Vegetarian Entertaining
 

We like to entertain with the usual cheese, crackers, nuts, chips and salsa etc. Several of our friends are vegetarians and sometimes our "come over for a glass of wine" can end up being several hours of conversation or a board game. I would like to have something more substantial than the above mentioned. Anybody have some GREAT tried and true (easy peasy please!) great appetizers that are more like a meal... Thanks in advance!!

What about mini quiches? I buy tart shells and fill the shells with quiche filling and cook them. Flash freeze them on cookie sheets and then when frozen move into freezer bags. When ready to entertain, just pop them in the oven to heat. Make a variety by adding different vegetables and even make some with meat if you want.

Or Hot Spinach Dip (or other hot dip) baked in a round bread loaf. Buy a second loaf for dipping. The dip is great when it is hot and as it cools, it is just as tasty.

Wraps with seared veggies, cheese salsa n sour cream. Pastryless quiche, spray muffin pan with oil, add beaten egg onion cheese, or various veg and cook, becomes tasty little bites, stuffed jalepenos, stuffed mushrooms, cheese pasties - used ready rolled pastry, add a mix of cheese eggs seasoning, potatoes n onions. Cheese puffs, ready rolled puff pastry, sprinkle grated cheese, seasoning a little paprika, roll up like a Swiss roll cut into slices and bake.

Deviled eggs,baked spaghetti(omit the meat,use lots of mushrooms),cheese roll ups,breakfast pizza is good anytime.Baked beans,a crock pot full of meatless chili ot veggie soup.

Why not ask them for a few favorite recipes or food suggestions?

What about cauliflower crust pizza? It is absolutely delicious and you can add whatever toppings you like. We've made it with fresh mozzarella and regular mozzarella, with olives, artichoke hearts, pineapple, whatever! Here's a great tutorial.
https://youtu.be/XaCYSX5WE5M

If they are true vegetarians they don't eat eggs or anything that comes from an animal. So quiche is out of the questions as is some dairy products. If they do eat cheese buy a few frozen DiGiorno pizzeria thin spinach and mushroom or there is another one with just veggies on it. They are very good, quick and easy to heat up. We use them all the time for our unexpected guests. If they don't eat cheese then make up a batch of chili, veggie soup and freeze it in small portions and it will thaw quickly. Just remember to use veggie stock.

There's various "degrees" of vegetarian eating, some won't eat anything coming from an animal, so that leaves out eggs, sour cream, cheese, etc., if you do things like the mini quiches, "true vegetarians" might have a problem with what's in the tart shells, so it's difficult to know what to recommend, but before you go to a lot of expense and time, ask your friends what degree of vegetarian are they?