Listen - do you hear that

rumbling? It's the New Year's party machine, cranking up and

backing you into a corner.

Sounds ominous, doesn't

it? You think it's so innocent when you accept those invitations.

Suddenly, there you are - with a list of obligations, right at the

time of year when you have the most demands on your time.

Potlucks, drop-ins, "drinks-and"

parties. The people down the street have had you over three times and

if you don't invite them over soon, you'll have to wear a disguise

to walk the dog. The book club thinks a party would be swell, if you could

just bring a little plate of something. And there's that office party

tomorrow - what, you didn't get the e-mail?

There is a way to control the

party machine: Tame it.

What you need are a handful

of really simple party recipes. We put together a few appetizers, all

made with four or fewer ingredients. Make one and you've got that

potluck under control. Put a bunch of them together and it's a party.

Quick cheese rounds

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup butter or margarine,

softened

1 envelope onion soup mix

2 cups all-purpose flour

Beat the cheese and the butter

together with an electric mixer. Blend in the onion soup mix. Work in

the flour with a pastry blender or your fingers, forming a crumbly dough.

Place on a sheet of waxed paper

and form into a roll about 2 inches in diameter. Roll up in the waxed

paper and refrigerate overnight or for several days.

Slice about 1/4 inch thick

and place on a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake in a preheated 375-degree

oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until slightly browned. Makes about 40.

Pesto roll-ups

1 (8-serving) package refrigerated

crescent rolls

Pesto

Unroll dough and separate into

triangles. Spread each with pesto. Cut each triangle in half, making 16

long triangles. Roll up triangles and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 375-degree

oven for 12 to 15 minutes.Serve warm.

Herbed goat cheese

2-3 short logs of Montrachet

goat cheese

2 to 4 tablespoons Herbes de

Provence

Fresh parsley, rinsed and patted

dry

Cut the cheese logs into thin

slices. (Turn the log between cuts to keep the bottom from getting flat.

If the slices get ragged, pat them