What do you do on New Year’s Eve? Nearly every year for as long as I can remember, I have stayed home, watched a movie and ate some delicious food. At midnight, I always have some sort of sparkling wine or champagne.

Back when I was a teen, our family tradition was to eat a spread of appetizers in lieu of dinner: ultra-hot buffalo wings, spicy nachos and mozzarella sticks. Then we’d watch a movie that ended just in time for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. These days, I still watch the movie. However, dinner is takeout eaten earlier in the evening with the kids.

But I still love the idea of an apps spread.

Looking for a great appetizer for your New Year’s Eve celebration? These 10 fabulous appetizers (after the jump) are perfect.

1. Turkey Pepperoni and Cheese Stuffed Puff Pastry – Flaky puff pastry is stuffed with two cheeses and slices of turkey pepperoni. This kid- and guy-friendly appetizer is a great finger food.
2. Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip – Just the idea of spinach, artichokes and cheese in a piping hot dip is enough to make the mouth water. This delicious version from In Good Taste lightens it up a little.
3. Mango Chipotle Shrimp – These sweet and spicy shrimp are a definite crowd-pleaser. Serve them on cut toothpicks with extra sauce in a bowl for dipping.
4. Chipotle Lime Deviled Eggs – Deviled eggs are one of those quintessential appetizer foods that look perfect on an appetizer spread. This spicy-tangy version comes from Kalyn’s Kitchen.
5. Roasted Garlic and Artichoke Bread – Sweet and rich roasted garlic is spread on bread and topped with tangy roasted artichoke hearts and then sprinkled with asiago. It’s a little bit complicated but totally worth the effort.
6. Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pears – Are you drooling yet? Sweet, creamy and salt come together in this mouthwatering appetizer from Sweetnicks.
7. Prosciutto Wrapped Roasted Asparagus – Salty prosciutto makes roasted asparagus just amazing. This one is so quick and easy, yet totally beautiful on a plate.
8. Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers – Small sweet peppers are stuffed with herbs, tomatoes and cheese. Not only are these tasty, but they also can be made ahead. Score!
9. Fillo Clams Casino – Love the salty, buttery taste of clams casino? These delicious little cups have it, no clam-opening required (read: way easier!).
10. Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil – I am a big fan of cooking in season, but bruschetta is a bright and wonderful appetizer for any time of year. This one from Simply Recipes sounds perfect.

This evening, we will don our finery and head to a beautiful Christmas Eve service. Then we will pick up Chinese food and head home. We’ll change into our PJs, watch a Christmas movie and eat. It’s going to be grand.

The kids are excited beyond belief. This is the first year that they’ve both shared in the excitement. It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing. I cannot wait to see their faces tomorrow morning …

From all of us here in the Sarah’s Cucina Bella household to all of you, have a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Holidays and a joyous weekend.

Our massive lawn is buried deep beneath snow. Our driveway is still white, though passable even with my little Civic. And those big C9 lights that I rushed to put up a few weeks ago really glisten against the wintery backdrop. It’s a winter wonderland out there.

For the first time in years, Will got on a sled this weekend. It was a big thing. See, as a toddler, he tried sledding once and went flying. He wasn’t injured, but he was frightened by it all. So, this is the first year in years that he actually gave it another try. As it turns out, he now absolutely loves the rush of it all. Heck, so do I. Paige tried sledding too and liked it … until she started to get cold. And that was that.

It’s been hard to get fully into the Christmas spirit this year. It seems like in a blink of an eye we went from Halloween to the week of Christmas. I’ve barely had time to stop and enjoy it along the way. And since I did most of our shopping online this year (free shipping really does rock!), I wasn’t as exposed to the carols and hustle-bustle of mall shopping. I know most people hate it, but I kind of like it myself.

Anyway, don’t take any of this the wrong way–I can’t wait for Christmas to come.

The best news? This week things have started to fall mentally into place. A family holiday party this weekend was filled with laughs and the joy of seeing all the kids running around together. Then the Sunday snowstorm sent us outside to play. We’ve finally trimmed the tree and begun wrapping presents. Although I said I wouldn’t, I made some holiday treats too. We have more baking planned for later this week … and I think I might take the kids to their first ever Christmas Eve service. It is my favorite of the year.

Now, for Christmas Eve, I don’t cook. It’s a night for takeout in this house. However, if I were to cook Christmas Eve dinner, this recipe would be on the menu. These delicious shrimp are cooked in a rich sauce of butter, garlic, shallots and a hint of lemon (yes, it seems like a lot of lemon when you add it, but the flavor mellows during the cooking process). I just love these, and so did the kids.

I also love that they are easy and fast to make.

So, tell me, am I the only one who’s felt like the last few months have flown by? Have you had a hard time getting into the spirit too?

Buttery Roasted Shrimp
serves 4

1 lb raw large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1/4 cup unsalted butter
juice of 1 lemon
2 finely chopped shallots
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 tsp Kosher salt
ground black pepper

Preheat the broiler on high.

In a shallow, broiler-safe dish, melt the butter over a medium-low heat (on the stovetop). Add the lemon juice, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper and stir well to combine. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.

Broil the shrimp for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly browned and firm.

Transfer to a serving dish and pour the pan sauce over. Serve immediately.

NOTE: These shrimp are also delicious tossed with pasta.

What I’m Cooking With: A round, oven safe casserole dish, a wooden spatula and a slotted spoon.

Peppermint. Dark chocolate. White chocolate. Those flavors together just scream winter and holidays and good times. It’s hard to believe that I went so many years without tasting this delightful combination, but ever since I did, I’ve been hooked. Love it.

In the past few years, I’ve made a delicious (and easy!) Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark, created some simply irresistible Deconstructed Peppermint Bark Cookies and a decadent Chocolate Peppermint Pie. There was also a chocolate peppermint roulade, which I must have never blogged about. In any case, I wanted one more to my chocolate peppermint list: Peppermint Bark Coated Pretzels.

Oh, these are divine. They take all the goodness of regular peppermint bark and wrap it around a small, salty pretzel. A little crunch, a little sweet, a little salt … oh what a combination.

Make up a batch of these babies and give ‘em away this week. Or, maybe just eat them yourself. They are amazing.

Peppermint Bark Coated Pretzels

9 oz dark chocolate, chopped into pieces
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2 cups mini pretzel twists
3 oz white chocolate
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Once it’s fully melted and smooth, stir in the peppermint extract. Then drop a few pretzels in at a time, using a skewer or fork to flip and then fish out. Set the chocolate covered pretzels on a sheet of waxed paper to harden.

Once the chocolate is hardened, melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Drizzle over the pretzels and then sprinkle with the crushed peppermint. Let harden completely and then package for giving … or just devour them yourself.

Here’s a few ideas:

Boxes/Tins

Use for brownies and cookies. Wrap them in parchment or place in a sealed bag before putting into the box or tin. This is best if you are giving one type of treat. (Shown: Ikea, $2.99 for a set of three)

Treat Bags

Use for cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, scones or even small loaves of bread. Some candies could also be contained in treat bags. Tie with a pretty ribbon or seal with a nice metallic sticker. These are best for holiday party favors or for packaging inside a larger basket or bag. (Shown: Michael’s, price varies)

Buckets/Baskets

Use for small cookies, chocolate covered pretzels or candies that are sealed in treat bags. Tie a ribbon around the top of the bucket. Use larger baskets for a mix of treats such as several types of cookies and confections. Buckets are best for gifting one type of treat in a smaller portion.  (Shown: Target, $1)

Ribbons

Use to dress up treat bags, baskets, buckets and cookie jars. Thin ribbons are best for treat bags, while medium to wider ribbons can be a nice touch for buckets and baskets. (Shown: Michael’s and Target, prices vary)

How do you package your holiday treats?

Now, how did these presents get selected? Simple. These are the things that a) are indispensable in my kitchen or b) are on my Christmas list this year.  I love every single thing mentioned here. To make it super easy, I’ve arranged them in several price categories: Under $25, Under $50, Under $100 and Over $100, so you can find one that meets your budget.

Under $25

Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop – Know someone who loves to bake cookies? Then they need a good cookie scoop. I don’t know how I ever lived without the Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop. It was totally life changing when it came to scratch-made cookies. Not only do my cookies come out even and perfect every single time, but clean up is a breeze and I am never left cursing cookie dough-crusted spoons. The small one is perfect for most cookies and that’s the one that I bought more than a year ago. However, I am now coveting the large scoop too. The idea of making big, thick cookies is very alluring.

Microplane Grater/Zester – Every single homecook should have a Microplane Grater/Zester. Seriously. It’s an unbelievably useful thing. Why? It perfectly zests limes, lemons and other fruits (read: awesome flavor addition) and can also grate cheese into delicate ribbons — very pretty.

OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set – Years ago, I saw these measuring cups and wanted them so badly. Onto my wedding registry, they went … and a wonderful coworker of mine bought them for me. I cannot say enough good things about the OXO Good Grips Angled Measuring Cups Set. They are so easy to use, with measurements on the sides and an angled bar too … it makes it so simple to see if you are getting the right amount. Everyone should have a set.

A Great Cookbook – There are so many fantastic cookbooks out there. With cookbooks from bloggers hitting the shelves at a rapid rate, there are so many accessible volumes to choose from these days. For a more classic take, try Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume One. It’s a revered book that every home cook should have. It demystified French cuisine at a time when TV dinners were ultra-popular.

A Cookie Jar – Does the person on your list love baking? If so, a great cookie jar is a fantastic gift. Pier 1 has several ones for under $25. How about an adorable snowman? Or those pretty sunflowers? For the fashionista baker, the Handbag Cookie Jars at Neiman Marcus are absolutely perfect.

Under $50

Breading Pans – Williams-Sonoma has the absolute right idea with this set of three stainless steel breading pans. Breading anything can be a pain. Bowls hold the right amount of flour and egg, but the curved sides make it so hard to do a good job. Plates don’t hold enough but the flat surface is perfect. These pans combine those two positive attributes.

Seattle Chocolates Truffle Bars – Chocolate can be so subjective. Some people swear by the commercial brands, others crave artisan varieties. But these truffle bars, with their rich, creamy centers, are indisputably delicious. Tied with a nice brown ribbon (perfect for repurposing!), the Truffle Bars gift set comes with 10 bars, in fantastic flavors like Meltaway Mint and Cappuccino Crunch. Worth every penny. Seriously. These are amazing.

Cuisinart Green Gourmet Eco-Friendly Skillets – I’ve always been a little fearful of all things nonstick. The coating deteriorates and starts leaving black bits in the food — long before I knew why that was a health issue, I had a big problem with it. That’s why I am so excited about this new eco-friendly nonstick line from Cuisinart. Available in three sizes, the 12-inch is perfect for cooking up meats (like a healthy, low oil frying?) or pancakes. The 10-inch and 8-inch could be awesome for omelets. I am hoping to add one or two of these to my kitchen soon. (Hint! Hint!)

Under $100

Ronco Showtime Compact Rotisserie – Seriously? A rotisserie. All I can say is yes. I have a larger version of this and it’s amazing. Not only does it let all the fat just drain off the meat, but it produces juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside roasts, chickens and more every time. This compact model isn’t quite as big (a definite plus), so it’s a little easier to find space for in the cabinets. And seriously, a rotisserie meal in the dead of winter is as good as it gets.

A Centerpiece Bowl – If the person on your list does a lot of entertaining, then a centerpiece bowl can be a fabulous gift. Look for something that speaks to their taste, in colors that they would choose. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean that it has to match their dining room. Just make it to their tastes. A few of my favorites: The Agave Bowl from Crate and Barrel, the Oleander Bowl from Crate and Barrel, the Great White Heirloom Serving Bowl from Pottery Barn and the Red Luster Serving Bowl from Pier 1.

A Cooking Class – Ask around in your area for where cooking classes are offered. Many are under $100, and a true food lover would love a great class. If you aren’t sure what kind of cooking class they’d like, get a gift certificate so they can choose their own specialization.

Over $100

KitchenAid 90th Anniversary Limited-Edition 5-Quart Stand Mixer – Most serious cooks I know cannot live without their stand mixer. And in terms of stand mixers, Kitchen Aid sets the standard. The new KitchenAid 90th Anniversary Limited-Edition 5-Quart Stand Mixer in Candy Apple Red isn’t just a pretty machine (and really … that red is pretty!) — it’s a powerful mixer perfect for many home uses. With a glass bowl, you can always keep track of how things are progressing.

Le Creuset Round French Oven – Every cook needs a Dutch oven and this 5 1/2 quart one from Le Creuset is perfect for braising, stewing and more. I have several Le Creuset pieces, though not a Dutch oven, and love how easy they are to clean and how pretty they are to cook with. This falls high on my list of wants for this Christmas.

Multicolor Bowls – Growing up, my grandmother had a mustard colored ceramic bowl that she used to mix things in. It was sturdy, heavy and perfect for just about everything. This set of seven Multicolored Bowls from Williams-Sonoma remind me of the solid reliability of that mixing bowl. Yes, they are pricey, but they are also wonderful double duty items (mix and serve in them!).

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving yesterday! Ours was perfect – relaxed, happy and filled with good new memories. My kids and I watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television, a favorite tradition of mine. Later, Shawn and I took to the kitchen to prep our meal – Shawn does the turkey and I do the rest (FYI, the table above is last year’s spread, check out this year’s recap here). Then, our company came and we all stuffed ourselves.

Perfect.

Now that it’s the ubiquitous day after, you probably have a fridge full of leftovers just begging to be used. I sure do! But seriously, there are only so many meals that you can eat reheated turkey and mashed potatoes for. Instead of zapping everything back to life, give the turkey, stuffing and cranberries a new life. Here’s how.

Turkey Leftover Recipes

• Traditional turkey sandwiches are great. But for a revamped version, try a Turkey, Fontina and Pancetta Pita Sandwich. Substitute warmed leftover turkey for the turkey cutlets.
• I love this sandwich idea from Kalyn’s Kitchen – use your leftover turkey to make Turkey and Guacamole Quesadillas. Talk about giving the those leftovers a whole new life with this Tex-Mex twist.
• Like risotto? You are going to love Artichoke, Turkey and Kalamata Risotto. With the days getting cold, this is the perfect substantial bite for a chilly winter night.
• I can attest that the recipe for Thanksgiving Stromboli from Sweetnicks is absolutely amazing. Flavorful, economical and just plain delish, you really need to try it. Mmm.
• Don’t toss the turkey carcass! It’s easy to transform it into a fantastic turkey stock. Then, that use that turkey stock to create a fabulous soup like Portabella and White Bean Soup. Delish!

Cranberry Sauce Leftover Recipes

• Ready for breakfast? Whip up a Cranberry Coffeecake with leftover cranberry sauce. It’s awesome to wake up to.
• For a breakfast goodie that is a little speedier, check out the Morning-After Cranberry Sauce Muffins at Serious Eats.
• How about dessert? Epicurious has a tasty-sounding recipe for Apple-Cranberry Crumb Pie. Who doesn’t need just a little more pie?
• Go decadent with this White Chocolate-Cranberry Creme Brulee from My Recipes. Doesn’t the sound of that just make you drool?

Stuffing/Dressing Leftover Recipes

• Hungry for something savory for breakfast? Check out Robin Miller’s Stuffing Frittata recipe on Food Network. With a healthy dose of two cheeses and some leftover stuffing, it sounds delightful.
• For me, the best part of stuffing are the crispy bits. How about making your leftover stuffing into a crispy Stuffing Bite? Better yet, Sunny Anderson’s recipe also uses up some leftover cranberry sauce.
• AOL Food has the right idea with their Stuffed Mushrooms, using up some leftover stuffing. What an awesome appetizer.

From our family to yours, we hope you had a wonderful, joyous, happy Thanksgiving.

When I was in first or second grade, we learned about cornucopias. Somewhere between coloring the ditto sheet and learning about this so-called horn-of-plenty, I decided that my family was totally missing the boat on this incredibly important holiday tradition. I went home and all but demanded that our Thanksgiving table feature one. And it needed to be made of bread (sort of like this).

What? Me? Demanding? Nah. Never.

I thought of that today when the kids and I went to Michael’s today for Thanksgiving centerpiece supplies. There on the shelf was a beautiful, dark, woven cornucopia basket. I yelped – yes, outloud – when I saw it. And, of course it came home with me. The basket was about $15, and you fill it as much as you can with fruits, veggies, flowers and leaves. It’s meant to symbolize a bounty. Bonus: if you use fruits and veggies, you can eat them post-Thanksgiving.

If a once-a-year basket isn’t in your budget, and you aren’t mildly obsessed with cornucopias like me, I have a few more centerpiece ideas for you.

Capitalize on the plentiful bounty idea with this cute apple barrel, also from Michael’s. At $5, it’s very affordable and can easily be reused. It’s perfect for collecting veggies from the garden, shopping at the farmers’ market or even collecting Christmas cards.

For a centerpiece, fill it up high with apples, oranges, pears and lemons. If you want to take it a step further, put a few fall leaves on the table and set the barrel on top. Then, flank it with a small pumpkin or two

Looking for a more minimalistic take on the centerpiece? Yes, big centerpieces are nice, but they can inhibit discussion. Seriously, do you want to talk to Aunt Milly through the giganto floral arrangement? So a simpler take can be absolutely fabulous.

This simpler centerpiece can be made for just a few dollars, particularly if you repurpose a candle you already have. Just wrap two sugar pumpkins with a metallic ribbon, using tape to secure (you want it to be completely removeable if you are going to cook them). Then place a candle between them. Here, I’ve used a small pumpkin-scented pillar candle in a metallic candle holder. Want something a little bigger? Add two more candles to the mix on the other side of each pumpkin.

See? Simple and easy.

Now, which centerpiece do you think I should use this year?

They are a lot different than I was. Growing up, I drank way too much soda. Seriously. We won’t get into quantities, but it was a lot. Too much. (Hey, it was the 80s, and many parents just didn’t know better. My kindergarten best friend brought soda in her thermos to school once. It exploded all over out desks … true story.)

My kids? Aside from Will having a sip maybe once (he wasn’t a fan), they don’t drink soda and haven’t really had it. And they aren’t interested in it either. I am so glad for that. I really don’t want soda to be their go-to drink like it was for me.

That said, on holidays, things are a little more lax. And considering that half of our Thanksgiving guests are of the under-18 variety, I like to have something a little special for them to drink. This spritzer fits that bill.

Since you are cutting tart pomegranate juice (I like the POM brand) with sweet ginger ale, it ends up with a nice not-too-sweet, just a little bite, flavor. And with the bubbles in a stemmed glass, it feels special too.

Will my kids drink this? Will might. Paige probably won’t. But if she does, that’s okay too. After all, it’s Thanksgiving – A special day.

Simple Pomegranate Spritzer
makes 1 drink

ice
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup ginger ale

Add several cubes of ice to a stemmed glass. Pour the pomegranate juice in. Then, add the ginger ale (yes, the order in which you make this totally matters).  Do not stir. Serve immediately.