Hit me with your best New Year’s Eve menu ideas!

[MakeItRain26]

So it turns out I am hosting New Year’s Eve again this year - I was sort of hoping not to as have done every one since Covid but a combination of a) people assumed I would be and were apparently looking forward to it and b) my other friend who was sort of up for hosting conceptually will be hosting a pre christmas get together for the same group of friends means I have said I will do it again.

Anyway if I have to host it again I have decided I am going to HOST it.

I have always felt like new year is quite a long evening as I tend to feed people and then it’s a long wait until midnight.

What are you best menu and games ideas? Will be about 10 people including me and my husband (no kids).

Could you do a murder mystery kit? Then the 'story' might suggest a theme that you could base the menu on, too.

3 slow cooker stews, lamb chicken beef.. then rice in a rice cooker..

Hogmanay? Steak pie is the law in Scotland.

@PhlebasThePhoenecian ooh I do actually have one that I bought for an event last year and never used

Love @PhlebasThePhoenecian idea!

A few years ago we were invited to friends for New Year. They filled the evening with various quizzes / games. It was actually quite good. For example, they had a line of pictures of various famous /celebrity people around the wall of one room so you had to name as many as you could. Also a quiz of things that had happened that year.

They managed to spread it out so we did a bit of eating and drinking and then games and so on.

We just have family, not a party. But we have a nice dinner then games until nearly midnight. Not all the older family members appreciate complicated board games but we do things like Jenga and casino games. We have a roulette wheel and play things like poker for tokens.

At midnight we set off some rockets then have champagne and further nibbles.

I don't like to be too dreadfully late because I like to be up in time to enjoy the New Years Day concert from Vienna.

@5foot5 i like the idea of making some of our own games - things that happens this year is fun. I have a board I could put things on.

Pie and casserole isn’t really the vibe I am doing for - I was hoping to do something a bit more sophisticated ideally.

I’m considering buying some ingredients for cocktails if people think that is a good idea?

I have been known to do 5 course meals. My health means I can't do it as much but I still like to plan.

Home made pork and chicken terrine with a little salad and chunk of bread

Filo parcels with smoked salmon and cream cheese

Beef stew with green veg and dumplings

Lemon cheese cake with cream

cheese and biscuits

For the terrine get a couple of packets of streaky bacon, two or three different sausages, Lincoln and pork and apple work well. You need one packet of chicken goujons and I like to add a pack of chicken livers.

Line a loaf tin with the bacon so it is in strips across the bottom with the ends hanging out.

Get a sausage, take the skin off and make it into a patty or oval shape, place in the bacon lining. Then a piece of chicken, then another sausage, then a chicken liver. Season with salt and pepper as you go, you can add in pepper corns, mustard seeds etc for more flavour

Once the tin is full cover the base with the over hanging bacon and bake for 30-40 mins.

When you take it out there will be a lot of grease, drain as much as you can and then weight the terrine down with a couple of tins on saucers.

Once it is cold turn out on to a plate. Make this the day before, or even make now and freeze.

The filo parcels, get smoked salmon trimmings, mix with cream cheese and seasoning. Take out a sheet of filo, cut in to 4.,, place two at angles so it looks like a star. Put a dollop of the salmon and cheese mix and pull the sides up in to a fancy parcel type. These need about 15 / 20 mins in the oven. Can be prepped the day before and just baked while your guests are eating the terrine.

Beef stew in the slow cooker.

Cheesecake - loads of recipes on line.

Sorry just reread and you didn't want a casserole.

Get duck legs, one per person, dry off and pierce all over with a fork. Put on a low / medium heat for 1 hr 30.

Steam some veg.

Make a cherry sauce.

1 jar of cherry jam / conserve into a pan, use the jar to measure out the same amount of red wine and simmer to reduce to 50%.

If you are doing cocktails then maybe plan to make just 2 or 3 throughout the evening. You can buy big square ice cube trays and put interesting things in the ice so they compliment the cocktail eg fruit. I am sure you could find ideas online

A whole ham or a whole salmon served cold. I think salmon, new potatoes, salads and champagne would be great.

I would do canapés, cheeseboard, cured meats, homemade focaccia, olives etc for grazing on, cocktails, fizz for midnight (Lidl Prosecco is fine, after all plenty will be drunk by then). I'd skip the games mostly but the taskmaster game went down well with my family (adults) even sober as 3 are teetotal! Spotify playlist and party the night away ... trick is to not start too early

Me too! Also for 10 adults. Guests arriving at 7pm. I’m doing cocktails and canapés. Porn Stars and Mojitos plus champagne for those who aren’t into cocktails. Dh is in charge of cocktails and will knock up a large batch of each before people arrive.

Canapés are mini lamb koftas with tzatziki dip (made the day before, bung in the oven from frozen) mini Yorkshire puddings with beef and horseradish (take 10 minutes to knock out) plus a veggie one that I haven’t decided yet.
Dinner is quite retro this year! I’m going with twice baked cheese soufflés (made the day before, then stick in the oven for 10 mins) beef bourg (also made the day before) with mash and veg followed by Black Forest Gateaux. Chablis and St Emilion with dinner.
We will eat around 8-8.30 and by the time we’ve had it all, plus cheese board, coffee and liquors it will be 11ish. Put some music on, pop open the champagne and then it’s midnight. People always stay over (live rurally so no taxis) and stagger to bed anytime between 2 and 4am. It’s a lot of work but I love it 😍

Salmon , baby new potates , green beans , stem broccoli & baby sweetcorn .
Chocolate torte & raspberries .

Google the present dice game it's really fun. There's lots of variations on how to play it.

We do a ham, charcuterie, cheese etc not a sit down meal as as you say it's a long night and people can just graze

I'm also going retro for NYE dinner party! Prawn cocktail, duck a l'orange and black forest trifle.