Christmas pigs in blankets casserole

This recipe uses ready-made pigs in blankets, along with the kind of veg most of us have in stock during the festivities. You can substitute other veg, just make sure it’s cut to roughly the same size so it cooks properly. Frozen peas can be stirred through about 10 mins before the end of cooking.

SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 1 hr 10 mins EASY G

2 medium carrots (about 100g),

cut into thick slices

2 small parsnips (about 80g), woody

ends removed and cut into chunks 1 red onion, cut into wedges

2 tsp olive oil

16 chipolata-sized pigs in blankets

or 8 larger ones

39g sachet Colman’s Sausage

Casserole Mix

2 tsp wine or cider vinegar

2-3 tbsp cream or crème fraîche

(optional) 2 tbsp chopped soft herbs, such as

basil or parsley mashed potato or leftover roasties,

to serve

1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Put the carrots, parsnips and onion in a deep baking dish or casserole, and toss in the oil. Season well and roast for 20 mins. Add the pigs in blankets and roast for a further 10-15 mins or until the bacon begins to crisp a little.

2 Reduce the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Mix the sachet of Colman’s Sausage Casserole Mix with 300ml water in a jug. Add to the baking dish along with the vinegar. Cook for another 40 mins. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Swirl through the cream, if using, and scatter over the chopped herbs. Serve with mashed potatoes or leftover roasties.

PER SERVING 340 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 10g • carbs 18g • sugars 9g • fibre 4g • protein 14g • salt 1.8g

Don’t worry about leftover cheese at Christmas – you can freeze it. Grate or chop what you can’t finish, then pack it and label it. We have a great mac 'n' cheese recipe for using it up at: bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ cheeseboard-macaroni-cheese

Re-gift food you don’t like

This might sound churlish, but if a box of chocolates or jar of chutney doesn’t take your fancy, don’t let it go off at the back of a cupboard. Food that you don’t enjoy may delight someone else at Christmas. Put it into a collection for a local food bank. Or, post it on the Olio app, available to download at olioex.com.