher. Chill for at least an hour. Before serving, stir in the cold San Pellegrino Limonata. Serve in champagne flutes or coupes with your choice of garnishes for that extra New Year’s Eve flair!

Mexibites

These little pinwheels are hands down favorites around here. The great thing about this is that you can make them to your family’s taste; in fact, they’re better if made the day before. The really great thing about them is that you can make them ahead of time. Well, that and they’re completely delicious!

Ingredients

8 ounces softened cream cheese (you can use the light stuff if you must, but don’t use the fat free nastiness)
¼ red onion, finely chopped
½ poblano or green bell pepper, finely chopped
10 kalamata or ripe olives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika or chili powder
10 (more or less) high-quality, soft-taco sized flour tortillas
Your favorite salsa to serve

Directions

Combine the softened cream cheese, onion, poblano or bell pepper, olives, cilantro, and spices in a bowl. Lay one tortilla flat and spread with enough of the cream cheese mixture to make a layer about ¼ of an inch thick. Roll the tortilla up relatively tightly. Set aside on a plate and continue with the rest of the cream cheese mixture and tortillas.

Cover the rolled-up tortillas loosely with a kitchen towel or some plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I usually make these the day before.

To serve, slice the rolled-up tortillas into ½ inch rounds and serve with your favorite salsa. Or, if your kids are like my little monsters, just hand them a rolled-up tortilla and make sure your fingers are not near their mouths!

Orange Chicken Meatballs

These taste like the orange chicken you can get at most Chinese American restaurants and are really yummy. For an easy dinner, throw in some steamed broccoli and serve over rice!

Ingredients

For the meatballs

2 pounds ground chicken or turkey (we use the extra-lean stuff)
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs soaked in 3 tablespoons milk
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon canola or grapeseed oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
2 to 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (depending on your family’s love of spicy)
1 to 2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 jar orange marmalade
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken or turkey, garlic, ginger, green onions, soy sauce or tamari, milk-soaked panko, and salt and pepper until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or cover with foil or parchment paper. Using 2 tablespoons of the mixture a time, make the meatballs and line up on the baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs for about 15 minutes. While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce.

In a large saucepot over medium heat, sauté the garlic and ginger in sesame oil and canola or grapeseed oil for only 1 minute. Add in the pepper flakes, green onion, orange marmalade, and soy sauce or tamari and stir well to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes to allow the marmalade to melt and the sauce to come together. If it is too thick for your liking, stir in a little orange juice.

Once the meatballs have cooked, transfer them to the saucepot. Stir gently to make sure the meatballs are coated in the sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve either with toothpicks for appetizers or with steamed broccoli and rice for dinner.

Happy 2023 from Tanglewood Moms and our families to you and yours!