Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

Source: Vegetarian Times
Makes 12 enchiladas

Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas

Filling:

• 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced 
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 10-oz. round queso fresco, divided

Sauce:

• 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. chile powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. minced onion
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1. To make Filling: Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, and 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft. Mash mixture with potato masher until combined. Add black beans, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in half of queso fresco, and remove from heat.

2. To make Sauce: Bring all ingredients to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

3. To assemble Enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread 1/2 cup Sauce in bottom of dish. Fill tortillas with Filling. Roll, and pack close together seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining Sauce and queso fresco. Cover with foil & bake 15 minutes.

Christmas Tree Pita Triangles

Source: Pampered Chef
Makes 18 appetizers

From this blog: 1/2 recipe spinach & olive tapenade (link below)
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2013/12/spinach-olivetapenade.html

Other ingredients: 3 round pitas (each cut into sixths), hummus to spead under tapenade, pretzel stick trunk, red pepper star

Spinach & OliveTapenade

Source: Pampered Chef
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

One 6 oz. package baby spinach leaves (about 8 cups)
1/4 red pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 TB capers
3/4 cup green olives
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1 TB lemon juice
2 TB grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Place spinach in large microwaveable bowl; cover & heat 2 minutes until leaves are wilted.
2. In food processor, place red pepper, garlic, capers, & olives.  Pulse until coarsely chopped.  Add spinach, basil, lemon juice, cheese, & oil; process until desired consistency is reached.
3. Cover & refrigerate until ready to use.  Serve with crackers or bread rounds.

Mama Owl Cake with Baby Owl Cupcakes

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

From this blog (links below): 2 recipes chocolate avocado cake (1 sheet cake, 12 cupcakes) with 1 recipe frosting, buttercream frosting
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2013/04/buttercream-frosting.html
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/09/chocolate-avocado-cupcakes.html

Other ingredients:
Mama Owl- powdered donuts, buttercream frosting, & malt balls for mama eyes, orange gumdrops for beak & claws
Baby owls- life savers & mini chocolate chips for eyes, orange tic tacs for beak & claws
Slivered almonds for feathers

Tip: Cut ends of sheet cake for mama wings

Rainbow Cake

From this blog (links below): 1 recipe Maple Bundt Cake, 1 recipe honey-cream cheese frosting
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2011/01/maple-bundt-cake.html
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/04/tofu-carrot-cake.html

Other ingredients: cloud cookies... use sugar cookie dough & form into clouds
Tips: Cut cake in half, divide frosting into the colors of the rainbow, use lots of food coloring to obtain the dark colors, dab plain frosting on the ends of the cake

Butterfly Cake

From this blog (links below): 1 recipe carrot cake (2 round cakes), 1 recipe honey-cream cheese frosting, 1 recipe chocolate-avocado cupcakes with frosting
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/04/tofu-carrot-cake.html
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/09/chocolate-avocado-cupcakes.html

Tips: cut each round cake into halves for wings (shape as wanted), candles for antennae, use red food coloring to make pink frosting, serve extra cupcakes on the side

Strawberry Mouse Snack

Ingredients: strawberries. ears cut from fruit strips, mini chocolate chip nose, black icing eyes, red licorice tail

Music Note Cake

From this blog (link below): 2 recipes carrot cake (2 round cakes, 12 cupcakes) & honey-cream cheese frosting
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/04/tofu-carrot-cake.html

Hello Kitty Cake

From this blog (link below): 1 recipe carrot cake (2 round cakes), 1 recipe honey-cream cheese frosting
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2008/04/tofu-carrot-cake.html

Other ingredients: large chocolate chips for eyes, grape for nose, cut fruit strips for whiskers
Tips: Cut second round cake into ears & a bow; use red food coloring to make pink frosting for the bow

Halloween Mouths

Ingredients: Thin apple slices (dipped in lemon juice/water to prevent browning), peanut butter, marshmallows.

Sunflower Cake

From this blog (links below): 1 recipe vanilla cake (2 round cakes), buttercream frosting

http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2013/04/aimees-whole-wheat-vanilla-cake.html
http://veggieaimee.blogspot.com/2013/04/buttercream-frosting.html

Other ingredients: green gumdrops, oval-shaped cookies, mini chocolate chip cookies
Tips: Cut 1 round cake into the bottom petals, mold green gumdrops into a stem, color half the frosting with red food coloring to make an orange color.

Strawberry Santa Hats

Marshmallows for the top, strawberry in the middle, & either sliced banana (if serving right away so they don't brown) or a circle of white cheese on the bottom... held together by a toothpick.

Pesto & Roasted Tomato Brushetta

Source: Prevention magazine
Makes about 24 appetizers

24 grape tomatoes
1 baguette, sliced into rounds
3/4 cup pesto
12 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced
pepper to top

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Arrange tomatoes in oiled baking dish; spay tops with cooking spray. Roast, shaking dish occasionally, until tomatoes are just wilted & slightly charred.  Let cool.
2. Place bread slices on baking sheet; broil until lightly toasted.  Remove from oven; spread pesto evenly among them.  Top each with mozzarella & tomatoes; sprinkle with pepper.
3.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until mozzarella is melted.