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As we bid farewell to another year and welcome the new one with music, party hats and dancing, what better way to celebrate than with a fabulous feast for your friends and family? Let’s set the mood with sizzling pans, savory aromas and joyful chatter.
This New Year’s Eve let’s cook up something special that will have everyone talking well into 2025. And don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with a menu that’s both delicious and moderately easy to prepare. So, grab your aprons, put on your party playlist and let’s get cooking.
Appetizer: Crab-stuffed mushrooms
Ingredients
- 24 large mushrooms.
- 1 cup crab meat.
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened.
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
- ¼ cup chopped green onions.
- ¼ cup bread crumbs.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375° F (190°C).
- Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems.
- In a bowl, mix the crab meat, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, green onions, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Stuff each mushroom cap with the crab mixture.
- Place the stuffed mushrooms on a baking sheet and drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the tops are golden brown.
Main course: Herb-crusted prime rib
Ingredients
- 1 (5-pound) prime rib roast.
- 4 cloves garlic, minced.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped.
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped.
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped.
- 2 tablespoons salt.
- 2 tablespoons pepper.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450° F (230°C).
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Rub the herb mixture all over the prime rib roast.
- Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325° F (165° C) and continue roasting for about 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 135° F (57° C) for medium-rare.
- Let the roast rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Dessert: Peach cobbler
Ingredients
- 8 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced.
- 1 cup granulated sugar.
- ½ cup brown sugar.
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder.
- ½ teaspoon salt.
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces.
- ¼ cup boiling water.
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for sprinkling).
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425° F (220° C).
- In a large bowl, combine the peaches, 1 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and cornstarch. Mix well.
- Pour the peach mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the boiling water until just combined.
- Remove the peaches from the oven and drop spoonsful of the batter over the peaches. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar over the top.
- Finish with a golden glow: return to the oven for 30 minutes or until the topping is sun-kissed and the peaches are bubbly and tender.
It’s warm, sweet and pairs wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Here’s to a fantastic meal and an even better 2025 ahead. Cheers!
Barry Cohen welcomes your thoughts, suggestions and feedback. For recipes or questions, email barrycohen210@gmail.com.