New Year's Eve Cocktail Appetizers

Well, I didn't win one of the three prizes from the VegNews Holiday Cookie Contest, but I'm still very proud to have made the top ten. Congrats to the winners!

My second article has been published over at This Dish is Veg. This week's piece is a last minute holiday menu. Here at Season of The Vegan, I wanted to share the appetizer recipes from that menu and a few more that will be perfect for a New Year's Eve Cocktail Party.

Meatless Meatballs

1 tube Gimmie Lean Sausage
1 cup cooked Brown Rice
2 cups Spicy BBQ Sauce
2 cloves minced Garlic

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together sausage, rice, 1 1/2 cups of the BBQ sauce, and the garlic. Form the mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the meatballs and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Stuffed Mushrooms
2 8oz packages of Button or Baby Bella Mushrooms stems removed and saved
4 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves minced Garlic
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1/8 cup favorite Vegan Cheddar style chreeze shreds (I love Daiya for this recipe.)

Preheat oven to 350. On a greased cookie sheet, place the mushroom tops, divot side up. Mince 1/2 the mushroom stems, save the rest to add to soup or rice at a later date. Mix the stems, garlic, tomato paste and chreeze in a small bowl. Stuff each mushroom cap with this mixture and then drizzle them with olive oil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Wondrous White Bean Dip

1 can white beans drained and rinsed

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp Braggs

1 tbsp Paprika

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Fennel Seed

1 tsp Dried Dill

Blend it all up in your food processor and enjoy with toasted pita bread and veggies.

Baked Spicy Spinach & Artichoke Dip

8 oz Frozen Spinach, thawed with the extra moisture squeezed out
10 oz jar Artichoke Hearts drained
4 oz can chopped Green Chilies drained
2-3 cloves minced Garlic
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
8 oz container Vegan Cream Cheese
8 oz container Vegan Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350. Blend the ingredients in a food processor until just combined. Place in a 9 x 9 baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly brown and bubbly. Serve with toasted pita bread.

Peanut Pumpkin Dip

1 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Cinnamon

Stir together all the ingredients and serve with apple slices and graham crackers.

You could also serve the Spiced Nuts from my Snack Time post, as well as some Herb Marinated Olives.

I wish you all a joyous holiday season!