These are perfect for entertaining. They taste great, they’re easy to make and they look incredibly elegant for lasagna. Since the lasagna is rolled into individual portions, these are great for pot lucks too.
Picture below right: Before going into the oven.
I only ever buy celery when I’m entertaining (ie. veggie platters, dippers, caesars) or when I need it for specific recipes. So I always have trouble finishing a whole bunch of celery. That’s usually when I put it into a stir fry. It adds a nice crunch. You can make a stir fry with any meat and vegetable combination that you like, so feel free to add nuts and/or other vegetables like carrots and mushrooms.
I made these mini cheesecakes a few years ago for a holiday pot luck with co-workers. Several people asked for the recipe, so I knew it was a success. I made them again for my 100th Post Party. It would also make an incredibly sophisticated entree for a dinner party or a special occasion. The great thing about this recipe is that it can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Growing up, my mother made – very regularly – a healthy Chinese bean soup that I really really didn’t like. The memory alone was enough to turn me off of beans in general for many many years. But I’ve decided that they can’t all be bad, so I’m giving them another chance by cooking my way through different types. For example, it turns out that my aversion to all things bean-like was misdirected towards lima beans (Lima Bean Soup recipe here). So for my Cooking with Ali’s 100th post party, I tested out navy beans by making a white bean puree and serving it on toasted slices of baguette. The sweetness and texture of the onions is perfect in this simple bean spread. I also love that the subtle flavour of the garlic takes a few seconds to surface. My guests really liked it too. I owe you an apology, navy bean, for 2 decades of misjudgment.
Cooking with Alison 