"Buon Anno!” or “Happy New Year!” Time To Celebrate With “Cheesy Bacon Bites”

As the clock strikes twelve midnight, on December 31st, people all over the world will wish each other a “Happy New Year.” For many people, this symbolizes the beginning of a better year than the previous one. New Year’s is thought of as a time for hope, new goals, and new opportunities. Many people celebrate, by going to parties, drinking champagne, eating, dancing, fireworks, and especially by being with their loved ones.

"First Foot Day" or "First Footer"

“First Foot Day” or “First Footer” marks the beginning of the New Year and is said to bring good luck. It is said that the first male person who enters your home on New Year’s Day, will bring good fortune for the coming year. The First-Foot usually brings several gifts, including coins, bread, salt, coal, or a drink usually Whiskey. This represents financial prosperity, food, flavor, warmth, and good cheer. This tradition started in Scotland and England. So watch who steps into your house first! It is also believed that the more you eat on New Year’s Eve the more money you will have for the year.

St. Silvestro

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Italy is called Capuano (the “head of the year”) or Notte di San Silvestro (the night of St. Silvestro). St. Sylvester I was the 33rd Pope. In Italy, there are rituals or traditions that are really not followed anymore in today’s world. Some of these rituals include throwing old possessions out the window, in the hopes of forgetting past misfortunes and clearing the way for good luck in the New Year. Many people make Struffoli which are round little dough balls held together with honey. These are to symbolize the year coming full circle. Firing up the Yule Log on the last day of the year, is an invitation to the Virgin Mary, who can warm the baby Jesus and then the ashes would protect the house from damage.

Some of the lucky foods that are eaten are round fruits such as oranges and pomegranates which symbolize coins and bring a prosperous New Year. The dinner menu consists of pork sausage and lentils. The lenticchie (lentils) represent coins, being round in shape and is eaten at midnight, one spoonful per bell. This is supposed to bring good fortune. The eating of pork is said to represent the fat, or riches, of the land. Cooked collard, spinach, cabbage, and kale are all to symbolize paper money. Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread is a traditional Southern dish in the US. Fireworks and lots of noise also “scare” away the bad spirits. (Now I know why my mom would let us bang pots on New Years Eve)

Did you know that if you eat 12 grapes one at a time as each chime strikes at midnight on the clock, it is supposed to guarantee sweetness and fortune in the coming year? Each grapes follows a month, (first grape is January etc.) so if you happen to get a sour grape along the way, it is said to predict that month will be a challenging one in 2015. Fish is also a lucky food choice as since most fish swim forward and the scales are believed to symbolize silver. Do not eat lobster or crab as they walk sideways and backward. You want to go forward in the New Year!

Begin an Italian-American, the chance to celebrate New Years Eve with family, friends and the kids were welcomed at my parents’ home. I remember when I was very young my mother would tell us to take a nap in the daytime so we would be able to stay up till midnight. As I tried to nap, I could hear all the hustle and bustle in the kitchen preparing the food for those evenings’ festivities. I could hear the clicking of the wine and champagne bottles that were to be on the table that night. As I drifted off to sleep for my nap, I could smell the aroma of fried vegetables cooking and the sweet smell of onions with sausage with peppers being prepared for our party. The smell of food cooking was a delightful aroma that meant love and family to me. 

As the guests began to enter our decorated house from Christmas, you could see all the dishes of goodies that were being placed on the tables. As the party continued, it was almost that time, when the New Year was approaching. Everyone put on their hats, crowns, had noise makers and we would count down the time, 10, 9, 8, all the way to Happy New Years. This to me was my favorite part of New Years Eve. My mom would give us kids, spoons and the covers to her pots, and we were allowed to go out in the street, and bang on them and we would yell, Happy New Year. As kids, this was the best part of the evening and will be remembered for a lifetime.

So, as I close this post, on the last days of “2014,” I want to wish everyone across the world a very “Happy New Year.” Thank you all for a fabulous year and for reading all my stories and recipes. The fact that you actually read what I write is such a gift and such a privilege, thank you for making me part of your world. May “2015” bring happiness, health, blessings, prosperity, and most of all “love” to you and your families.

I also have a recipe to share, which is called “Cheesy Bacon Bites.” I hope that you enjoy this easy, yummy, appetizer and make it your tradition for New Years as well. I made these for Christmas Eve...

                                                     “Cheesy Bacon Bites” 

Ingredients:
2 tubs (8 oz.) Philadelphia Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Spread
2 packages of cream cheese, softened
1-2 tbsp chopped onion
3/4 cup cooked bacon, chopped
A few dashes of cracked black pepper
2 rolls of Pillsbury Crescents

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Spray jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Mix cream cheese and the next 3 ingredients until well combined. Remove crescents from package. Unroll so it’s flat and seal up any cracks. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough and roll up lengthwise. Slice and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Till Next Time………….

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