Happy New Year!

With the main portion of holidays out of the way, we can come down the stretch of the season with some party preparation fun. Finger sandwiches are a convenient and tasty way to feed the party. Remember to neatly cut the crusts off of fresh sliced bread and add a light coating of salmon dip, tuna salad or any pate that will spread across soft bread. Slice the sandwiches straight across into 1 inch slices to supply the party with a sure fire taste treat. Cold shrimp cocktail and stuffed mushrooms are a wonderful combination for a quick full plate.

You can whip up your own mushrooms with 4 leaves of finely chopped Italian parsley, a half slice of a medium sized onion cut about a 1/4 inch thick and chopped very fine, 1 1/2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, 6tbs. of butter or margarine, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2tbs. of parmesan cheese and about 1 to 1 1/4 cup of unseasoned bread crumbs and 12 stuffing mushrooms. Lightly sautee the mushrooms in a large saucepan with 2tbs of butter or margarine until they are lightly browned and slightly soft in the middle (be sure to coat each mushroom thoroughly). Remove mushrooms and add all of the remaining ingredients except for the bread crumbs and sautee for 15 minutes on a very low heat, stirring frequently. Finally add the bread crumbs and be sure that they are thoroughly saturated by the liquid and that all excess juice is absorbed. Add 1tbs of the mixture to the middle of each mushroom. Keep the sides of the mushrooms stuffing free. Add stuffing until the top is slightly heaping (do not over stuff the mushroom centers). Add a sprinkle of paresan cheese to the top of each mushroom and place each neatly onto a lightly butter or margarine coated baking tray. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and bake the mushrooms for about 18 to 20 minutes until crisp on top. *For best results you can prepare the stuffing and leave overnight before baking. The flavors really blend in.

If you are really pressed for time, you may want to serve dim sum from your local Chinese restaurant. Serve alongside a tray of sliced cold cuts and thick slices of French bread and you'll have a nice variety of food to present. With whatever activities you choose; Have a safe and sound holiday and joyful New Year.