These mini-crustless tofu quiches from fat-free vegan are pretty darn good and easy to make as well.

How much work do you want to do? You can make spanakopita without cheese. Just use a few drops of oil in the spinach, or a cheese substitute. They can be made a day or two ahead, no problem, but they do need to be reheated.

I love caponata. You could serve it with some salty rosemary foaccacia and who needs dinner.

Stuffed mushrooms can go weird without warning if made ahead. It sounds like you have enough to deal with, without worrying if the mushrooms will be rubbery.

I'm about to try making cone shaped quinoa "balls", but I haven't done it yet. :)

You could just get a really really good vegan "cheese" and serve with lovely crackers. Or if you want to go decadent, and figs (or fig jam).

plllog How do you make spanikopita without eggs and cheese? I can't see how the spinach would bind together, but would love your secret.

Here is a recipe I have saved on Pinterest for a vegan sweet potato crusted pizza. You could cut it in small wedges for appetizer servings or form it into a rectangle/square for more bite sized servings: Vegan pizza bites

Herbed Chickpea Oven “Fries” with Avocado-Garlic Aioli

I'm not sure about all brands, but Trader Joe's phyllo is vegan. This is one more recipe I have saved to try - I often have to make a vegan dish, so am always on the lookout. I would make the filling ahead and just roll and bake at the last minute if possible, but phyllo dishes reheat well, usually:

creamy mushroom strudel

One last idea that there are lots of vegan recipes for, are bite sized falafel, that also reheat easily. Served with a dipping sauce, they'd make a good appetizer, too.

Another idea I thought of would be roasted chickpeas. Another favorite of mine that a lot of people are not as familiar with is red lentil kofte. To make them gluten free, I use millet instead of bulgur. They are healthy and good at room temperature but most importantly, taste great. For a vegan crowd, I would use soy yogurt for the yogurt sauce.

There's something wrong with the filo if it isn't vegan. I still miss the Long Beach brand, which listed the ingredients as "flour, water and skill". If someone tells you the baklava isn't vegan because of the filo, that means it was made with butter. :)

I just used The Fillo Factory organic white wheat filo (they make whole wheat, spelt, plus non-organic in different weights). It's thicker than I'd prefer, but not springy like streudel dough, and it's ever so much nicer to work with than any other current brand I've tried. Now that I know they make different weights, I'm going to try their thinnest one (but not this month--I'm done with making bourekes for awhile).

Olychick, I said "spanakopita" because that's the better known word. Specifically, I meant bourekes, which are rolled like flags from strips of filo, just a different name for what I ate as "spankopita" in Greece. There's a kind of spankopita that's layered up flat like a lasagna in a casserole and cut into triangles after it's cooked. You're right that that kind needs a binder to hold together. I just made spinach bourekes, considered eggs, decided it didn't need a binder, and did without. I did put feta in, but not enough to stick it all together. I just plopped the filling on, and kind of pushed it in (2/3 raw leaves, 1/3 raw chopped with the onion and garlic) as I was turning the corner over, and it worked just fine. If you don't use cheese, you do need a "moistening agent" for the mouthfeel of fat. A dollop of cashew creme, or silken tofu, or one of those coconut things people like to bake with, should do it.

I make baba ganoush, which is roasted eggplant spread/dip, with pita. Peel eggplant, paint with EVOO, roast eggplant and onion under brioler, add jar of roasted red pepper, pulse in cuisinart and you're done. Ooops, had to edit, to add salt to taste. If it lacks bite, you can add a dollop of nayonaise and some balsamic vinegar. I just like it plain though.

I also made something like Texas caviar and filled endive spears with it, that was good.

Phyllo stuff is great but doesn't hold well for reheating. Same with stuffed mushrooms.

You can make spinach dip with soft tofu instead of sour cream. I'd mix it with "Nayonaise" though. When I make it I also use sour cream so maybe you'll want to add some vegan yogurt or sour cream for a little tang.

I had these and they were scrumptious! You can even make them into any shape (using cookie cutters) for a holiday theme.

http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-baked-polenta-fries-with-garlic-tomato-sauce/

I make tiny spring rolls with the rice wrappers, avacado, cucumber, shredded carrot, spring onion. Anything you fancy. There is a vegan dipping sauce that looks like the nem sauce and is delicious.

All the spanakopita I've had made by non-vegan Greeks had lots of butter between the layers of phyllo. I suppose you could substitute an oil but it sure wouldn't taste the same.

I've always layered my phyllo with EVOO. Guess I didn't know any better. I'll bet butter tastes yummy though!

I've also had plenty of Greek-made spanakopita that was made with olive oil. It's cook's preference, I suppose.

For bourekes, we use sesame oil, which is less viscous and easier to brush on, and tastes really nice (I don't know if that's why--I grew up using sesame oil and it's received wisdom).

I've made countless things with filo since I was 10 and I haven't met one that didn't reheat well. In fact, most had the opportunity to freeze and reheat. I totally believe L when she says that hers don't hold well, but it doesn't generalize.

Perhaps freezing is the answer? I imagine maybe they get soggy in the fridge? We use foil pans and freezer paper so the filo doesn't get squished, and right into the freezer. It's substantial enough that they can be stacked a few high. The bourekes go right from the freezer to the oven, same temperature and time as to bake them. I haven't done meat in awhile, but I think that is better when mostly thawed. Or that might be because it was thicker and bigger than bourekes.

Thinking on it more, I think that is the answer. If you're not serving right away, freeze.

Yes, the things that don't hold well are things that are pre-baked and then reheated. I don't know about putting in fridge or freezer before baking and serving, but reheating has not worked out very well for me. I made vegan phyllo tarts ahead of time and then heated and they turned out soggy. This was for a party. But that was using frozen and then thawed phyllo cups. I've also made phyllo turnovers, heated them up, and then reheated them. They were soggy upon reheating. Same with spanokopita. Ok fresh out of oven, soggy upon reheating.

Diane, our 'op', needs to make this Thursday for Sunday, or Sat for Sunday.

A dip i would make Saturday...something baked i would make Thursday and freeze...bake 75% of its cooking time. Take frozen and pop in the host oven for 20 min on a lower rack on a jellyroll 1/2 sheet pan. (i have a couple steel/iron cookie sheets that bake hot). Horrid for cookies. Any sheet pan on the lower part of an oven will take care of any soggy moisture...and any toppings on puff pastry or philo should be pre-baked before topping...like cherry toms, eggplant, etc. Get the moisture out by half at least. Asparagus will hold up fine.

Caramelized onions i saute up a bit dry...i have good luck sautéing mushrooms low and slow with onions if i'm making them for a tart. Or a low roast if i'm roasting garlic and other ingredients like red pepper and root veggies.

A dinner for 6 among friends is fun to try something new. A fail is no biggie but easy and less stress if making for a veggie crowd. I find they love something new.

(i took in my garden carrots to work in bouquet form and took them to various departments..."OMG...i had no idea a carrot could be so good!"...lol)

For 6 i might make my spring rolls...shop and prep Thursday...assemble all the do-aheads Sat....the sauces...roll them up the hour before heading out the door Sunday...but i've made them a thousand times and 10-12 spring rolls is easy for me. I've made them for 75. (first time can be tricky).

L, you might try freezing. My bourekes and meat rolls and all are fully baked, frozen and reheated and they come out crisp.

Something that I haven't made yet, but which should be good, is vegetable rolls with a schmeer. It's something a friend's daughter is into, and I'm trying to find time to try some combinations. You slice long vegetables thin and long and lightly steam them. That's zucchini, carrots, etc. Schmeer with any kind of spread from hummus to cashew "brie" to techinah, put something long in the middle--a baton of any vegetable or a broccolini stem, asparagus tip or baby carrot or something (also steamed to just tender)--and roll it up, then stand it on end with the center sticking up.

plllog, you might like these variations. The beet one is visually stunning and even avowed beet haters come back for more!

http://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/7-unique-hummus-recipes/

Cool! I love all the different colors. :)

Beet hummus on cukes topped with goat cheese. This would be delish and perfect for those low carb gluten free folks. Or at least it seems that way to me. I have not tried it.

There is always "cowboy caviar"...black beans, corn, chopped onion, garlic, chopped jalapeno...or green chilis for the wimpy eaters...olive oil and lime juice.....served with corn chips
Or This....again served with dippers or scoop chips

Cranberry salsa BJ Irwin

1 12 oz package cranberries

chopped fine

1 8 oz can crushed pineapple with juice

1/3 cup cilantro…chopped

1 seeded jalapeno pepper and chopped fine

¼ c. onion chopped

¼ cup green pepper chopped

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar ( or less)

Pink, that's a great alternative! And a low calorie option as well, especially during this pound packing-on season:)

Thanks everyone. I'm narrowing down to caponata (to be made tonight), and a variation on a apple, caramelized onion, butternut squash "pizza" from the NY Times. I couldn't find vegan puff pastry at Whole Foods, but they had a vegan pie crust that I will try instead of the pizza dough. The onions are caramelized, and I'll make the white bean base tonight as well. I should have enough time to put it together. Worse case, I'll take the white beans, turn it into a dip, and serve it along with the caponata.

I'm saving the thread, my dinner group usually gets together quarterly, and I would like to start bringing something besides myself and a bottle of wine! :-)

Thanks again!

Sounds like a great plan. Have a wonderful time!

In a pinch you can make pita pizzas, or get one of those Boboli crusts or naan, if they have it at your stores. Oh, and that pizza sounds FAB!