We love hosting friendly get togethers in our home, but sometimes we just don’t want to serve a full-blown meal. Wine with cheese and crackers was always an effortless yet crowd-pleasing option, but now that I don’t eat cheese, I was finding it difficult to come up with something so easy and fast.

Until now…

The vegan cheeses in the store often taste plastic and not even close to the “real” thing. Lucky for me, the current issue of Vegetarian Times magazine offers three recipes for amazing vegan spread cheeses, including pepper-crusted goat cheese, almond feta cheese, and a slight variation of the recipe below.

Okay, so not quite as easy as running to the cheese store, but you and your guests will find these are definitely worth the little extra time!

Cheddar Cheeze
1 1/4 cups plain soy milk
1/4 cup agar flakes
1/2 cup raw pine nuts
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbs. white wine
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp. granulated onion
1 3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1. Line 2- to 3-cup rectangular (or whatever shape you prefer) container with 2 layers cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to hang over sides.

2. Whisk together soy milk and agar flakes in saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until agar dissolves completely and mixture is thick, stirring frequently.

3. Blend nuts, oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic, granulated onion, salt, and pepper in blender or food processor 5 minutes, or until smooth, scraping down sides frequently. Add soy milk mixture, and blend 2 minutes more, or until smooth. Transfer mixture to cheesecloth-lined container; smooth top. Fold overhanging cheesecloth over cheese. Refrigerate one hour, or until firm. Unwrap, slice or spread, and serve.

For those of us who fill Easter baskets for the little ones in a couple weeks, this year might mean going a little easy on the fillins’. Before heading to the dollar store to buy plastic stuff with excess packaging, think about ways to make those baskets look good and be earth-friendly.

*If a new basket is needed, forget about those plastic ones at the drug stores. Find a basket around the house, put out a request at www.freecycle.org, or head to the thrift store, where you’ll find baskets a-plenty.

*If you have the time and the inclination, make a basket out of papier mache with your kids. Check out the instructions for these colorful baskets at Better Homes & Gardens.

*Stay clear of the plastic grass. It’s not compostable and like pine needles from a Christmas tree, it stays in your house for months afterward. Instead, shred scrap paper or even grow your own grass foundation. You can find growing directions at HGTV.com, but you’ll need to start this week to be ready in time!

*Stick with fair-trade chocolates and candies. I know, these can get pricey, but if you stick with just a couple of treats instead of a basketful, that may help. Since fair-trade products do not use child labor, I suppose we’ll be helping to make more than one child happy this holiday.

*Instead of candy, try filling a basket with coloring books, crayons, bouncy balls, magnets, dice, small wood toys, or craft items.

*Make something. I know this isn’t easy for a lot of parents. It seems there is so little time in the day. Sewing a pillow case, building a small doll house or crib, crafting some fun soaps, or even making a fun card will show your child the importance of a gift from the heart.

*If dyeing eggs, make sure they’re free-farmed, and use natural dyes from veggies and fruits instead of the nasty pellets found in store packages.

*If not using eggs, craft eggs using this recipe for Pearly Soda Play Clay found at www.recipezaar.com, then paint them.

*Instead of stuffing a basket full, how about placing one plastic egg with a clue inside. Send your child on a scavenger hunt throughout the yard or even to a family member’s home if you have plans to visit later in the day. At the end of the hunt, include some kind of prize. It could be a favorite book, a game, a chocolate bunny, or a second-hand bike.

Remember to check the recipes link for the Hopping Good Carrot Cake, and write in if you have budget-friendly ideas to share!