CHRISTMAS Eve is a hectic day for most of us, with last-minute shopping, wrapping, errands and housework to be done in preparation for the big day ahead.
For a relaxed dinner with family and friends, here's a trio of flavorful recipes that can all be made in advance. When evening rolls around on the 24th the last thing anyone wants to be doing is mucking about in the kitchen. With a little planning all you'll have to do is pop the cannelloni in the oven. A basket of warm rolls and a green salad are nice additions that won't require a lot of extra work. Set everything out buffet-style on your kitchen counter and let everyone help themselves. Merry Christmas to all. Eat well and be well.
Pimento Cheese Spread
Offer this with drinks while the cannelloni is cooking; serve with assorted crackers and crispbreads.
8 oz mature cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup mayonnaise
2 small jars pimentos, drained and chopped (find these in the pickle section of your supermarket)
¼ cup finely chopped green onion
1 tub soft cream cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
With a spatula, blend all ingredients together well in a medium bowl. Scrape spread into serving bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes eight servings.
Sausage & Spinach Cannelloni
Yes, this recipe takes some time to prepare, but the finished product is delicious and you can make it a day ahead.
Béchamel Sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups homogenized milk, heated just to boiling point in microwave
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cannelloni: 8 sheets from a package of fresh lasagna noodles, each sheet cut in half vertically to make rectangles (available in the same refrigerated section as fresh tortellini etc.)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bags baby spinach
1 lb Italian sausage, mild or spicy, meat removed from casings (discard casings)
3 cups ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 containers tomato-basil pasta sauce (sold in the same refrigerated section as the lasagna sheets)
To make sauce: Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking frequently, for two minutes. Add salt and pepper; gradually whisk in the heated milk and bring just to a boil (sauce will thicken). Reduce heat and simmer for two minutes, whisking occasionally.
Remove from heat and gradually whisk in one cup Parmesan cheese. Cover pan and set aside.
To make filling: Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and lightly brown, about five minutes; add garlic and cook until lightly brown. Add the spinach and sauté until just wilted. Remove pan from heat and turn contents into a medium bowl. Return the pan to the heat and add sausage meat; sauté until meat is golden brown and just cooked through. Add to bowl with spinach mixture. In a separate bowl stir together the eggs, ricotta and 2 ?3 cup of the Parmesan cheese; stir into spinach-sausage mixture.
Assemble cannelloni: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook two or three pasta pieces at a time for two-three minutes until just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and run cold water over each piece, then lay to drain on a linen kitchen towel; pat top dry with paper towel. Repeat until all sheets are cooked.
Stir béchamel sauce. It should be the consistency of softly whipped cream; if too thick stir in a little more milk. Spread 1½ cups in the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Place 1 ?3 cup of filling in a line along one short side of a pasta sheet; roll up sheet to enclose filling. Place roll seam side down into the pan; repeat until all pasta sheets are used (fit rolls together snugly in pan). Spread the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over top of the cannelloni and sprinkle with remaining cheese. (Can be prepared ahead to this point; cover and refrigerate until two hours before serving).
Let cannelloni sit at room temperature for one hour before baking. Cover baking dish with foil and bake at 425 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven and remove foil; preheat broiler and broil cannelloni about five inches from heat until top is lightly browned.
Heat tomato-basil sauce in a saucepan and pour about ½ cup over each serving of cannelloni. Makes eight servings.
The Easiest Ice Cream Pie
You could pour a little purchased chocolate sauce over each serving if desired.
15 Oreo cookies, crushed
3½ Tbsp butter, melted
5-6 cups candy cane or mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened
1 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp icing sugar
Grated dark chocolate
Stir together crushed cookies and butter and press into the bottom of a lightly greased nine-inch springform pan. Place pan in freezer until crust is firm. Cut a piece of parchment paper the height and circumference of the inside of the pan; butter one side of the paper generously and stick it to the inner sides of the pan (this will make it easier to remove the sides of the pan when serving).
Spoon the softened ice cream evenly into the pan and smooth the top. Cover pan with plastic wrap and freeze until ice cream is completely firm, several hours or overnight. Remove pan from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Whip the cream and the icing sugar together until stiff.
Remove the sides of the pan; spread whipped cream evenly over top of pie, sprinkle with grated chocolate and cut pie into serving pieces. Makes eight servings.
Angela Shellard was born and raised on the North Shore and is a self-professed foodie. She has done informal catering for sports and business functions and enjoys entertaining family and friends at home. Contact Angela at ashellard@ hotmail.ca.
