New Year's Eve Party

"Ring out the old, ring in the new/ ring, happy bells, across the snow/ the year is going, let him go/ Ring out the false, ring in the true." - Alfred Lord Tennyson

New Year's Eve and Day are upon us, and my menus for both are simple yet elegant this year.

For New Year's Eve, my family likes to have a spread of appetizers on hand to nibble while waiting for the ball to drop. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Spanakopita wheels
• Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Serve with little pieces of toast or chips on the side.
• Cheddar Chives Cayenne Biscuits. Serve these with lemon curd on the side as a spread.
• Caramelized Ham Spirals
• Baklava. This has been a New Year's Eve favorite with my family for years. Either make your own, or look for it in the frozen foods section of the super market.

Being part German, my family always makes pork tenderloin with sauerkraut for New Year's Day, and we burn a Bayberry candle or two (burning it down to the nub is supposed to bring good luck for the new year). Because of health concerns among family members this year, we've decided to change the menu a bit.

• Boiled Lobster Tails. I would only recommend this to people who live in areas where decently fresh lobster is available (and no, it is NOT supposed to smell fishy! if it does smell fishy, don't eat it!), or where frozen lobster can be obtained. Serve with melted butter or cocktail sauce.
• Hawaiian Meatballs. We've been substituting ground turkey instead of beef in ours lately, and they're really tasty.     

As far as drinks go, I recommend Andre or Korbel for champagne, and Martinelli's for Sparkling Cider.

Happy New Year's!