27158162
Edward and I rarely go out New Year’s Eve. Restaurants are too noisy, the prices are inflated and the service is slow. We celebrate by inviting friends and family to our house.
Although I enjoy preparing a number of dishes, I always welcome the question, "What can I bring?"
If you are going to a New Year’s Eve party, you can order a platter or simply cook something yourself. A few weeks ago, a cousin asked me to bring fruit to a family function. I ordered from Iovine Bros. in the Reading Terminal Market. It was piled high with scrumptious fresh fruit and only cost $20. I actually saved money because it would have added up to more had I put it together myself.
If you are invited to a bash, the host or hostess may ask you to bring a specific food. This is a good practice because it prevents people from toting along duplicate dishes.
Vegetarian options are as important as a build-your-own mini hoagie bar. Over the years, I have developed recipes and combed through cookbooks for tasty dishes made without meat.
My Vegetarian Chili is so good guests don’t miss the beef. Spinach Balls have been in my culinary repertoire for many years and the Mustard Dipping Sauce adds a piquant flavor. Both dishes are crowd-pleasers and can be easily transported.
Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, to coat the bottom of a large pot
2 large onions, diced
4 carrots, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
3 large red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 10-ounce packages of frozen corn kernels
2 28-ounce cans of chopped tomatoes with juice
2 15-ounce cans of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 15-ounce cans of small white beans, rinsed and drained
Hot sauce, to taste
Chili powder, to taste
Cumin, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat the oil over medium-high in the pot. Add all of the vegetables and saute for eight to 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.
Serves eight to 10.
Note from Phyllis: This recipe can be easily doubled.
Spinach Balls
Ingredients:
3 1-pound bags of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
2 sticks of butter, melted
1/2 pound of crushed herb stuffing mix
2 cups of grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Nutmeg, to taste
Directions:
Squeeze out all of the water from the spinach with your hands. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Wet your hands. Form the spinach mixture into balls the size of a walnut. Repeat until all of the mixture is used. Place in large Ziploc bags or plastic containers. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
When you arrive at the party, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the spinach balls on cookie sheets. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Serves a small army.
Mustard Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup of Dijon mustard
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 cup of dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Snipped fresh dill
Directions:
Place all of ingredients in a plastic container. Blend well. Taste and correct for seasonings. Dijon is strong so a little more mayonnaise and white wine may need to be added. Cover and place into the refrigerator.
When you arrive at the party, place the dipping sauce into two serving bowls.
Makes about two cups.
Note from Phyllis: This recipe can be easily doubled.
