One of the many things that the holiday season brings is potluck dinners. You don't have to be the one who brings the store-bought dessert this year; these simple vegetarian recipes will have everybody raving about your culinary skills, and please vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
These three recipes can be prepared in advance and are easy to multiply. The fresh, seasonal ingredients are sure to please any crowd.
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) loaf French baguette
1 1/2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups finely chopped almonds
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the bread slices on a non-stick cookie sheet.
2. In an electric blender or food processor, combine the spinach, Parmesan, almonds, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until a paste forms. Pulse in 2 tablespoons olive oil; continue pulsing until the mixture is the consistency of soft butter.
3. In a small mixing bowl combine chopped tomatoes, green onion, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; stir.
4. Bake the bread slices for 5 minutes or until crisp and brown.
5. Arrange toast on a serving platter. Spread each piece of toast with a thin layer of the blended pesto, then top with the tomato mixture.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 acorn squash, peeled and cubed
1 pound of pasta
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of half & half
1 cup of cornflakes, crumbed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to season
Directions:
1. Toss the cubed squash in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake in a single layer at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, saute the onion in a little bit of olive oil. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook until the onion turns transparent and starts to brown.
3. Cook the pasta according to the directions.
4. Put the drained pasta in a baking dish and mix in the butter, half & half, and 1 cup of the cheese and mix it all together.
5. Add the squash and the onions to the pasta, mix.
6. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese on top.
7. Mix the cornflake crumbs with the rest of the cheese and sprinkle on top.
8. Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes (your oven should still be at 450 degrees).
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Arrange potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in one layer and coat them with cooking spray. Sprinkle potatoes with salt and black pepper. Roast 30 minutes, until tender and golden brown.
4. If preparing in advance, fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the potato wedges and boil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they just begin to get tender. Drain well. When you plan to serve them, bake par-boiled potatoes at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
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