Our Favorite Fancy Hors d'Oeuvres For New Year's Eve

Prepare for the big night with these delightful fancy hors d'oeuvres for New Year's Eve that are not so fancy you'll spend the whole night in the kitchen preparing them. Peruse our list of small bites for everyone from the chic, dainty vegetarian to the ravenous carnivore who drank too much. Or the chic, dainty vegetarian who drank too much. Point being: You're prepared.

This is my savory take on the French pâtisserie classic. The filling is a smooth smoked salmon mousse with a luxurious addition of salmon roe that sparkles under the crispy lid of the Paris-Brest.

It's time to learn how to make toasted ravioli, a St. Louis, Missouri, snack you won't soon forget about, found in restaurants and on dinner plates around the city. Join Mario Batali on a road trip across America as he explores the humble cornerstones that have shaped our collective palate. Most of all, Big American Cookbook features simple staples collected from passionate home cooks. They're entirely accessible for culinary enthusiasts of all levels, so get to it!

This slider is inspired by my trips to New Orleans. Catfish and shrimp are ground and formed into a patty, seared, and then topped with Cajun rémoulade sauce, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Any white fish will work very well here — try cod or trout if you prefer.

I first discovered this flavor combination on a tartine at Cyril's, the sultry, candlelit wine and cheese bar my friends Sasha and Michael opened in Portland, Oregon. I entered the restaurant sighing with happiness, leaving the gray chilling-my-bones weather at the door, and my eyes turned to saucers when I spotted these gorgeous purple, green and white darlings on the marble bar counter. Upon first bite, my mind was sent aflurry on how I might re-create, modify and enhance this sensual little snack for my own impromptu fetes. Many a good idea has been born at the behest of a cozy space, the company of pals and the perfect bite to eat, right?

I like to call these creations my little gardens! As well as being supercute, they are so fresh and crunchy, and I like to serve them with a rich satay sauce. 
Of course, you can use other seasonal vegetables or dipping sauces if you prefer.

Like bread puddings, this is one of many ways I like to use up leftover bread. You might think they would be heavy, but in fact they are lighter than most fritters. The bread disappears into these fluffy orbs that are deeply flavored with two intense salty cheeses. They are fantastic, but in all honesty what really makes this dish is the tomato jam, which your friends will want to eat with a spoon. It is great on anything — such as biscuits or served with bread and cheese.

Deep-fried chicken wings dressed with vinegary hot sauce (Frank's) and butter may have started the craze for Buffalo wings, but there are countless versions now. Ours uses Cholula hot sauce and a good hit of ginger, so the heat is sweet. Start the day before.

The word "poke" comes from the Hawaiian verb meaning "to slice and cut," which is all you need to do to the tuna to prepare it. For a taste of Hawaii when I'm on the island of Manhattan, I get the freshest tuna I can and use it as a canvas for a variety of spices and nuts.

The smoked eggplant dip is one of the most popular on our menu — I don't think I can ever take it off the menu. We serve it with freshly baked homemade pita or it is used in other dishes like vegetarian sabich "tacos" with roasted tomatoes, cucumbers, egg, tahini, feta and pita.

You can't beat a fabulous dip that bakes the dippers along with it in the same skillet. I love placing this interactive dip in the center of the table, then stepping back and watching everyone dig in. There's never a scoop left over.