Ringing in the New : ...

If you’ve been knee-deep in Christmas preparations for weeks and only now are catching a breath and beginning to think about New Year’s, welcoming 1986 with a party may sound appealing, but the idea of spending the next two days in preparation probably doesn’t.

No better time than now for some quick-and-easy recipes. Whip up those old “tried and trues” that everyone still raves about. Add a few that maybe aren’t quite as familiar but need only a minimal amount of preparation.

A few tips to keep in mind when planning an express menu:

--Include one or two hot recipes, rounded out with cold items.

--Offer a selection of different types of food--meat, seafood, cheeses and/or vegetables. And don’t forget to include some sweets.

--Choose a variety of textures, flavors and colors: crisp crackers and vegetables, creamy spreads or dips, firm and soft cheeses. Contrast mild with spicy hot flavors; multicolored vegetables and sauces accent meats and cheeses.

--Although many appetizer recipes are finger foods, a stack of small plates, along with plenty of napkins and decorative wood picks, need to be available.

--A wise host doesn’t place everything on the table at once; better to hold back some food for replenishing. Another idea is to bring out something different as the party progresses. This is an especially good idea at New Year’s Eve parties when guests arriving at 8 or 9 p.m. will appreciate a change of pace by midnight.

Perusing The Times’ Food files and asking staff and friends about their favorite speedy appetizers unearthed a bounty of ideas. These recipes are short on effort, but not on taste. Many are deceptively simple, and after being attractively garnished they appear to have taken far more than the actual preparation time and effort.

Proof of this point--Cream Cheese With Assorted Toppings. It would be difficult to find an easier recipe, yet the visual effect is impressive. Three toppings are suggested: mild chile salsa, seafood cocktail sauce with small shrimp and chutney with toasted slivered almonds. Pickapeppa sauce, steak sauce and pepper jelly are other easy ideas.

Frozen puff pastry is the key to preparing Kielbasa en Croute in just minutes. This convenient product is also used for miniature Pastry Puffs filled with Curried Turkey Salad, Ham Salad or Cheese Filling. Remaining dough may be cut into tiny shapes, baked and sprinkled with powdered sugar for an addition to the sweet tray.

Dips may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but a list of appetizers would be remiss without at least one. Spinach Dip is an old favorite and an excellent foil for vegetables. Update it by using some of the tiny whole vegetables, so popular now, as dippers. Another old favorite, Ham Pinwheels, never lasts long on the table, so be certain to make plenty.

The flavor of Bourbon Franks continues to improve as the tiny frankfurters stay warm in a chafing dish or fondue pot. This is certainly a plus when the party is expected to last for several hours.

Seafood can be highlighted in Layered Crab Spread or Shrimp Toast. One is served cold--the other warm--so choose whichever fits into the overall plan. And what Southern California party would be complete without some south-of-the-border influence. Quesadillas and Chile Con Queso may be old standbys, but always are appreciated.

Choose from these suggestions, add some of your favorite recipes, then round out the menu with a selection of cheeses, fruit and crackers. And check your local delicatessen for some other interesting additions.

So there’s still time to welcome 1986 with a party for good friends and family. The Los Angeles Times Food department wishes you a safe and happy New Year. CREAM CHEESE WITH ASSORTED TOPPINGS

3 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese

2 tablespoons mild chile salsa

2 tablespoons seafood cocktail sauce

1/8 pound tiny shrimp

2 tablespoons chutney

1 tablespoon toasted slivered almonds

Appetizer-size bread

Crackers

Top 1 package cream cheese with mild chile salsa, second with cocktail sauce and bay shrimp and third with chutney and toasted slivered almonds. Serve as spread for bread and crackers. Makes about 24 appetizers. KIELBASA EN CROUTE

1/2 (1-pound 1 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry

1 (7-inch) piece kielbasa sausage

Dijon mustard

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 tablespoon water

Allow pastry dough to thaw at room temperature 20 minutes. Unfold carefully on pastry cloth. Cut off 1/3 of dough lengthwise along fold.

Place kielbasa at left edge of large section of pastry dough. Spread lightly with mustard. Roll dough, encasing sausage. Combine egg yolk and water and use to seal edge and ends of dough.

Cut remaining dough into thin strips with pastry wheel. Brush with egg wash and wrap around pastry-covered sausage in criss-cross pattern. Place on baking sheet covered with foil, dull side up.

Bake at 425 degrees 25 minutes or until golden brown, draining fat from baking sheet as necessary. Serve with additional mustard. Makes 12 to 16 appetizers. PASTRY PUFFS

1 (1-pound 1 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 tablespoon water

Curried Turkey Salad, Ham Salad or Cheese Filling

Allow pastry dough to thaw at room temperature 20 minutes. Unfold carefully on pastry cloth. Cut with 2 1/2-inch decorative cutters. Use 1-inch cutter of same or complementary shape to cut centers from half of shapes.

Combine egg and water and use to brush underside of shapes with open centers. Place, brushed side down, over uncut shapes. Place on baking sheet covered with foil, dull side up.

Bake at 425 degrees 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Spoon or pipe (using pastry bag with decorative tip) Curried Turkey Salad, Ham Salad, Cheese Filling or combination into puffs. Makes 12 appetizers.

Note: Remaining dough may be cut into tiny shapes, baked about 10 minutes until golden brown, then dusted with powdered sugar while warm and served as a dessert. Curried Turkey Salad

1 cup finely chopped turkey

3 tablespoons finely chopped celery

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Salt, pepper

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Flake coconut

Combine turkey, celery and onion in bowl. Blend mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste, curry powder and lemon juice. Stir into turkey mixture. Spoon or pipe into puffs. Garnish with coconut. Makes about 1 cup. Ham Salad

2 teaspoons pickle relish

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons minced onion

1 cup finely chopped ham

Combine relish, mayonnaise, mustard and onion in bowl. Stir in ham. Spoon or pipe into puffs. Makes about 1 cup. Cheese Filling

2 (8-ounce) packages cold pack cheese food

Sliced olives

Bring cheese food to room temperature. Spoon or pipe into puffs. Garnish with sliced olives. SPINACH DIP

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cups sour cream

1 (0.4-ounce) package salad dressing mix with mayonnaise and buttermilk

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 1/2 teaspoons salad seasoning

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

Assorted raw vegetables

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, dressing mix, dill, pepper, onion, lemon juice, salad seasoning and spinach. Blend well. Serve with assorted raw vegetables for dipping. Makes about 3 1/2 cups dip. HAM PINWHEELS

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

Half and half

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish or mustard

3 to 4 thin slices cooked ham

Beat cream cheese until fluffy, adding enough half and half to make of spreading consistency. Beat in horseradish. Spread cream cheese mixture on ham slices and roll up jellyroll fashion. Fasten with wood picks.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours. Cut rolls crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Makes 12 to 16 appetizers. BOURBON FRANKS

1 cup bourbon

1 cup catsup

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon minced onion

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

3 (6-ounce) packages cocktail frankfurters or 1 (1-pound) package frankfurters, cut in 1-inch pieces

Combine bourbon, catsup, brown sugar, minced onion, Worcestershire and hot pepper sauce in saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add frankfurters and simmer additional 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 48 to 50 appetizers. LAYERED CRAB SPREAD

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon minced onion

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 pound flaked crab meat

1 cup seafood cocktail sauce

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Appetizer-size bread

Thoroughly blend cream cheese, onion and Worcestershire. Spread in even layer over bottom of 8-inch quiche pan. Sprinkle crab in even layer over cream cheese mixture.

Just before serving, spoon on cocktail sauce and garnish with parsley. Serve with bread. Makes 14 to 16 appetizer servings. SHRIMP TOAST

8 to 12 slices day-old white bread

Shrimp Appetizer Filling

Oil for deep-frying

Sweet-sour, mustard or barbecue sauce

Cut crusts from bread. Mound 3 or 4 tablespoons shrimp filling on bread according to size of bread. Cut into 4 triangles. Heat 1-inch deep oil to 325 degrees. Fry triangles, shrimp side down, about 3 minutes.

Turn and cook 2 minutes. Lift out and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with sweet-sour sauce. Makes 32 to 48 appetizers. Shrimp Appetizer Filling

3/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

1/2 cup minced water chestnuts

3 medium green onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons minced ginger root

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Dash garlic powder

1 egg, beaten

Puree shrimp in food processor or blender. (If using blender, do small amount at time.) Combine pureed shrimp (about 1 1/2 cups) with water chestnuts, green onions, ginger, cornstarch, salt, white pepper and garlic powder. Mix well. Add beaten egg and blend. Refrigerate several hours until well chilled. Makes 2 cups. QUESADILLAS

8-inch flour tortillas

Shredded Jack cheese

Oil for deep-frying

Chile salsa, optional

Heat each tortilla on ungreased griddle or in large skillet until warm and soft. Place about 1/3 cup cheese in center. Fold in sides. Fold up bottom edge, then fold to top.

Heat oil 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep in large skillet. Fry quesadillas until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve whole or cut in slices with chile salsa. CHILE CON QUESO

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles

1 pound pasteurized processed cheese spread, cut into cubes

1 (1-pound) can whole tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

1 tablespoon instant minced onion

Tortilla chips

Cauliflower florets

Combine green chiles, cheese spread, tomatoes and onion in chafing dish, fondue pot or saucepan and heat over low heat until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips and cauliflower florets. Makes 12 appetizer servings.