Spinach Artichoke Dip

You would think that I also serve appetizers to pad people’s stomachs, but in fact our dinners are always casual, buffet-style, and (usually) ready to serve by the time the guests arrive. But for a party or potluck, like at our open house in February, this crowd-pleasing appy based on a recipe from Allrecipes.com is da vegetarian bomb.

1 300 g package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 398 ml can artichoke arts, drained and chopped

1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 cup Alfredo sauce

Optional:

1/2 cup cream cheese

3 cloves or teaspoons minced or roasted garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the ingredients in a small casserole dish. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Macaroni and Cheese

Another strategy is to take a meat-free side dish that everyone enjoys and make it the main course. Mac & cheese is a safe bet because it’s everyone’s comfort food –and the aim of a good host is to make your guests feel comfortable. I scooped this easy, creamy, cheesy recipe by P.J. Gray off Yahoo.com. It was more popular (in my opinion) than the turkey at last Thanksgiving dinner.

TRIPLE-CHEESE MAC ATTACK
Makes 6 servings

2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup Swiss cheese, shredded
7 oz or 450 g elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, salt, garlic salt, and black pepper. Add cheddar and Swiss cheeses and blend well. Cook macaroni as directed on package and drain well.

Add cooked macaroni to cheese mixture and blend until well coated. Add macaroni mixture to a greased 2- or 2½-quart baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.

Topping:

Optional of course, but I like my mac & cheese casseroles to have a crunchy topping. Melt some margarine and mix with crushed cornflakes or crackers. Sprinkle over top of casserole before baking.

Broccoli Salad

Sometimes I worry that my entrée will flop, so I try to plan sides that could make up a decent meal on their own. This “back-up” meal usually revolves around a dense salad with nuts, dried fruit, olives or cheese. I landed this recipe from one of Charles’ co-workers, and it is my favourite for being raw, simple, inexpensive, and versatile. I last served it with Swiss & blue cheese veggie burgers, crisp green salad and sweet potato fries.

2 heads fresh broccoli

1/2 small onion, sliced thinly and marinated in cider vinegar, drained

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons white wine balsamic vinegar

1. Cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces. Combine with the raisins, almonds, onion, and mix well.

2. To prepare the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.

This salad tastes best if made the day before and marinated overnight.

Spanakopita

Primarily great because it requires no meat substitutions, yet the butter and feta cheese give the taste of fat and salt that meat-eaters crave. It is easier and cheaper to make than lasagne, can be prepared ahead of time, looks impressive out of the oven, and people don’t make it often; plus, you have a dinner party theme and a number of built-in, nutritionally dense sides: olives, hummous, warm pita bread, roast potatoes and Greek salad. And don’t forget to make a fresh tzatziki!

Spanakopita

This is a slightly modified recipe found on Allrecipes.com, Spanakopita II, submitted by Mary Kessler. I simply layer it in a 9 x 13 inch pan instead of folding triangles.

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach – thawed, drained and squeezed dry

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 (4 ounce) packages feta cheese, crumbled

4 eggs, lightly beaten

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 (16 ounce) packages phyllo dough

3/4 pound butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook and stir onions until softened. Mix in spinach, dill and flour. Cook approximately 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Mix in feta cheese, eggs, salt and pepper.

Brush 9 x 13 inch pan or 17 x 11 jelly roll pan with butter. Layer 12 sheets of phyllo dough pastry in the pan, brushing each layer with butter. Spread evenly with the spinach mixture. Layer another 8-12 sheets of pastry and butter on top. Brush top with butter and use a sharp knife to score top into diamonds.

Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown.

Roast Potatoes

Just a word, because I make the best, (after my Uncle Steve, who eats no dairy and used to own a restaurant.) I use any Yukon variety…scrub about 2 potatoes per person and cut into wedges. Toss in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper (and Greek seasoning if you like,) bake in a 400 degree oven 20 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Madras Curry Penne

If you love pasta and have a passion for curry (as a lot of vegetarians do,) then this is the sort of fusion dish you will crave once in a while. I was a slave to Milestones for years before I could find a recipe that could approximate it. Now I make it about once a month. Click here for the original knock-off recipe, but my knock-off of the knock-off is even easier and just as addicting as the original. Serve with a wedge of naan cheesebread and a crisp green salad.

2 cups dry penne

1 small apple, cored and sliced

1/2 cup pineapple tidbits

1 small onion, sliced

2 tbsp butter or ghee

1 cup Patak’s Sweet Mango Chutney

1 can coconut milk

2 tbsp Patak’s Mild Curry Paste

dash of vinegar

Unsweetened coconut and grated Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain the pasta. In a large saucepan, caramelize the onions in the butter or ghee (about 10 minutes.) Once onion is caramelized, add apple and cook about 1 minute. Add the curry paste and coat the onions and apple, cooking another 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and dash of vinegar and simmer until reduced to about half. This makes a rich, flavourful, and delicious sauce. Add the pasta and pineapple. Transfer to a plate and top with a dollop of chutney, a sprinkle of coconut or grated Parmesan.

Like anything spicy, this is probably even better the next day…but I wouldn’t know because there are never any leftovers.

Tofu Parmigiana

I find pan-frying and baking to be too much work for an everyday meal, but it can be worth it when entertaining. This recipe serves 4, but for non-vegetarians I approximate half a package of tofu per person and therefore double the recipe. It’s basically pan-fried tofu smothered in cheese and tomato sauce. Try serving it with angel hair pasta, a crisp green salad and garlic bread.

1/2 cup bread crumbs

5 tbsp grated Parmesan

2 tsp dried oregano

sea salt and ground black pepper

1 package firm tofu

2 tbsp olive oil

1 8 oz can tomato sauce (or 1/2 jar of your favourite seasoned tomato sauce)

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 clove garlic, minced

4 oz shredded mozzarella

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, 2 tbsp Parmesan, 1 tsp oregano, salt and pepper.

Slice tofu into 1/4″ thick slices and place in bowl of cold water. One at a time, press tofu slices into crumb mixture, turning to coat all sides.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook tofu slices until crisp on one side. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, turn and brown on the other side.

Combine tomato sauce, basil, garlic and remaining oregano. Place a thin layer of sauce in an 8-inch square baking pan. Arrange tofu slices in mozarella and remaining 3 tbsp Parmesan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

(This recipe appears in the Allrecipes “Tried and True Quick and Easy” cookbook.)

Basic Savoury Nut Mixture

This used to be a regular in our weekly rotation, until nuts became a choking and allergy hazard for Eddie. It is super easy and tasty, and we usually eat it with ketchup like regular meatloaf. The recipe is from a co-worker.

Basic Savoury Nut Mixture

1 cup nuts (I usually buy mixed nuts or cashews)

1 cup breadcrumbs

sea salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp chopped thyme, parsley, sage, or favourite herb

2 tbsp margarine

2 med chopped onions

2 eggs

Almost any nut can be used, but peanuts are cheapest and work well. Hazelnuts are (supposedly) worth the extra expense. The breadcrumbs can be made from stale but not hard whole meal bread using a blender, shredder, grater or even crumbling by hand.

Chop the onions and fry in a little vegetable oil, but do not allow to brown. Meanwhile put the nuts in a blender and chop to the consistency of breadcrumbs. In a large bowl, mix the nuts and breadcrumbs and add the chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Now add the cooked onion and rub in the margarine. Finally mix in the two eggs which should bind the ingredients and give a workable consistency. Add a little water if necessary.

The following are suggestions for how to use the basic nut mixture:

Nut Loaf: Place the basic mixture into a well greased bread tin and bake in a moderate oven (375-400) until brown on top, about 30 minutes. Can be topped with a few more nuts before baking.

Nut Rissoles: Form into fritters, coat in dry breadcrumbs and fry gently in vegetable oil, turning to brown both sides. These make a very satisfying accompaniment to a salad or to any cooked vegetable dish. They can also be eaten cold with a packed meal. (Mom would say, “Keep it refrigerated!”)

Formal: Dress up as a traditional roast with roast vegetables, stuffing and miso gravy. Serve with a glass of Merlot.

Informal: Add Spring Salad, chutney and bread, and serve with a glass of lager and lime.