I'm only 2 hour drive from Portland. :) It sounds grand! I still have the old fashioned stereo and speakers (new speakers that I bought in Portland a few years ago) but it might be hard to transport.

Not much nibble making here. Post Les Miserables dinner of Clam Chowder, cabbage orange salad, cornbread. And Ina Garten's Sidecars with Dried Cherries from my new Barefoot Contessa Foolproof cookbook.

Maybe her Hot White Chocolate with Frozen Berries for dessert with our champagne toast. Getting older, might have to do the East Coast midnight celebration.

Here is a link that might be useful: Frozen Berries with Hot White Chocolate

Is this a Portland forum? I am here too and have just 9 for tomorrow but did 60 a week ago and catered from Elephants. If you can get over there you could pick up some black bean cakes with cobo sauce for the "others". Having been one of those for 35 years I always plan for the few who have this and that preferences or needs. I am doing a 100% veggie meal--using the old Mooswood mushroom strudel recipie and a few from Contessa's new fool proof book.
I am wondering what the kids will eat. You could stir up a gourmet mac and cheese and that would cover most bases.
Can I come over? Love the sound of your food.
Ok --we are making the sidecars!!! And I had one tonight --wow and what a punch.

you did not say if others are bringing dishes? We have a about 3 dozen mini cupcakes from St. Cupcake from the first party (that I froze) for dessert and I made my 1953 recipie of Congo bars and also later have Smart food and salt and pepper chips for when ---well well into the crazy games we play--this is a group (not me as I am just the cook) of very smart people so the games are cerebral and eventually take popcorn.
Lots of selzer and such too.
Happy New Year!!

Johnliu - Wow! the menu is impressive! can I come over to your party? lol. Long time ago I lived in Portland for a while.

Cheese and salami are always well received when I have parties. I also have a sliced baguette, fruit and olives. If you have women at the party, they like some sort of sweets, unless they are on a diet. I sometimes have fancy chocolate for dessert if I didn't bake anything. I love fruit salads but when I made them for a party, not too many people ate them.
Anything with bacon is very tasty for a lot of people. I would make for the vegetarians a tray of veggies with some hummus.
People always like a good cocktail for a taste, always make a good cosmo, sangria, mojitos, depending on the celebration.
I am making today spanakopita also but mine is going to be a kale pie that I will cut before serving.

Have a great party!

Silvia

I think your menu sounds great, nice balance and something for everyone. I might add fresh grapes and dried apricots to the cheese plate so it can double as a late night cheese course sort of thing too. And I would add something chocolate for "dessert", but that is just me.

We are doing a much smaller gathering, the 4 of us, our elderly neighbor across the street and our really fun and awesome neighbors from next door (with their blended family of 2 adult sons, a college age daughter and 11 yo daughter) so my menu is much smaller.

I am planning on:

Salmon Caviar stuffed eggs (new recipe I found, total winner)
Moroccan Lamb Chops - the tiny lollipop sized ones
Asian Chicken Patties in lettuce wraps
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Mini Mac & Cheese
Texas Caviar with tortilla chips
Cheese/Fruit platter
Chocolate covered pretzels
Buckeyes
variety of fudge from our local confectioners.

Sparkling Wines
Sparkling Cider
Flavored Seltzers
and full bar available for anyone who wants something sturdier.

Have a wonderful New Year's celebration and a happy and safe year to all.

Alexa

While you're stuffing mushrooms, you could stuff some with vegetarian type stuffing, such as cheese. I just looked up a recipe by Steven Raichlen, because I knew he had some recipes for stuffed portabellas. I bet you could adapt this recipe into appetizer size using baby bellas or button mushrooms. Just disregard the burger type stuff in the recipe. I have not tried this recipe myself, but I've made another similar to this by Raichlen, and liked it very much. I just don't have that book with me now, as it was a library book.

Cheese-Stuffed Portobello Burgers
CONTRIBUTED BY STEVEN RAICHLEN
These Gouda-stuffed Portobellos have more smoky flavor than most commercially available veggie burgers.

All-Time Favorite Burgers

1. 6 large Portobello mushrooms (6 ounces each), stemmed and stems reserved

2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

3. 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

4. 2 medium shallots, minced

5. 2 garlic cloves, minced

6. 1/3 cup coarsely chopped roasted salted cashews

7. 1/4 cup finely chopped dill or basil

8. 4 ounces aged Gouda or Cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup), plus 4 thin slices aged Gouda or Cheddar

9. Kosher salt

10. Cayenne pepper

11. 1/2 cup mayonnaise

12. Freshly ground black pepper

13. 4 kaiser rolls, split

14. 1 small bunch of arugula

15. 4 thin tomato slices

16. Brush the underside of 4 of the Portobello mushrooms with olive oil. Cut the stems and the remaining 2 mushroom caps into 1/2-inch dice. Transfer the diced mushrooms to a food processor and pulse just until finely chopped.

17. In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the bell pepper, shallots and half of the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring, until softened and all of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes longer. Add the cashews and half of the dill and transfer to a bowl to cool. Stir in the shredded cheese and season with salt and cayenne.

18. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the remaining minced garlic and dill and season with black pepper.

19. Light a grill. When the fire is medium hot, brush the grate with oil. Grill the mushrooms, stemmed side down, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until softened and browned. Brush the tops with olive oil and transfer them to a platter, stemmed side up. Pack the filling into the mushroom caps in a slightly flattened mound. Top with the cheese slices.

20. Return the mushrooms to the grill, filling side up. Cover and grill over a medium-hot fire until the cheese is melted and the Portobello bottoms are browned and cooked through, 5 minutes. Grill the cut sides of the rolls until toasted. Spread 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise on the rolls' cut sides. Set the mushrooms on the bottom halves, top with the arugula and tomatoes and serve, with the roll tops alongside.

Sally

johnliu, if you want an outsider's honest opinion, read on.... otherwise please just ignore the remainder of this post. :)

I do think you have too much meat and haven't included enough options for all those "special needs" diets that you mentioned. I just had a small party for about 10 people... of those invited there was one person who is allergic to wheat, one celiac, one diabetic, one lactose-intolerant, and one on a low-fat diet. I tried really hard to make sure that everyone had at least three things they could eat without worries -- and ultimately decided to make everything gluten-free because I didn't want to risk making anyone ill!

I'm certain that your food is wonderful! but depending on how everything is prepared, I see very little on your planned list that can be eaten by those on special diets like you've mentioned -- and nothing that would be eaten by any children that I know. There are definitely not enough vegetables or options for me to eat, and I suspect I'd leave your party hungry. As far as sweets, I didn't see any on your list.

I kinda agree with party music- although I like everything except the mushrooms (and snails), which most people love anyway.
I would add something like lettuce wraps filled with chopped and grated vegetables, no cheese, and a dipping sauce on the side.
And a serious sweet something that doesn't have onions!

Happy New Year to you!

Your party sounds lovely, we are having a similar sounding party at our house tonight. The backyard rink is just about frozen, so with any lucky the kids will be skating for much of the night and the dads will stand around the fire pit drinking.

I haven't decided what's going in the large glass drink dispenser yet, but it's usually a variation on a paloma, since tequila and grapefruit soda is my personal fave. I like to take one strong drink, then keep refilling with fresca, since I'm kind of a lightweight! We have loads of champagne too, so I'm sure I'll switch to that at some point.

That does seem a lot of meat on your menu. Maybe california rolls instead of sushi? I'm planning on a french fry bar (I know, I'm obsessed with my new Actify!). I have potato, sweet potato, and butternut squash fries and a bunch of toppings. Since the fryer only makes about 3 potatoes worth of fries at a time, at 30 min a bunch, I'm making them all ahead of time and will put them back in for 5 minutes to re-crisp and heat up. I have a load of toppings and dips.

We also have puff pastries with different veggie fillings, veggie trays, and a chocolate fountain with way too much junk to dip.

We are not a meat-eating crowd, and I always tend to go overboard with vegetables. I like always having a vegetable within arms reach. I might be the only one that eats them, but it's my house!

For the skating crowd, I have popcorn, pretzels, hot chocolate, and chocolate chip cookies. I've learned from past years with the rink to always have those four things on hand so that I can feed a large group without going broke.

Have a wonderful party and a very Happy New Year!

AM

I too agree you have a lot of meat items and not enough vegetables or fruit. Most folks appreciate a fresh vegetable tray to munch on after all the holiday indulging.

Maybe you could do some pigs in blankets if you have some children attending? You could make them ahead and then bake or reheat as needed; serve with squeeze bottles of mustard and ketchup.

You could put out some popcorn, pretzels, and nuts for the vegetarians/vegans/others. Just read the labels carefully before you buy.

Teresa

Just a thought....when I'm dealing with gluten intolerant friends, I use potato flakes for filler instead of bread crumbs. It might also be good for those salmon cakes.

Everyone's food sounds soooo good, we always have a holiday party at my bowling league potluck just apps and snacks. Hands down favorite is bacon wrapped water chestnuts and and for something chocolate Oreo truffles small enough for a one bite. Happy New year to All. Patty

The menu sounds wonderful John. I would add some fruit. I see only one meat dish but perhaps too much seafood/fish?

I do stuffed mushrooms with a stuffing made from the chopped stems, cheddar cheese and green onions which would reduce the fish by one and add another veggie choice.

Here is the recipe. They really are very good. I served them to Ann T and she loved them! LOL

Stuffed Mushrooms

20 large white mushrooms
1/3 Cup butter (maybe a bit more)
4 or 5 green onions, chopped fine
2 - 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar
1/3 Cup bread crumbs
salt

Clean mushrooms and carefully remove stems. Chop stems finely (I use the food processor). Melt butter in a saute pan. Saute mushroom stems and onions over medium heat until soft but not browned and the stems have given up their juices. Mixture should be quite moist. Add the bread crumbs, only enough to absorb the liquid. Add the grated cheese and stir just until it has melted. Don't worry if the oil separates from the cheese.
Stuff the mixture into the caps and sprinkle with a bit of salt (or you can salt after they come out of the oven...which is what I usually do). Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until the caps are nice and soft.

Hi Johnliu: Your New Year menu sounds great. Is there a good recipe for salmon cakes? I'm looking for one. Thanks in advance.

A salad and steamed rice would be good side-dishes with your perfect menu. One time for a Christmas pot-luck party I brought chopped lettuce salad with cucumber, plus a side dressing of vinegar, oil, sugar, and sliced raw onion. It's simple but people wiped out my salad to offset other meaty dishes.

I usually wing the seafood cakes, but here is a recipe that looks sensible

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/salmon-cakes-recipe/index.html

Basically I figure you need aromatics, salt, pepper, herbs, a binder, and some heat (spice). And the salmon.

HEre are the salmon and caviar eggs. Ready to roll them out in a couple of hours!

Alexa

OMG Alexa those are so cute! John your party sounds fab to me but I love seafood!! Happy New Year! We want photos, lol! That way we can celebrate vicariously. I have to work Wed. and had to work Mon. so our New Year's celebration will be sleeping in and maybe a champagne brunch for me and my tired SO. We are both still fighting a cold/flu cough thingie.

Those are beautiful! What a great idea.

I am running behind as usual.