Simplify holiday celebrations with festive appetizers prepared in advance

I love to entertain at home year-round. But I’m especially fond of having friends and family over during the holidays.

In order to keep entertaining casual and stress-free, I like to have a couple of delicious do-ahead recipes stocked in my fridge or freezer. I can quickly pop these into the oven at a moment’s notice to turn any gathering into a hassle-free party. These two holiday-inspired recipes are easy and delicious and can be made in advance, helping to make holiday entertaining a cinch.

These Christmas sausage pinwheels are my family’s favorite and can be served as a hearty appetizer with cocktails or as a Christmas morning snack to enjoy while opening up gifts around the tree. The pinwheels are made with a savory filling of spicy breakfast sausage, ground beef, sage, thyme and other spices. And they’re wrapped up in puff pastry sheets that can be found in the freezer section of any grocery store. I normally make them a few weeks before the holiday season and keep them on hand in the freezer.

I also like to serve these pinwheels with a cranberry chutney. The tangy cranberries and earthy spices in the chutney help to offset the richness of the sausage, balancing out the flavors beautifully. This chutney is also a delicious condiment to serve with all types of smoked and roasted meats or with nice, sharp cheeses on a charcuterie board. ’Tis the season!

Christmas sausage pinwheels

Yields 36 pinwheels

3 frozen puff pastry sheets

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

1 pound bulk hot breakfast sausage

1 pound lean ground beef

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon ground sage

¼ teaspoon ground thyme

¼ cup plain panko breadcrumbs

Flour

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons water

1. Remove the puff pastry sheets from the freezer and allow them to thaw. Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the onions, celery, Worcestershire sauce and 1 egg into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Purée until the mixture is smooth.

3. Put the sausage and ground beef into a large mixing bowl and then pour the onion/egg mixture over top. Add salt, pepper, sage, thyme and breadcrumbs. Mix well until everything is incorporated evenly.

4. Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll one of the puff pastry sheets out to a 10-by-12 rectangle. Divide the meat mixture into 3 portions.

5. Next, turn the dough so the shorter sides of the rectangle are the vertical sides. Place one of the portions of the meat in the center of the dough. Spread the meat evenly across the dough to about 1⁄8-inch thickness, leaving a one-inch border down both the right and left sides.

6. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water to create an egg wash. Brush a little of the egg wash mixture down the borders to help the edges seal once it is rolled. Beginning with the left side, roll the dough to create a log, using the right-side border with the egg wash to seal the seam.

7. Lightly cover the sausage log and place it in the fridge to chill. Repeat the steps to create 3 sausage logs in total. Chill the sausage log for at least 1 hour in the fridge. This can be made 3 days in advance or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

8. When ready to bake, remove the sausage log from the refrigerator and slice into ½– to ¾-inch slices. Place your desired pinwheels onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Store remaining pinwheels in a single layer in a zip-close bag in the freezer.

9. Bake the pinwheels for 10 minutes. Flip the pinwheels and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes or until golden and flaky. Serve the pinwheels warm with cranberry chutney (recipe follows).

Cranberry chutney

Yields 2 cups

2 tablespoons diced shallots

2 tablespoons avocado oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons dried Jamaican jerk seasoning

2 teaspoons curry powder

4 cinnamon sticks

½ cup light brown sugar

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced

10 ounces red pepper jelly

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon orange zest

½ cup orange juice

½ cup dry white or rosé wine

1. In a heavy sauce pot, sauté the shallots in the avocado oil along with the salt, red pepper flakes, jerk seasoning and curry powder for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until everything is incorporated. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.

3. Cover the chutney and simmer for another 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often to prevent it from sticking. Remove the lid and continue to simmer uncovered for another 7 to 10 minutes or until the chutney is thick.

4. Turn off the heat and allow the chutney to cool completely. Remove the cinnamon sticks and pour the chutney into an airtight container. Chill until ready to serve. This chutney will last in the fridge for up to 1 month.