The year not only ends with holidays but begins with one as well. While the night before Thanksgiving is the actual biggest party night of the year, New Year’s Eve is easily the most glamorous. And after a night of staying up well past your usual bedtime, who wants to wake up the next day and make breakfast/lunch (oh yeah, that’s called brunch). Enter these easy to prepare recipes that you can make the day before or assemble quickly once you pry your eyes open at 11 am on January 1 – enough time to eat, rally, down a mimosa or three and make it to 2 Street.

Buttermilk Biscuits
Aaron Manuyag from High Street on Market

584 g AP flour
54 g sucrose
18 g baking powder
6.5 g baking soda
11 g salt
453 g butter
356 g buttermilk

Cube the butter, keep it cold.

Combine the sugar, flour, and salt together and mix them with a paddle for 1 minute. Add the butter chunks and mix them until the butter cubes are completely coated. Add the buttermilk to the dough comes together

Cut into squares or rounds and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Smoky Squash Soup

Katie Cavuto

3 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 yellow onions, peeled and diced
2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, finely chopped and reserve the sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 pint Greek yogurt
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
salt and pepper for seasoning

In a large stockpot, over medium heat, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil and add the diced onion with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until softened. Add the butternut squash, apple, chipotle pepper, honey, vegetable stock, and water. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree the soup. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Combine cilantro, chopped chives, orange zest, orange juice, and pumpkin seeds in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Top soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of the pumpkin seed gremolata.

Aloo Masala (Potato Curry)
Rupen Rao

In a 3-qt saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, salt, and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring once every minute, until onions begin to caramelize. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

Add ginger; mix and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir once every minute.

Add tomatoes, mix well and cook covered on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stir once every minute.

Add spice mix and stir; sauté for one minute.

Add potatoes along with 1 cup hot water. Mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil and add adjust salt, if needed. Use the back of your stirring spoon to mash half of the potatoes, partially.

Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve, preferably with poori, a fried Indian wheat flatbread.

Greek Banana Split Yogurt Parfait with Sesame Brittle and Honey
Frances Vavloukis

3 oz sesame brittle or any type of nut brittle
2 cups Greek Fage yogurt
2 tbsp honey
1 banana, sliced
1 tsp cinnamon

To assemble, place yogurt, banana, brittle, and drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon in that order in parfait (mason jar can work too) or glass bowl.