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What types of bite-sized appetizers can I prepare for New Year’s Eve using my Christmas remaining food that will still seem festive?

Party snacks doesn't have to be elaborate, so New Year's offers a perfect opportunity to clear the decks. The main guideline is to stick to items to just one bite—no one wants to manoeuvre a fork. Guests are looking for a big hug of comfort food with a decadent twist.

Should you possess a bit of smoked salmon left, place it on mini pancakes and crown it with affordable roe. Mini fishcakes are also just the ticket: Whether you've got leftover smoked haddock or flaked salmon, fold it through creamy potatoes, blend with fresh herbs, lemon, and fried leeks, then roll in panko and fry until golden.

You could also have a ball with croquetas. Prepare the white sauce up to days ahead, then use leftover ham, chicken, or foraged fungi for the filling. Whizz stale bread into crumbs to cover them, then cook until crisp. Sausage roll mixtures are another natural home for those crumbs, or use them as a coating for bite-sized chicken. For flavour, just add a bit of lemon zest and thyme, and they'll sing so much more. Incidentally, buttery pastries make superb crumbs, too.

One favourite thing at this time of year is a leftovers sandwich, and that doesn't have to stop after Boxing Day. Get some holiday meats in an sealed tub and store in the freezer. While you're at it, reserve some cranberry sauce and sweet glaze in the refrigerator. When needed, thaw the meat, then pop it in a preheated oven with the saved glaze for a brief period. Let it cool and slice thinly, then arrange on top of some sourdough and start building mini sandwiches with lots of cranberry sauce. Slice into small squares for a surefire hit.

Leftover turkey, meanwhile, could be turned into a zingy salad. There’s always a bit of turkey leg left over, and it's ideal for something full of flavour. Pull the meat, then fry it slowly in a pan, and mix with leftover cranberry sauce thinned with lime juice, a dash of soy and a little chilli oil. Garnish with fresh herbs and some green onions, and present in small lettuce cups.

Transforming Remaining Veg

Vegetables, meanwhile, can be scrubbed up and ready to party with a big batch of fried potato cake. Combine all your leftover veg with fresh herbs, then season and add flour. Stamp out portions to about the size of blinis, then keep in the icebox. Refresh in a hot oven for a few minutes and finish with your choice of topping—perhaps roast beef and grated horseradish. A good tip, though: set some aside for brunch the next day.