By J.M. Hirsch
The Associated Press

This year, take it easy with your cooking commitments. Festive and flavorful Christmas dinners can be quick and simple, leaving you more time for eggnog and presents.

The trick is to assemble a menu that either can be made well ahead of time, or consists mostly of low-labor recipes that call for only a few ingredients.

For the latter, turn to the master of minimalist cooking, Mark Bittman, whose How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian Cooking, (Wiley; $14.95) abounds with simple but satisfying dishes.

Bittman's book offers a worldly array of meatless meals, all easy to make, with clear, well-written instructions even the most holiday-harried cook can follow.

Start by offering guests fresh vegetable crudites and bread for nibbles, accompanied by Bittman's hummus, a milder version than most thanks to less garlic.

Next, offer creamy pumpkin or winter-squash soup with fresh bread. To save time, buy the squash already peeled and cubed, and get your bread at a bakery.

For the main course, try Bittman's Pasta with Butter, Sage and Parmesan. Accompany this with glazed carrots and wilted greens splashed with olive oil and red pepper flakes.

Pasta with Butter, Sage

and Parmesan

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

20 or 30 fresh sage leaves, or about 1 tablespoon dried whole sage leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 pound pasta, such as ziti or penne (linguini or spaghetti also would work)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low flame. Add the sage, salt and pepper. Cook until the butter turns light brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta until tender, but firm, about 8 minutes.

Spoon 2 or 3 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water into a warm serving bowl. Drain the pasta and toss in the serving bowl with the butter, more pepper and half the Parmesan. Pass remaining cheese at the table. Makes 4 servings.