Janet, how about a really good beef stroganoff using beef tenderloin. A little goes a long way and it makes a very elegant dish.

Coquille St Jaques makes a wonderful starter and again a few scallops go a long way. If you really want to serve some lobster how about making a thermidor, great way to stretch the lobster...or even a bisque.

I have recipes for the stroganoff and the scallops if either of those float your boat!

Happy New Year to you, Dave and Chance.

If it were me...........
I'd just order a pizza and pop in a great movie!

Of course, I'd have to go GET the pizza since there isn't any delivery where I live, so maybe not.

But it might work for you! LOL

Deanna

This is a bit embarassing and I could google - but what is Thermidor?

Really good ideas Sharon. Let me check how the troops feel about it before I get recipes. Tho we are not too crazy about scallops, so that won't fly. It is a texture thing for us. I had them on my birthday a few weeks ago and Chance did try them, but only a few bites and she was done!

The stroganoff too sounds good........

j

King crab legs seem to be on sale everywhere here and they could be a less expensive yet still special alternative to lobster tails. Super simple as they are sold cooked and frozen and all you have to do is heat and provide melted butter, lemon and utensils.

Happy New Year!

Lee

Does it have to be shell fish or expensive cut of beef?
I have a recipe (somewhere) for a beef stew with lots of mushrooms and a mound of onions which become caramelized and dried cherries....served over wide noodles it's really very elegant.
How about braised lamb shanks?
chicken livers with mushrooms over toast points?
Beef roulade?...or perhaps a beef, pork and lamb roulade with some sort of elegant stuffing, breast of cornish hen over a bed of wild rice pilaf?
Lots of elegant stuff that won't break the bank for the Disney trip.
Linda C

It doesn't need to be seafood or an expensive cut of beef. I just have some picky eaters here and Dave is not a big beef bourginogne fan so I don't think he would like the mushroom and onion beef dish! Lamb shanks sound interesting, will check that out. What do you braise them in LindaC?

j

This what I'm making for dinner tonight. I serve it over rice..(that's what hubby prefers) I make it all then when it's time for shrimp addition..I pull out a few servings and finish that without shrimp for me...I've made it for guests and they oooh'd and aaah'd..it's got a few steps but once you are prepped it's so easy. I've used kielbasa or hot links..and tonight it's a garlic sausage.

Steph is no longer hosting her site...but here's the recipe thanks to the Way Back Machine..

JAMBALAYA FETTUCINE

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This is a great Cajun delight, and a nice change from traditional jambalaya with rice.

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1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. onion powder

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3/4 pound)

1/2 pound medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 box (12 ounces) spinach and plain fettucine blend

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 pound smoked kielbasa, cut into small chunks

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 small bell pepper, sliced

1 small white onion, sliced in small pieces

1-1/2 cups chicken broth, divided

2 tbsp. white wine

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1. Make a Cajun seasoning blend by combining the salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl.

2. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Use about one-third seasoning blend to coat the chicken pieces. In another bowl, sprinkle another one-third of the spice blend over the shrimp.

3. Start the pasta cooking according to package directions.

4. While the fettucine cooks, heat 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, saute' the chicken in the pan for about 2 minutes or until chicken starts to turn brown.

5. Add the shrimp to the pan with the chicken and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the chicken and shrimp have been seared, pour the contents of the pan onto a plate or into a bowl (separate the chicken and shrimp as they will be added back to the pan at different stages).

6. Put the pan back over the high heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp. of oil to the pan. Add the kielbasa, tomato, pepper, and onion. Sprinkle on the remaining spice blend and saute' for about 5 minutes or until veggies begin to soften and turn dark brown.

7. Add the chicken back to the skillet and pour 3/4 cup of the chicken broth in the pan. Cook over high heat until the broth has been reduced to just about nothing. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of broth and shrimp to the pan, stirring constantly and scraping the blackened bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the broth a bit more, then turn the heat down to low.

8. Stir the wine into the pan and simmer over low heat for 2 more minutes. Drain fettucine and spoon onto plates. Top with jambalaya. Yield: 4 servings.

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*Modified to our taste from Cajun Jambalaya Pasta in Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Restaurant Recipes book.

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Steph's Country Kitchen Goodness

www.stephskitchen.com

I would suggest Champagne chicken. Hubby loves making this dish for a small family gathering. You can half for a smaller meal. There are a few recipes on the Internet but they use either too much cream and/or champagne. This recipe came from an old cookbook and we all like it a lot.

4 lb small chicken pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 T butter
2 onion, finely sliced
2 T brandy
1 C chicken stock
5/8 C champagne
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried mace
1 bay leaf
3 T flour
3/4 C double (heavy) cream
6 oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)dissolved in 1 tsp water

Preheat oven to 425F

On a wooden board, rub the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper and set them aside.

In a large, heavy flameproof casserole melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5 min. Add the chicken pieces and cook them for 2 - 3 min, turning them with spoons or tongs until the pieces are well coated with butter but not brown.

Place the casserole in the center of the oven and bake for 35 min. Remove the casserole from the oven.

Add the brandy, chicken stock, champagne, thyme, mace and bay leaf to the casserole. Sprinkle the flour on top of the mixture and stir vigorously to mix all the ingredients together.

Put the double cream in a frying-pan over very low heart, add the mushrooms and mix together. Do not let the cream become too hot. When the mushrooms are well coated, add them to the casserole (together with the cream) and bring the liquids in the casserole to the boil over moderate heat.

Cover the casserole and put it in the oven for a further 40 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, removed the pieces from the casserole with tongs or a slotted spoon and arrange them in a deep serving dish. Cover and keep warm.

Boil the sauce in the casserole over high heat until it is reduced to about 2/3 of the original amount. Adjust the sauce for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 min. If the sauce needs thickening at this point, add the cornflour to the mixture and stir well until it is thoroughly dissolved.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Al

That sounds good too Al..

If it were at our house, and this menu may very well be what we have, how about making up a bunch of different snacks? Maybe some shrimp cocktail, cheese and crackers, pickles olives. Maybe have everyone make their own individual pizzas, served with sparkling cider for the kiddos and champagne/or wine for the adults? It doesn't have to be a full meal, but enough yummy munchies for everyone. Sometimes we just get take-out Thai food...
(I will admit I was toying with the idea of lobsters this year, but we are in Maine, I imagine the price difference is rather large in comparison)

Our New Year's eve celebration tradition began when I was a child and continues with my own family. We do a fondue dinner (can you tell I was a child of the 70's?) One pot of oil for the meat, and one pot of cheese. Lots of different sauces for the meat fondue. We buy the cheese fondue ready made. At $10 a box, it is excellent. Chocolate mousse was the dessert of my childhood, but now it is more likely to be molten lava cakes. My kids are allowed to bring a friend or date. It is a wonderful evening and often times it is the first time some of our guests have ever had fondue. Shrimp on ice and a salad pretty much rounds out the menu.
Enjoy your evening.
Jo