Happy New Year – Getting Ready for Party Time – Friends and Good Foods – Welcoming Year 2015 – Goodbye to Last Year – Let’s Unwrap Year 2015 and Be Glad –

Our home is where the celebration began with good food and friendly conversation. I prepared the table setting ahead of time so I could concentrate fully on cooking.

I chose to prepare a variation of Chef John’s Ricotta Meatballs. Rather than simmering meatballs in sauce, I made them twice as large and baked them in muffin pans. I had fun, and the meatballs turned out well.

Marinara sauce I served in a dish to pass.

One couple brought a heaping dish of potato salad, and the other, delicious Japanese fried rice. I added a plate full of fresh green grapes to the table. Certainly, we had all we needed. Egg custard made a light dessert after so much filling food.

After dining and chatting, we played a game of pool. Ladies played first and the men followed. Last but not least, the party moved to the home of another couple, where celebrating continues. A good time will be had by all.

Happy New Year to all of you as we welcome Year 2015.

I confess that I’m home writing this post while Steve is partying. I got up at 4:00 a.m. this morning. (I know. I’m a party pooper.) The party will end when New York City brings in the New Year, which will be midnight Eastern Time and 10:00 p.m. here. Steve will come home in time to greet Year 2015 with me, New York style. I can’t remember the last time I stayed up until midnight on a new year’s eve.