The Best Vegetable Appetizers
Vegetables often play second to the meat course in a meal. They tend to end up as a side dish instead of taking the lead role. One way to showcase the wonderful flavor of vegetables is to serve them in appetizers. Most appetizers are served before the meal has started, but it's also a fun idea to serve only appetizers for cocktail or late night parties. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Artichoke Flower
-
Bring a 3-quart pan of water to a boil. Add 2 whole artichokes and allow them to boil for 20 minutes to ensure the heart of the artichoke is tender. Allow them to cool and begin pulling the leaves off until you reach the center. Set the center or heart of the artichoke aside. Lay the leaves around the outer edge of a round plate and continue to stack and layer leaves, making sure to leave a 3 inch opening in the middle to place the dip. You should have a flower like design. Mix 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and 1 tsp of lemon juice. Mound it in the center of the flower. Tell guests to dip the flat edge of the leaf in the dip and then gently pull the meat away from the leaf with their teeth.
Veggie Pizza
-
Bake a refrigerator pizza dough according to the directions. Mix 1/4 cup of cream cheese, a packet of powder ranch dip and 1/4 cup of sour cream together. Spread it evenly over the baked and cooled pizza crust. Chop a 1/2 cup of broccoli into small pieces and sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture. Add 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup of chopped cucumber. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped green onions over the top to finish. Cut into two inch squares to serve.
-
Sauteed Mushrooms
-
Heat a 1/2 cup of olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add 1 1/2 lbs of cleaned button mushrooms. Allow them to caramelize on the bottom before stirring. This takes about five minutes. After five minutes, add a 1/4 cup of butter and stir. Add 1 tbsp. of fresh chopped garlic, 1 tsp of thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Add two tbsp. of lemon juice and a 1/2 cup of dry white wine. Allow it to reduce until the mushrooms have a brown glaze on them. Serve warm with toothpicks.
Guacamole
-
Guacamole is always a crowd-pleaser. This one is jazzed up with added veggies. Peel and dice two large avocados. Mash the avocado in a bowl with the back of a fork. Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion and 1/2 cup of finely chopped tomato, seeds and juice removed. Add 1 tbsp. of lemon or lime juice to keep the avocado from turning brown. Stir in 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spice it up with 1 tbsp. of chopped jalapeno if desired. Serve with warm tortilla chips.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
