Do you do appetizers on New Year's Eve too? Here are my favorite app recipes


Hey there Reader,

It's Friday. New Year's Eve is Sunday. With all the busy-ness of Christmas and Allie's 13th birthday (yesterday), I forgot to get groceries for New Year's Eve.

In my family, we have a NYE tradition. We (*I*) make tons of appetizers and set them up on a table in the living room, and we watch The Sound of Music and eat eat eat eat. We've done this since Grace was 3, and The Sound of Music was on tv on NYE. Grace turned 16 this year, so the living room picnic movie fest is a long-established tradition.

So, I'm getting on my phone after I write this email so that I can get a grocery delivery tomorrow so that I'll have what I need to make all the wonderful appetizer goodness you see below. I hope you see something that you want to make too.

This is an old standard that you can make any time for any occasion. It's great to have around to munch on while you're waiting for the good stuff or just while you're watching tv or – Actually, any time is a good time for Chex Mix. It's super simple, and I think you're going to love the adjustment I made to the seasonings. It has a lot more flavor than the original.

Coconut shrimp and pina colada dipping sauce are my all-time favorite food at Red Lobster. I love them so much that I never ever order anything else. When I discovered that I could make them at home - and they're relatively healthy! - I was in heaven. I make these all the time.

New Year's Eve wouldn't be New Year's Eve without peel-and-eat shrimp. This is a very simple and very healthy recipe featuring Old Bay as the seasoning. You can serve these shrimp hot or cold.

This is my kids' all-time favorite food. They beg for me to make it as a meal as often as they think they can get away with. It's got a low hot sauce to ranch ratio, so it is mild. It has all the awesome flavors of buffalo chicken dip, but it isn't so hot that you need a glass of milk to eat it.

This is a relatively new recipe for us, but it is made from cheese, cheese, cheese, and lots of roasted garlic. It's so good.

Happy New Year! Hit reply and let me know what you're making this weekend.

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