Hosting an All-Vegetarian Party

Planning a party can be somewhat challenging, and hosting a get-together where all vegetarian food is served may be even more demanding-if you don't have the right recipes, or aren't quite sure how to present vegetarian food. But, you could be an expert at vegetarian fare after following a few simple steps to make sure that your next party is a meat-free success.

First, think about the type of foods you want to serve as appetizers. Do you want to make vegetarian versions of meat dishes, or do you want to try dishes that are originally meat-free? Consider your guests when you're making this decision. If most of the people coming to your party are meat eaters, you may want to stay away from vegetarian replicas of meat dishes, unless you have the recipes perfected. Your guests will be expecting a certain taste, and may not give your appetizers much of a chance. However, if you serve vegetable-based appetizers to a meat eating crowd, your guests won't be expecting to eat anything that tastes remotely like meat, and may enjoy your appetizers a little more. If you're serving a mostly vegetarian group, partygoers may be a little more accepting of your meat-like taste-bud warmers. In any case, you'll want to make sure that you've had lots of practice making the appetizers, so that you can serve them with confidence. Also, don't think that you have to come up with some surprisingly unique vegetarian appetizer to impress your guests-if it tastes good, they'll eat it. Many dishes, like nachos, finger sandwiches, spinach balls, and stuffed mushrooms, do not have to contain meat, and everyone, meat eaters and vegetarians alike, will enjoy these foods. Of course, if you want to come up with something original, this is definitely not a bad idea.

For the main course, it might be all right to try a meat substitute. By now, you've earned the trust of your guests with your tasty appetizers, so you may feel more comfortable serving soy meat, oatmeal patties, or tofu in the main dish. However, you may want to put your vegetarian 'meat' on the side so that guests can determine how much they want to eat. For instance, if you're serving stir fry, and want to add tofu to your dish, marinate the tofu, and serve it in a separate bowl. Everyone eats vegetables (well, they should), so as long as you season your veggies, they should be a big hit. And, give your guests choices when it comes to dinner. Everybody may not be a fan of tofu, so other soy based meats may work better. And, a great salad to go along with your meal will really liven up the meal and keep everyone eating healthy-in case anyone is really concerned about that at a party.

Dessert should be the easiest part of the meal, since there's no meat involved, but you may still want to keep it healthy. Desserts with lots of fruits, light creams, and a low amount of carbs definitely have the potential to keep your guests coming back for more. If you're having a gathering in the summer time, fruit smoothies or homemade ice cream are great ideas. For fall, try fruit-based muffins or cakes. And, everyone likes cheesecake no matter what the season. One of the main things to remember when making dessert is to make sure there's enough for everyone. Bake a little extra if you need to; even though everyone talks about how they really shouldn't, they're bound to be back for more dessert if it's good.

Now that you're not so nervous about planning your own vegetarian party, here are some great recipe ideas for appetizers, main courses and desserts that you may want to try. Enjoy!

Appetizers
Baked Tofu Bites

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 dash hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly spray a non-stick baking sheet with oil.
2. Slice tofu into 1/2-inch slices, and gently press excess water out of tofu. Cut sliced tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, ketchup, vinegar, and hot sauce. Stir in sesame seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, and liquid smoke. Gently stir tofu cubes into sauce. Cover, and marinate at least 5 minutes.
4. Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn tofu, and bake until the tofu turns golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

Beer Battered Fried Vegetables

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beer
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 carrot, cut into thick strips
• 1 onion, sliced into rings
• 6 fresh mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced in rings

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cup flour and beer with a wooden spoon; let stand for at least 3 hours at room temperature.
2. Mix eggs and milk in a small bowl. In a separate bowl mix together 1/2 cup flour and salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Dip each vegetable in the egg and milk mixture. Next dip the vegetable into the flour and seasoning mixture, finally dip the vegetable in the beer and flour mixture. Place the vegetables into the oil and fry until golden brown.

Dinner
Black Bean Lasagna Rolls

INGREDIENTS:
• 8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups drained canned no-salt-added black beans
• Cooking spray
• 1 (15.5 ounce) jar no-salt-added salsa
• Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine cheeses and next 3 ingredients, stirring well. Spread cheese mixture over one side of each noodle. Spoon black beans evenly over cheese mixture. Roll up noodles, jellyroll fashion, beginning at narrow ends.
3. Place lasagna rolls, seam sides down, in an 11- x 7- x 11/2-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
4. To serve, spoon salsa evenly over rolls, and garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Easy Southwestern Tortilla Pie

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 (15 ounce) container POLLY-O Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 1 cup TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
• 1 (8 ounce) package POLLY-O Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
• 8 flour tortillas (8 inch) , divided
• 1/2 cup light cream

DIRECTIONS:
1. Spray 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with no stick cooking spray.
2. Mix ricotta cheese, salsa, spinach and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese until well blended.
3. Layer tortillas, 1/2 cup of the ricotta mixture and 1 Tbsp. of the cream in pie plate; repeat layers until all ingredients are used.
4. BAKE at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Cut into wedges. Serve with additional salsa, if desired.




Dessert

Berries and Cream

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon nonfat evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts

DIRECTIONS:
1. Layer the strawberries and blueberries in 6 individual serving dishes.
2. Using an electric beater, whip together the ricotta cheese, milk, sugar and wine. Spoon a portion of the cream over each fruit serving, top with toasted hazelnuts, and serve.

Cherry Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
•
• 1 (8 ounce) package firm silken tofu
• 1 (8 ounce) container nondairy cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 1/2 lemons, juiced
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons soy milk
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Press into a 9 inch pie tin. Bake for 5 minutes.
3. In a blender, combine tofu, vegan cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, and confectioners' sugar. Dissolve cornstarch in soy milk, and add to the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour filling into crust.
4. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until set. Cool on a wire rack, and then chill for several hours.
5. Invert onto a plate, and then invert again onto a serving platter. Pour cherry pie filling over the top, and serve.


* all recipes take from www.allrecipes.com and kraft foods.