New Year's Eve appetizers ideas while on a budget?

Okay, here's the easiest appetizer ever for kids...and adults love them too. All you need is sliced salami, cream cheese and gerkins (the really small sweet pickles). Just spread some cream cheese on the slice of salami and after quartering the pickles lengthwise (so they're really skinny) place one slice on the end of the salami and roll it up. You can just stick a toothpick in them and put them on a nice plate. However, for your toddler, they stick together without the toothpick fine. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

You can't go wrong with an antipasto platter and some simple pannini sandwiches. Here's the grocery list:

1 bunch celery

1 pound carrots

1 package breadsticks(from the cracker aisle)

1 large jar olives, or just buy a bunch of mixed olives

Sausages (pepperoni, salami, summer sausage..you choose)

3 different types of cheeses, your choice

1-2 loaves french bread

1 container sun-dried tomatoes

1 jar artichoke hearts

1 jar roasted red peppers

1 15oz. can black olives

For presentation, put the breadsticks upright in a drinking glass. Cut the carrots and celery into sticks and put them in another glass. Put the olives in a bowl and if they have pits, but an empty bowl next to them. Slice up the sausages and cheeses(if they aren't sliced already) and just lay them out on a platter or just a huge cutting board. Put the sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts on the platter as well. Slice up the bread in order for people to make sandwiches. (You could also ask the person at the bakery counter in the store to slice it for you) Put the roasted red peppers into the blender and blend into a paste. Then put the paste in a bowl with a spoon for serving. Wash out the blender and then put the black olives in. Blend them into a paste and serve them in a bowl with a spoon as well. People can just much on the meats and cheeses as a little snack, or they can put the red pepper or olive paste on the bread slices and add their meats and cheeses. Either way, this is simple, affordable, and absolutely delicious! You can watch the Rachael Ray video below if you need more help. Good luck!

Get a box of Ritz crackers and two or three flavors of philadelphia cream cheeses and smear the cream cheese on the crakcers and put out on a tray for guest.You can also get Hillshire Farms little smokies and a four pack of cheap biscuits and wrap one little smokie up in one half of a biscuit do a whole tray and cook in the over until the biscuit is done I make this all the time and they are a big hit! You could also get a few packs of english muffins and put pizza toppings on them and cook in the oven until done, another party favorite! Have a great New Year!

These sound a little funky, but I have yet to have anyone try them that doesn't LOVE them. You will want to heat (or reheat) them to serve them, though. At least they are super easy to make and transport. Spanish Devils Note: these use pre-cooked Chorizo (for eating as opposed to for cooking as was explained to me at the Spanish store) 24 Medjool dates (approx 1 lb. package) - can be any dates, really 2 ounces dry chorizo, skinned and finely chopped (1/3 cup) 3 ounces Italian Fontina cheese, shredded ( 1/2 cup) Preheat oven to 350°. Make a small slash in each date and remove the pits, keeping the dates intact. Mix cheese and chorizo together in a bow. Fill each date with chorizo and cheese, pinch them closed and set them on a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted. If they are large, cut each date in half crosswise, transfer the Spanish devils to a platter and serve warm. The stuffed dates can be refrigerated overnight. Bake them before serving.

Take 1 can of crescent rolls, roll them out and then cut them down the middle so you have 16 instead of 8. Then press or roll them out to make them bigger. Then take 1 lb of hamburger, add 1 pkg of onion soup to it, (do not add any other seasoning). Mix well. Then you make 1/2 inch balls and roll them up in the crescent rolls and fold closed. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15 min. The hamburger is done and so are the rolls. Serve them hot and with any kind of sauce you want or just plain.

Good Luck and Happy New Year!!

buffalo or bbq wings, homemade mini pizzas, taquitos, mini egg rolls, chips & dip, cheese & crackers, tuna & chicken salad on crackers, cocktail franks, meatballs, sandwich wraps, mini sub sandwiches, and taco salad. All of these things you can make at home in large quantities for a reasonable price. Go to www.recipezaar.com for recipes. The site is FREE!

Veggie tray with dip, variety of chips, pretzles with dip,jello jigglers , chicken wings, pigs in a blanket, cheese and crackers, little sausages and much more. Also can add...mints and pickels.

Check out "Taste of Home.com". You will find loads of ideas there.

Make samdwiches of lunch meat, tuna, and/or egg salad. Cut them into four triangles. arrange them on a tray or plate.

Happy new year!

i watched food network live paula deen's recipes for appetizers. this was on tv 12/29/06. look up her internet for recipes. one was made with crackers, cheese and bacon wrapped around these looked good and easy to make. they was called bacon crisp.

Chicken strips,tiny cheese burgers,loaded french fries,fruit dip,mini tomatoes with creamcheese filling, I did this pizza dip from cambles that was So good. Good luck

we just decided we are going to do something too.....we are having Cheeseballs, taco salad, taco dip (1 lb hamburger 1 can armour chili no beans and lrg box of velvetta), pasta salad, chips and dip Then we are playing cards, board games etc. Have fun!