Being vegan, we can't pick up those convenient packages of frozen hors d'oeuvres at the store whenever we're having a get together. There are plenty of time-consuming vegan appetizers you could make (i.e., mushroom turnovers), but not everyone has an entire day to devote to cutting little circles of dough and carefully putting just enough, but not too much, filling in each circle. This is where packaged puff pastry becomes one of the most fantastic inventions ever.

Spinach Swirls

Ingredients

• 1 box puff pastry sheets, thawed (2 sheets/box)


• 1 10oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed


• 1 8oz tub vegan cream cheese, softened (we like Tofutti)


• 7 slices vegan bacon, chopped (we like LightLife)


• 2 stalks of scallions finely chopped


• 1/3 cup shredded vegan cheddar (we like Daiya)

Yield: 24 slices

Mash the cream cheese in a bowl. Add the spinach, bacon, scallions, and cheese. Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 425degF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay out 1 sheet of puff pastry on a cutting board or pastry board. Spread half of the spinach mixture onto the sheet, making sure to keep 1/2" of one long side spinach mix-free. Get the mixture evenly spread all the way to the other 3 edges. Moisten the clean edge with some non-dairy milk or water. Roll into a log towards the clean edge and seal. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry and remaining mixture.

This is where it gets a little messy. Make sure your knife is sharp. Cut each log into 12 rounds (approximately 1/2" thick). Carefully transfer the slices to the baking sheet, leaving some room for the pastry to expand.

Bake for 15 min or until golden brown. Mine aren't so golden as they could be. I got impatient.

Vegan Pigs-in-a-Blanket

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 puff pastry sheets, thawed (2 sheets/box)


• 9 vegan hot dogs (we like Yves Good Dog)

Yield: 45

Preheat the oven to 425degF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay your first sheet of pastry on a cutting board or pastry board. Cut it in half. Cut each half into thirds widthwise. Now you have 6 pieces that are each the same length as your hot dogs. Cut 1/2 of your second pastry sheet the same way to make 3 more pastry pieces. Roll each hot dog up and seal the edge. Cut each hot dog into fifths. Lay seam-side down on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 min or until golden brown.

Sadly, this leaves you with half a sheet of unused puff pastry. It's not my fault that hot dog packages come in stupid numbers. You can do the math and figure out the perfect number of puff pastry sheets to packages of hot dogs, or you can take that remaining sheet of puff pastry and wrap it around some cinnamon and sugar coated apple slices. You know, whatever.