And I have to tell you, I’m so darned tired of cooking. Tired of cleaning the kitchen and loading / unloading the dishwasher too. At present, I’m staring at a dried up, once-gorgeous-but-now-bordering-on-pathetic tree that needs to be taken down ASAP. My punks are all on each other’s last nerve and are currently whining loudly over how bored they are. Sheets and towels from my dearly departed company (they’re still among the living, they’ve just gone home) are piled high in the hallway upstairs, and the DamDog is standing at my feet, relentlessly tossing her gigantic new tennis ball at me, tail wagging in a total frenzy.

So, see how hard it would be to derive culinary inspiration from all of this chaos?

Of course, I realize that some of you will be hosting a New Year’s Eve gathering tomorrow evening, and who knows, you might be turning to FFF for recipe ideas. What kind of friend would I be to leave you all high and dry? That’s certainly no way to close out the year.

I decided to offer up a year-end review, round up, and recap of some of my favorite appetizers and finger foods from the past six months of blogging for Sendiks. Any of these would be perfectly suitable for an occasion such as New Years Eve! In fact, when I went through the archive, I was so pleasantly surprised by the recipes I found, it nearly made me want to call up a bunch of friends and host a party tomorrow night.

Nearly, I said.

However you choose to ring in 2010, I hope you’re surrounded by family and friends when the clock strikes twelve. I’ll see you all back here next year! For now, take a walk down memory lane with me, won’t you? Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order (I’ve noted ingredients that are currently on sale and you can click on the titles or pictures to read the complete recipe):

CITRUS SHRIMP

Served chilled, these delicious shrimp are marinated in a fabulous mixture of lemon and lime juices, fresh ginger, and garlic. Lemons and limes are on sale, as are several varieties of shrimp. Go for the biggest ones you can afford for this recipe.

ROASTED VEGETABLE QUESADILLAS

I usually serve these with my favorite black bean soup, but they make a yummy hot appetizer too. Try them with the sale Pepperjack, or Wisconsin Gouda. Fresh asparagus is also on sale!

PANKO CRUSTED SHRIMP CAKES

Oh…my… THUNDER! I’ve made these three times in the past two weeks and they are ALWAYS a hit! Served hot with a yummy spicy dipping sauce, these will be the hit of your party. You can get away with using a smaller shrimp here, but I wouldn’t go smaller than 26-30 count.

SALSA BAKED GOAT CHEESE

Love. This. It’s so fabulous. Try it with the sale Chi-Chi’s salsa and any of the crackers that are on special!

ROASTED STUFFED MUSHROOMS WITH SPINACH & FETA

So, word has it that for good luck in the New Year, you should eat some sort of leafy green on New Year’s Eve. Here’s a terrific way to work your lucky spinach in. It’s symbolism, people.

SHRIMP PIZZETTAS WITH BELL PEPPERS & BASIL

If you want easy, this is for you. So simple, but really delicious! Feel free to use the 16-20 count for this one too.

ROASTED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

I normally make these with Roma tomatoes, but I think you could get away with using the grape tomatoes that are on special. Just cut them in half, toss them in olive oil, and roast as directed. Just watch your roasting time – they probably won’t need as long as the Roma’s would.

BEST EVER TACO DIP

I had to throw it in. Every party needs a little junk food! Besides, scallions, limes, iceberg, sour cream, salsa AND corn chips are all on sale! What other excuse could you possibly need?

Now go forth and plan a fabulous party. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It’s all about the yin and the yang, friends. A balanced grocery budget equals happiness at home.

And actually, it’s not that I think the Citrus Shrimp was expensive to make – at 9.99/pound, shrimp is quite a bargain this week. Not as cheap as saltines and squeeze cheese, but seriously, would anyone serve that at a cocktail party? I like to think not…well, not if you want people to come back, anyway. We might be frugal, but we must maintain some hostessing standards, right?

I saw these gorgeous, ruby red romas on sale and just knew I had to use them for something this week. I searched all my recipes and settled on this lovely bruschetta. Certainly company-worthy, it’s savory, garlicky, creamy, and crunchy – while at the same time, friendly on the pocketbook!

The tomatoes are tossed with a bit of olive oil (I used the extra virgin Davinci oil that’s on sale), sugar, and dried herbs, and slow roasted for nearly two hours. After that, they’re marinated (I did mine over night, but you wouldn’t have to go that long if you were in a hurry) in garlic and fresh basil …. Good Lord, they are fabulous!

If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, you could easily substitute in ricotta or even marscapone. Heck, you could skip the cheese part altogether if you felt like it (or if you forgot to put it in your cart)! The tomato mixture could easily be used to top sautéed fish or grilled chicken, if you have any left over. I kinda doubt you will, though. Enjoy!

ROASTED ROMA TOMATO & GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA

Makes 6 Appetizer Portions

• 2 pounds roma tomatoes, quartered top to bottom, cored, and seeds scooped out with a spoon
• Olive oil
• 1 t. herbs d’ Provence, dried oregano, or dried basil (you can’t mess it up, trust me!)
• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. salt
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 large pinch of fresh basil, cut into chiffonade
• Your favorite baguette, sliced and grilled (I used a demi baguette and got about six 1” thick slices)
• Your favorite goat cheese (I used a log of Soignon)

Preheat the oven to 325. Place 2 T. olive oil in the bottom of a 9×13 Pyrex dish. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, in the dish. Drizzle with another tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with the dried herbs, the sugar, and the salt. Roast tomatoes in the oven for one hour. Remove, turn tomatoes over, and continue to roast for an additional 45 minutes, or until they’re deep red and beginning to char a bit. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

When cool enough to handle, cut the quartered tomatoes into a large dice. Place them in a glass mixing bowl and add the garlic, basil, and any accumulated oil from the baking pan. Allow to stand at room temperature for an hour or so, or refrigerate overnight.

Spread each slice of baguette with some goat cheese. Top with the tomato mixture and place on a pretty platter. Garnish with additional basil sprigs if desired!