New Years Clock Countdown (Print Version)

A festive party platter arranged as a clock face with crackers, olives, and cheese cubes for New Years Eve.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crackers and Breadsticks

01 - 24 round crackers
02 - 8 breadsticks (optional, for decoration)

→ Cheeses

03 - 7 oz cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
04 - 7 oz Swiss cheese, cut into small cubes

→ Olives and Garnishes

05 - 24 black olives, pitted
06 - 24 green olives, pitted
07 - 2 cherry tomatoes
08 - Fresh parsley or rosemary sprigs (optional, for garnish)

→ Extras

09 - 1 small round wooden or ceramic serving board, approximately 12 inches in diameter (optional)

# How To:

01 - Position the round crackers evenly in a circular layout along the edge of the serving board to represent clock numbers, with 12 at the top and 6 at the bottom.
02 - Place one black olive and one green olive alternately atop each cracker to mimic the clock numerals.
03 - Set the cherry tomatoes in the center of the board to serve as the clock’s centerpiece.
04 - Skewer cheddar and Swiss cheese cubes with toothpicks and arrange them as clock hands pointing to midnight (both hands at 12).
05 - Decorate with breadsticks and optionally add parsley or rosemary sprigs to fill gaps and enhance presentation.
06 - Present immediately and invite guests to nibble as you count down to midnight.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of appetizer that doubles as entertainment—your guests will actually want to gather around it and stay engaged
  • Zero cooking required means you can throw this together while finishing a million other last-minute party tasks
  • The visual impact makes people feel like you've worked for hours when really you've spent twenty playful minutes arranging cheese and olives
02 -
  • Pit your olives at least an hour before assembly—they're slippery, and wet pits make the whole thing slide around on top of the crackers
  • Cut your cheese cubes relatively uniform; wonky shapes make threading them onto toothpicks frustrating and they won't thread evenly
03 -
  • Chill your cheese cubes for an hour before assembly—they hold their shape better on toothpicks and taste fresher
  • If you want the olives to stay perfectly placed, pat them dry with a paper towel before positioning them on the crackers
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