Easy dinner party

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Take the stress out of entertaining. From the five-minute prep on the ham and cheese appetizer, to the “no-bake” tiramisu dessert, all of these dishes can be made ahead and quickly and easily assembled and brought to the table on the day of your party.

HAM AND CHEESE MINI TARTS

MAKES 24 MINI OR 12 REGULAR

These mini tarts are the perfect appetizer. Quick and easy to prepare; they can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated.

¾ cup cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup cooked ham, chopped

2 large eggs

Kosher salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup scallions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan or a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide cheese and ham evenly into cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, salt, pepper and cream. Distribute evenly into muffin cups and sprinkle with scallions. Bake in preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until lightly brown on top and set. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. If making ahead of time, let cool completely before refrigerating. Reheat in microwave for 30–45 seconds to serve.

Chicken cacciatore

SERVES 4

4 chicken breasts, bone in and skin on

Kosher salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 8-ounce can sliced mushrooms

1 onion, diced

1 small red bell pepper, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh oregano or basil (or both), chopped

1 cup white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

¼ cup halved Kalamata olives

Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Place chicken in skillet, skin-side down, and brown on both sides, 2–3 minutes per side. Remove to a platter and keep warm. To the same skillet, add mushrooms, onions and bell pepper and saute until soft. Add garlic and oregano or basil, and saute another minute. Add wine and cook until reduced, then add chicken stock and tomatoes. Place chicken back into the skillet and nestle into the sauce. Sprinkle olives on top. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30–45 minutes until chicken is very tender and nearly falling off the bone. Add additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Lemon asparagus fettuccine

SERVES 4

1 pound asparagus, each stalk trimmed and cut into thirds

1 pound fettucine

3 tablespoons butter

¾ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons lemon zest

¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Kosher salt

White pepper

1/3 cup fresh oregano and thyme, chopped

½ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

In a steamer over hot water, steam asparagus until tender but still firm, about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook fettucine according to instructions and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat butter and cream. Whisk in lemon zest and juice. (If making ahead, at this point, cool sauce, pasta and asparagus and refrigerate separately. The following day, reheat sauce and continue with recipe.)

Remove sauce from heat and stir in fettucine and asparagus until well coated. Add salt, pepper and herbs, and toss again. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and serve. To make ahead, store pasta, sauce and vegetables separately.

Chef’s Tip

For make-ahead pasta:

  • Cook pasta according to instructions until al dente (cooked, but still firm).
  • Rinse, drain and cool to room temperature.
  • Place in a container with a lid.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and mix well, to prevent pasta from sticking together.
  • Seal and refrigerate. Pasta will keep up to three days.

No-bake tiramisu

SERVES 12

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1 pound mascarpone cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups unsweetened strong coffee

2 tablespoons rum (optional)

2 7-ounce packages ladyfingers

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Chill the bowl and whisk beater of a stand mixer. Whip cream until peaks are formed. In another large bowl, whip mascarpone until smooth and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Gradually fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until combined, but do not overbeat. In a medium dish, combine coffee and rum.

In the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish, spread one layer of ladyfingers—completely covering the bottom—dipped very quickly in the coffee mixture. Do not soak, as ladyfingers will become soggy and fall apart. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Top with a second layer of ladyfingers dipped in the coffee mixture, followed by the remainder of the mascarpone mixture. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, dust tiramisu with cocoa powder.

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BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN is a chef and food writer who lives in Trenton, where she is a member of Aiken Electric Cooperative. She has a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and is certified in wine studies from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Calif. Her articles have been published in several regional magazines and in her blog, “The Flying Foodie.”