Cheers to 2013!

Send out 2012 with one final hurrah this year. Host a new year’s fete to remember with a few of our favorite tips!

Deck the Halls

Photo Credit: http://nyshowplace.com

Leave a few choice holiday decorations up for the extra week—a Christmas tree and string of lights add a festive touch, but add a little more glamour. Mini disco balls strategically strung around the party area set the proper mood. 

Maintain Culinary Simplicity

Skip the dinner hour. Kick off the festivities at 8 or 9 p.m., and make it a dessert and cocktail party. Either provide 3-4 simple desserts—cookies, brownies, trifles—or ask everyone to bring one of their favorites. Here’s an easy recipe we like for celebratory occasions:

Sparkling Glazed Apple Cider Pound Cake

Source: Chef in Training

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened                                                                    
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. butter extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sparkling cider

. GLAZE .

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup sparkling cider

Instructions

1. Cream butter, shortening and sugar together in a large bowl.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time along with the butter extract.
3. In a small bowl, combine salt, baking powder, and flour and stir to evenly combine. Add alternately with 1/2 cup sparkling cider to the wet ingredients and beat until well incorporated.
4. Pour into a greased and floured 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk sparkling cider and powdered sugar until smooth consistency is reached. Poor over cooled pound cake.

Easy Bartending

Don’t waste the party tending bar for your guests—they can manage just fine on their own. Purchase enough wine and beer for everyone, but keep the liquors and mixers simple. Purchase soda water, tonic water, cranberry juice and ginger ale, and have a bottle of vodka, gin, and bourbon available for people to mix their own favorites.

Cue up the Countdown

Photo credit: http://www.thedailygreen.com

Turn on Dick Clark just before midnight, and get the volume cranked up so everyone can hear it. Pass out cheap noise -makers and “Happy New Year” headbands, and encourage everyone to countdown to midnight together. 

We are looking forward to enjoying some New Year’s cheer next week, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2013. Happy New Year from all your friends at Hillsdale Furniture!