Artichoke and Crabmeat Roll-up Recipe

Even though you have to prepare, having a holiday open house at your own home means that you don’t have to travel from house to house in order to see friends and family during the holidays. They will come to you. If you can plan just a bit and make food that is fun and visually striking, then you can cheat with a great tray of cheeses and fruit and other simple things.

People tend to eat such rich food during the holidays, cheese and fruit with just a few splurges is a welcome respite. These recipes are not difficult, and they can be done ahead. Here are a few suggestions for your party.

Set up your drinks table across the room from the food. That helps keep a bottleneck at one place from creating a bigger bottleneck. Make sure to serve a punch. You can make one that is not alcoholic for children and those who aren’t drinking alcohol, and those who choose to can add a bit of rum or bourbon or whatever is appropriate to the punch. And you might think about exploring some of the no- and low-alcohol beverages that are on the market now. They can be used to make traditional drinks but without the alcohol.

Unless your guests will be happy with a premade cheese platter from the grocery, choose an assortment of cheeses. You want to include a creamy cheese like a brie or a camembert, a blue cheese — a Roquefort or a gorgonzola — a goat cheese or other non-cow cheese and a cheddar or other flavorful, but familiar, cheese. Shards of Parmesan would be a great addition. Work with the cheese manager of your grocery or go to a specialty cheese shop. I prefer a basket of thinly sliced baguettes instead of crackers because this lets the cheese be the forward flavor. Add a bunch or two of grapes, dates, dried or fresh figs, nuts and perhaps a preserve and a marmalade. That will make a terrific platter.

People will be travelling between parties, so this is party food, not a meal. Here are a few recipes to get you started. Happy holidays.

Artichoke and Crabmeat Roll-up

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
8 ounces mascarpone
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1⁄8 to ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
1 pound fresh spinach, washed, dried and well-chopped
1 package frozen puff pastry, defrosted
8 ounces lump crab meat, picked over
½ cup freshly shredded Emmentaler
¼ cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Place the oil into a skillet and heat to medium. Add the onions and cook for three to five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Place the cooked onion and garlic to a bowl. Add the mascarpone, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika and cayenne into the bowl. Stir well to combine. Add the chopped spinach and stir very well. Set aside the bowl.

On a lightly floured countertop, spread the defrosted puff pastry. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly in all directions. Place the dough on a cookie sheet. With a spatula, spread the spinach mixture over the dough, leaving about 1-inch border around the edge. Spread the crab meat over the spinach layer. Sprinkle the cheeses over the crab meat.

Roll the dough like a jelly roll. Place the seam on the bottom against the pan surface.

Place the dough packet into the oven. Use a knife to vent the dough as it bakes. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes about 8 generous slices

Citrus Vodka Gelatin Shots

6-ounce package gelatin, flavored orange or lemon or lime
6 limes
1 cup boilng water
1 cup cold water
1 cup citrus vodka

Place gelatin in a measuring cup with a spout. Cut limes in half. Remove and reserve pulp. This creates lime cups to hold the gelatin shot. Place one lime half in muffin cup of a muffin tin, which gives you a stable holder for each waiting lime half.

Place boiling water into measuring cup and stir well. Add cool water and vodka. Stir well.

pour the liquid gelatin into each lime cup, filling it to the top of the rind and place the entire muffin tin in the refrigerator until they are set, about four hours. When set, cut each lime half in half. Keep the lime quarters in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 24 shots

Sweet Cream Cheese Dip

1 8-ounce block of room temperature cream cheese
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar (omit this if you don’t like your dip sweet)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup good quality mini chocolate chips

Stir all ingredients, except chocolate chips, together with wooden spoon. As it becomes incorporated, switch to a rubber spatula to ensure a homogeneous mixture.

Add chocolate chips and stir well.

Place in refrigerator, covered, overnight. When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and allow to stand for about 30 minutes. Serve with fruit. Makes 1½ cups of dip