Five 2013 Appetizer Recipes for Your New Year's Party

As everyone starts looking back on all that they have done in the past year, we must follow suit and take a gander at where Much Ado About Fooding has gone. The recipes have definitely heightened in complexity and grown in frequency so we wanted to pass that along as you start thinking about upcoming gatherings. Christmas is just a few days away but after that and all the processes of shopping (or returns), you will have New Year's parties to visit. Cheese and wine might do at most places but why not take it another step forward? Here are five tasty appetizers from 2013 that can serve as perfect bites for your guests and friends as you prepare for New Year's Eve parties!


Arugula Asiago Crostini
This is quite possibly the simplest of all the appetizers listed in this post. It involves the ingredients of a baguette, olive oil, shredded Asiago cheese, arugula, and balsamic vinegar (optional last piece). We like this for how all of the ingredients well very well together between salty, bitter, and savory. You only need to layer them on each other and pop the pieces into the oven for the finished dish. Trust me when I say that these will go FAST!


Quick Chicken Salad
Costco is my friend, and I have been making this chicken salad for years and years. It was a staple to eat during college and then afterward as a quick potluck-worthy dish. Using the Kirkland Signature canned chicken breast, celery, a small bit of mayonnaise, and spices, you can make a chicken salad everyone will love. There is a secret ingredient involved too that makes this a crowd pleaser - check out the recipe to find out!


Mini Spinach Sriracha Quiche
Do you have a little more time on your hands? Maybe you're the one who is hosting the party after all. Think about putting together these miniature quiches to satisfy those looking for savory bites. The addition of sriracha gives it a friendly kick when you eat each piece, and the display is just gorgeous. The recipe will make you a nice handful of these mini quiches which are perfect to pass around (or have on a table) during the New Year's Eve party.


Ghost Pepper Salted Guinness Pretzels
Do not attempt to work on these pretzels unless you know you will have ample time to deal with them. While the recipe and directions do focus on making these look and feel like pretzels, feel free to cut them up into appetizer/bite-sized pieces before serving. The dough is slightly sweeter because of the Guinness but then the ghost pepper kicks in to keep one at bay. Be careful of the heat in these bad boys.


Asparagus Pancetta Flatbread
Who doesn't love a nice flatbread? It's like the grown up and generally healthier version of a pizza. This asparagus pancetta flatbread is obviously going to be a crowd pleaser because of the pancetta. It's like fancy bacon. This appetizer recipe contains directions on how to make the base dough in order to top everything with exactly what you want/need! Think about doing flatbread for your new year's party because of its convenient size and just overall tastiness.

Photography by Duc Duong and Minerva Thai.