At most dinners, vegetarians usually have to cobble together a meal by doubling up on whatever side dishes aren't secretly harboring bacon or sausage. And that's a shame, since there are plenty of dishes that will leave both vegetarians and carnivores happy. Who's going to complain about missing the meat when folks are diving into bowlfuls of creamy, cheesy polenta, topped with plenty of savory fall mushrooms?
One more piece of good news: This menu is as easy to make as it is to love. The polenta, mushroom sauce, crostini, and the poached pear dessert can all be prepped hours ahead of time, leaving you with nothing to do but heat up a couple dishes, ladle out the polenta, and serve the rest family-style for everyone to enjoy.
To make life a little easier, start by setting out a platter ofcrostinislathered in creamy blue cheese and crisp apples for hungry guests to nibble on while you're finishing up in the kitchen.
And when you do serve up those rich bowls of polenta and mushrooms, you're going to want something bright (and maybe a little bit crunchy) to serve alongside.A vibrant saladmade with a combination of roasted and shaved carrots is just the ticket.
