MEATLESS PEPPERONI SOY CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

MEATLESS PEPPERONI SOY CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

with green scallion and fresh sweet red pepper! Served with Caramelized Onion Ritz Crackers!

Makes 1-3/4 cups

8 oz. soy cream cheese (Tofutti brand is best, since it’s thicker than other brands)

4.2 oz. pkg. Meatless Pepperoni by Yves

1 c. thinly sliced green scallions, green part only

1/4 c. finely diced fresh sweet red pepper

2 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/16 t. red cayenne pepper

1/8 t. fine grind black pepper

additional sliced scallion for garnish

1 box Ritz Caramelized Onion crackers

Combine all ingredients, except additional scallion and crackers, in mixing bowl. Stir to evenly disperse ingredients and till the soy cream cheese is smooth.

Salt to taste, then transfer to covered container and refrigerate several hours.

When ready to serve, transfer to serving dish, garnish with a little sliced scallion, and surround with Ritz crackers.

Notes: Make this spread the day you’re serving it. If made the day before, the liquid from the fresh veggies will seep into the soy cream cheese, thinning it, and the scallion will wilt.

A tasty hors d’oeurve for any gathering. Remember, you don’t have to tell everybody it’s animal-free. People who serve animal-based hors d’oeuvres don’t announce to guests that there’s an animal in the spread, so you don’t have to announce that there isn’t, unless of course they want the recipe. Then always give it, or say you’ll email it to them.

I guarantee they’ll like it!

For the holidays Ritz came out with a limited edition of flavored crackers. The caramelized onion is subtle, but flavorful.