Quick and Delicious Appetizers with Flavors Everyone Will Love
Tonight, I prepared two of my favorite recipes for appetizers. Great flavors and ingredients that can keep everyone happy. I put both of these together, ready to throw in the oven, in about 30 minutes. I did nearly all of the prep work LIVE on Facebook, so everyone could see that these aren’t fancy or involved. PLUS they can be prepared ahead of time and popped in the oven when your guests are about to arrive.
Bacon Wrapped Dates filled with Goat Cheese
I know, it’s kinda early for Christmas plates …but I just love this one!
CONFESSION: I am not a goat cheese fan, but in this recipe, the tangy flavor and creamy texture are perfectly blended with the crisp, salty bacon and sweet dates.
SUPER EASY!
What You Need:
goat cheese
dates, sliced open and pits removed
slices of bacon, cut in half
maple syrup (optional)
toothpicks
I prepared a small plate (10 dates.) I used about half of a 4 oz. log of goat cheese.
Fill each date with about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of goat cheese. Take a half slice of bacon, wrap it around the date and secure with a toothpick. I have found that microwaving the bacon for about 2 minutes, prior to wrapping the dates, helps to make sure that the bacon crisps up without overcooking the other ingredients. Place the wrapped dates on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on it. You want bacon crisp, but not super melted goat cheese. After removing from the oven, allow to cool before transferring to a serving plate. I like to drizzle with maple syrup. The goat cheese gets super hot, so be sure to let it cool a bit before serving to guests.
Vegan Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
CONFESSION: I don’t like mushrooms. But I love them cooked like this! haha
What You’ll Need:
Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausage ( I used 1 sausage for 8 stuffed mushrooms.)
mushrooms (washed and stems removed, I used about half of an 8 oz. container)
chopped onion (about a quarter of a large onion, I had a red onion in my fridge.)
chopped celery (about half of one stalk.)
large clove of garlic (chopped)
bread crumbs (1 tablespoon)
parsley flakes (1 tablespoon)
vegan parmesan cheese
olive oil (1 tablespoon)
water, if needed to moisten the “stuffing” mixture
Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Squeeze the vegan sausage meat out of the casing and into the oil. Brown for about 5 minutes, then add the chopped veggies and garlic. Continue to cook until they are soft. Add the bread crumbs and parsley flakes. You want the mixture to be just moist enough that it will hold together when you stuff the mushrooms. Add a few teaspoons or tablespoons of water to get the right texture.
With a spoon, lightly pack the stuffing into each mushroom cap. Top with a pinch of vegan Parmesan cheese on each cap. Place the stuffed mushrooms on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, and cheese is starting to brown.
This was adapted from Natasha’s Kitchen’s recipe. Click here to see the original!