Cooking in My Panties

Totally Vegan, Totally Delicious PB Cookies

2012-01-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

Peanut Butter cookies remind me of my mother. She makes the best PB cookies. They are warm, chewy, and sugary. One problem, which I do not have when eating them, is that they are not vegan. NO doubt, I splurge on those cookies, but when I am home...I don't have non-vegan ingredients in stock.

Recently, I worked on a peanut butter cookie recipe that would be vegan, be peanut buttery, chewy, and super delicious. Finally, I would like to reveal my masterpiece.

The great thing about this cookie recipe? You can eat it and not worry about raw eggs.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup milk (whatever sort, I used almond)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup applesauce

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Mix all of the wet ingredients in a bowl VERY well.

2. Add the dry ingredients.

3. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F

4. Bake on a cookie sheet for 12 minutes.

Sea Salt Roasted Cabbage and Zucchini

2012-01-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

There is something savory and sweet about roasted cabbage. Especially, when it comes to you on a breezy winter's night and nothing will appease you but toasted vegetables. As the winter vegetables bud through the moist soil, I am finding that roasted vegetables is becoming a staple in the house for dinner. Whether you grow your own, pick them up from Farmer's Market, or the supermarket, this recipe will be a breeze for any home-chef.

What I love about this recipe is that it is quick and delicious. It can be the main meal or served as a side. Feel free to add different rot vegetables to this recipe, too.

Ingredients:
1 cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
3 zucchini, cut into rounds
1-2 tsp coarse sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
1. After prepping the veggies, turn the oven to 450F.

2. Pour the olive oil into a glass or ceramic baking dish. Spread it out evenly. Sprinkle 1 tsp sea salt over the oil. Place cabbage and zucchini into the baking dish. Carefully, coat all sides of the cabbage (try to preserve the wedges). Sprinkle remaining salt over the top.

3. Roast for 9 minutes on each side.

This dish would go great along side fresh hummus, falafel, and pita. Or if you are a meat eater, think cabbage and beef.

Chai Spiced Cranberry Sauce

2011-12-07T20:06:00.001-08:00

I used the recipe on the back of the cranberry bag, but swapped water for chai tea!

Espresso Dark Chocolate Pistachio Truffles

2011-12-07T19:55:00.001-08:00

I love salty nuts.

Really, I do. I love them even more so when they are rolled into creamy dark chocolate. Truffles are delicious and I don't make them very often...say, once per year. This year, I am making these for the Annual Christmas potluck at my apartment complex. They are surprisingly simple to make, so you wont have any problems making them yourself!

Recipe:
1/2 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
12 ounces dark chocolate
2 cups pistachios

Melt chocolate over hot water. Remove from heat.

Add cream and coffee. Stir really well.

Add half of the nuts.

Chill until firm.

Roll in the remaining nuts.

Chill.

Will store for a month.

Spanakopita

2011-12-07T19:54:00.001-08:00

Falafel

2011-11-30T21:13:00.001-08:00

I made this falafel in a heartbeat and you can too!

Recipe:

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup dried chickpeas
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 small onion, quartered
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Scant teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 cup chopped parsley or cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, for frying

Method

1. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 or 4 inches; they will triple in volume. Soak for 24 hours, adding water if needed to keep beans submerged.
2. Drain beans well (reserve soaking water) and transfer to a food processor. Add remaining ingredients except oil; pulse until minced but not pureed, scraping sides of bowl down; add soaking water if necessary to allow machine to do its work, but no more than 1 or 2 tablespoons. Keep pulsing until mixture comes together. Taste, adding salt, pepper, cayenne or lemon juice to taste.
3. Put the oil in a large, deep saucepan to a depth of at least 2 inches; more is better. The narrower the saucepan the less oil you need, but the more oil you use the more patties you can cook at a time. Turn heat to medium-high and heat oil to about 350 degrees (a pinch of batter will sizzle immediately).
4. Scoop heaping tablespoons of batter and shape into balls or small patties. Fry in batches, without crowding, until nicely browned, turning as necessary; total cooking time will be less than 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Empanadas

2011-11-19T10:12:00.001-08:00

Now, I am not a fan of greasy food, thus I tend to shy away from most delicious concoctions. That's okay though, because I like to adjust friend recipes for delicious, healthy versions. Take these pumpkin and goat cheese empanandas, for example, they are rich in vitamins and flavor.

Bake these for a beautiful side dish or appetizer at your Holiday get-togethers and I promise everybody will ask you for the recipe...enjoy!

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour (preferably 1/2 wheat, 1/2 all purpose)
1 1/3 stick of butter or margarine
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Black Pepper
1 egg
3 TBSP Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 TBSP Sage, chopped
1/8 tsp nutmeg
A dash of sea salt and pepper
4oz. goat cheese or more depending on how much you like tangyness

Instructions

For the Dough:NOTE: All ingredients MUST be ice cold for the dough. That would be the First Seven Ingredients.

1. In a large bowl, add flour, salt, and butter, work with your fingertips until it is crumbly.

2. In another bowl, beat the egg and yogurt together. Add to the dry ingredients. Mix with fingertips to form a dough. DONT KNEAD. Be gentle..

3. It can be piecey. Refrigerate it for 15 minutes or so.

For the Filling:1. Sauté the chopped onions and the garlic in olive oil. Add all ingredients, mix well and let it cool completely before using.

2. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the goat cheese in approximately 24 pieces.

3. Place dough in a floured surface and roll it out into a 1/8 inch thin layer. Using a 4 inch round cookie cutter cut the dough into circles. Place the pumpkin filling in the center of the circle, place a piece of cheese on top and fold the dough over into a semi-circle. Press down the edges and arrange on a baking sheet. Repeat until the dough is gone. It makes approximately 24 pies. . . which is never a number to count on =)

4. Brush with eggwash, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 30 minutes or until golden in color.

No Rise Cinnamom Rolls

2011-11-15T20:15:00.001-08:00

That's right, I said Cinnamom Rolls. These delicious breakfast cinnamon rolls are the Queen of the mom arsenal. They are quick to make and taste as though you worked all morning to get these sticky, sweet buns, hot and fresh out of the oven (that was very prepositionallly).

Enjoy!

Want More Cinnamon Roll Recipes? Click Here (not spam)

The Recipe:

For the Dough:
2 cups whole grain flour
2 T sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp. sea salt
1 cup buttermilk or almond milk
6 tbsp melted margarine

For the Filling:
2 tbsp. Melted Margarine
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon

For the Glaze:
2tbsp. almond milk or milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F or 220°C.

2. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients for the dough (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt)

3. Stir in the butter and buttermilk. At this point, the dough will be sticky, so just spoon it on top of a heavily floured surface, and add a bit more flour to the top.

4. With floured hands, gently knead the flour into the dough (adding more flour if necessary) until the dough is manageable and is fairly smooth.

5. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle/square of approximately 1 inch thick.

6. Spread the surface of the dough with 2 tbsp melted butter, then sprinkle on the cinnamon and sugar.

7. Roll the dough from the longer side, and cut the dough to about 2 inches thick.

8. Place the rolls in a lightly greased pan, and bake at 220°C for about 20 mins, or until the edges have turned golden brown. Leave about a half inch of distance between them because they will grow while baking.

9.To prepare the glaze, mix the milk and powdered sugar, and pour onto the rolls while they're still hot.

Salad of Asian Greens w/ Szechuan, Sesame Oil & Lime Dressing

2011-11-14T14:40:00.001-08:00

Everybody needs at least one salad per day. This probably doesn't happen with most of us, so I am presenting you with this healthy Asian inspired salad that will not feel like a salad at all. On the evenings that I concoct a thick, creamy curry, this salad finds itself alongside the rich dish. That way, the guilt will be blindsided by this salad. Enjoy.

*You'll notice that this picture is not my own. I have made this dish, but my picture wasn't as pretty as this one! Compliments of Veggie NuumNuum.

Ingredients
1 bunch (approx 2 cups) of Asian Greens or any leafy greens or salad leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
4 chives, finely sliced
1 bunch of coriander (cilantro) (approx ½ cup) leaves roughly chopped, steams finely sliced
½ red capsicum (pepper), diced
1 small cucumber, deseeded and diced

Szechuan, Sesame Oil & Lime Dressing
1 lime, juice
½ tbs sesame oil
1½ tbs seasoned vegetable oil
1 tsp freshly ground Szechuan pepper corns
pinch of ground sea salt

Directions:
Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

In a jar or small bowl combine the dressing ingredients by shaking or whisking until smooth.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.

Serve as a great salad accompaniment to your Asian inspired meal.

For Healthy Asian Recipes like this One, Click Here!

Blog Update

2011-11-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody!

First, I wanted to note that the Recipe Index is now completed. It is on the sidebar to your right. Click it and it will take you to a page that I have created....recipes are organized. I will keep up on this and maintain it on a daily basis.

Secondly, I am contemplating a blog name change but am concerned that if I do so, I may lose readers. I have been affiliated with Cooking in My Panties for so long, I don't know if it is the right move. On the other hand, I have created a blog name that would mirror the title of my cookbook that will be released next Fall 2012.

Here it is :

Wholesome HomeChef

I look forward to your feedback on this decision because it means a lot to me to maintain a name that works for me, for you, and for the future of Cooking in My Panties.

Zucchini and Red Peppers Wrapped in Herbed Pizza Dough

2011-11-06T18:11:00.000-08:00

Over the years, my staple has always been homemade pizza dough. I have thrown fresh herbs into the dough, goat cheese, habaneros...you name it, I've attempted it. Two years ago, I switched to whole wheat dough and discovered that the adding of herbs and garlic made the texture an easier adjustment.

This afternoon, whilst my little one was sleeping, I threw some ingredients (flour, yeast, salt, garlic, oregano, thyme, and rosemary...) together and within hours, I had a delightful mound of pizza dough ready for working. However, I wasn't feeling a pizza, so I sauteed chopped zucchini and red bell pepper in a splash of olive oil, then spooned it into the dough. From there, I topped it with marinara sauce that I made last week and a handful or two of black olives.

Rolled it up and threw it in the oven. 425F for 20 minutes.

The Holiday Menu

2011-11-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving and Christmas are approaching rapidly and as usual, I am left to design the holiday meals for a family of seven. That isn't easy considering half of my family loves meat, my sister is a sort-of vegetarian, and I (and Avery) are vegans. You could imagine that that means creating a well-rounded meal that puts a smile on everybody's faces.

Every Thanksgiving, I like to add flair to the meal. Last year was Greek, but I think this year, I am going to spin it in a Latin meets Italian way. Think fresh herbs, roasted garlic, pasta, and rich aromatic sensations. Each recipe will be on a separate post, but they are linked here:

Thanksgiving
Eggplant and Pepper Lasagne (vegan)
Chipotle Cranberry Sauce (vegetarian)
Butterflied Turkey with Fennel, Sausage, and Ricotta Stuffing
Smashed Yams (vegetarian)

Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes (vegetarian)
Vegan Mushroom Gravy (vegan)
Traditional Turkey Gravy
Spinach Gratin (vegetarian)
Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Feta
Pumpkin Pie (vegan)

For more recipes for your upcoming holidays, feel free to email me!

*The Christmas menu will be posted in the first week of December

Brussels Sprouts: Baconed and Feta Cheesed

2011-11-06T13:43:00.000-08:00

It's sort of like a wedding tradition. Something blue, something borrowed... it isn't quite Thanksgiving Day without something bacon...Sizzling, crunchy, fat rendered pork that dresses up delicious vegetables. This year, I will be dousing Brussels Sprouts in feta and bacon. A side of roasted Brussels Sprouts will be on the side for those of us who do not indulge in porky porkness. You're welcome Dad.

6 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts, halved
olive oil spray
kosher salt and pepper
6 tbsp finely chopped kalamata olives (in a jar — reserve the brine)
3/4 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
6 tbsp reserved kalamata olive brine (see above)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Spread the Brussels sprouts out on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray with the olive oil cooking spray. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, add the chopped kalamata olives, chopped roasted red peppers and crumbled feta to a large mixing bowl. Once the Brussels sprouts are cooked, add them to the mixing bowl too and toss to combine. Add the bacon to the bowl and mix well.

Whisk together the kalamata olive brine and olive oil. Pour over the Brussels sprouts and toss well to combine.

Serve immediately.

Super Yummy, Super Simple Turkey Gravy

2011-11-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

Gravy is weird, to me. I cannot understand taking the fat from an animal, adding some ingredients to it, and pouring it atop of the meat, the vegetables, and anything else in its path. However, most people love gravy on Thanksgiving Day. My brother, literally, puts turkey on his gravy!

This recipe, from my grandmother, is simple and can be made ahead.

Ingredients

4-5 lbs. turkey wings
2 medium onions, peeled & each cut into 8 pieces
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons salt (divided)
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (divided)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 quarts low sodium turkey stock, divided
2-3 sprigs fresh sage
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 celery stalks, each quartered
2/3 cups flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray roasting pan with cooking spray. Add turkey wings and onions. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Bake for 1 hour until turkey & onions are browned. Flip over turkey wings, add garlic cloves and bake another 15 minutes. Remove wings, onions, & garlic to stock pot. Add 1 cup chicken broth to baking pan and whisk to loosen browned bits.

Add pan liquid to stockpot along with celery, herbs, and remaining chicken broth. Simmer for 1 hour. Remove solids from liquid stock. Pour stock through wire strainer to remove remaining bits. Remove grease from stock by using grease separator or chilling in fridge so that hardened fat can be scraped off the top.

For 5-1/2 cups of stock, make a slurry* by shaking 1 cup stock with 2/3 cup of flour in a jar. Heat stock, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in large saucepan until steaming. Whisk constantly while gradually adding slurry to stock until desired consistency is reached. Cook on low for 10 min. Serve right away or store in fridge no more than 3 days.

May be frozen for up to a month. Reheat in microwave or on stove top; add water or chicken broth to thin it, if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning.

*To thicken gravy, for each one cup of turkey stock make a slurry of 1 tablespoon of flour to 1-1/2 tablespoons of water or broth to shake together in the jar.

Spinach Gratin: Put Some Green on the Table

2011-11-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

Typically, Thanksgiving is a starch fest, but it doesn't have to be. Add this spinach gratin to the Thanksgiving feast to give everybody the opportunity to indulge and fill up on a healthy dose of greens. This can be turned into a vegan side by swapping the dairy and eliminating the cheese (add breadcrumbs or something else).

3 tbsp light butter or margarine
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
3 cups 2% milk or soy
3 lbs (3 16-oz packages) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Swiss Gruyere cheese (I used Sargento)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425°.

In a heavy-bottomed saute pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 10 - 12 minutes.

Add the flour and nutmeg; cook 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the milk and cook until thickened, about 5 - 7 minutes.

Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and add the spinach to the sauce. Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.

Transfer the spinach to a large baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and the Swiss cheese on top.

Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve hot. Makes a little over 6 1/2 cups.

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

2011-11-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you God. Gravy is groooossss....and prepackaged vegan gravy is grosser. I found this recipe on the Blog What Do I Know. I made it and was completely stoked to find that it works wonders on the palate. It can work with turkey, mashed potatoes or atop of stuffing. Give it a try.

Mushroom Gravy

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups white mushrooms, sliced (button mushrooms are best)
2 shallots, minced
2 cups mushroom stock (made with dried porcini mushrooms, see note)
1/2 cup red wine
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and saute over high heat, 8-10 minutes or until mushrooms are turning gold. Add the shallots, and cook 5 minutes more. Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons flour into the mushroom stock, making sure there are no lumps.

Pour the red wine into the mushroom/shallot mixture. Let it boil down over medium heat about 5 minutes, careful not to let the mixture dry out completely.

With the heat on medium, whisk the flour/mushroom stock mixture into the skillet, about a half cup at a time. Add the thyme, salt, pepper, and tamari. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it's thickened and taste to adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve immediately. It will thicken if left off the heat; if that happens stir in a small amount of soy milk.

Note: To make mushroom stock with dried porcini mushrooms, bring 2 cups of water to boil and pour over 1/2 cup loosely packed porcini mushrooms, in a glass measuring cup. Let sit for 15 minutes, then drain the mushrooms using a coffee filter, reserving the liquid. You can chop the mushrooms and add them to the gravy if you wish, or discard them, or save them for another dish. You can also use prepared mushroom stock cubes for this, although you may want to adjust the salt if so.

Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2011-11-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Food Network Photo

For one dish in your life, if you're vegan, you won't tell anybody that you slipped this luscious, most delectable side onto your plate. Nobody will know because they'll be tooo busy chowing down that turkey smothered in gravy!

This dish is made once per year because it definitely doesn't fit my bill of health and it is loaded with buttery, cheesy goodness. However, being the food lover that I am, there are some dishes in life that don't compare to its vegan alternative...enjoy...I'll be hovering in the corner in shame and excitement.

Ingredients:

2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, roughly cut into 1-inch pieces
2-4 cloves garlic
4-6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped (or grated mozzarella)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons bread crumbs ( I use Panko)
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
salt & pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8 x 6 x 2 inch baking dish (the brownie dish) with butter or olive oil and set aside.

In boiling salted water, cook the potatoes and garlic cloves until they’re tender, about 15 minutes. In the meantime, stir breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons of the Pecorino Romano together and set aside.

Drain potatoes and in the same pot, mash together potatoes and garlic to desired consistency. Mix in butter and milk. Add mozzarella and remaining Pecorino Romano and mix. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the potato and cheese mixture into your greased baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumb and cheese mixture on top of the mashed potatoes.

Bake uncovered for about 20-30 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Roasted Smashed Yams

2011-11-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

Yams are a comfort food in our household. Mostly baked, but nothing screams the autumn forthcoming than a serving of spiced yams mashed to bits. This recipe come from My Kitchen Addiction, but I adapted it to suit my needs. Serve this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or alongside a hearty cup of Earl Grey tea.

3 medium yams, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons butter (you can use canola oil too), cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup brown sugar + additional for sprinkling
Pinch of nutmeg or cloves

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the yams in a baking pan (or on a baking sheet) lined with aluminum foil. Sprinkle with cinnamon and the butter pieces. Roast in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes, until soft, stirring a few times to evenly coat the yams in the butter and cinnamon.

Transfer the roasted yams to a mixing bowl. Add the apple cider and brown sugar. Smash with a potato masher to your desired consistency

Serve immediately topped with some additional brown sugar and a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Quick Note

2011-11-03T17:48:00.001-07:00

Please do not reference the side bar of recipes as the totality of this blog. I am in the process of adding the recipes on the side....use the search bar to find what you are looking for =)

Thanks.

Pumpkin Pie (Dairy and Egg Free)

2011-11-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

I'm a bad vegan. Actually, I really don't care for the word, really. I eat what I want, which happens to fall into the vegan category. Who really wants to be categorized? Enough on that. I would eat pumpkin pie, day or night, rain or shine, eggs or no eggs....get my drift? However, my sister will not....so I make this pumpkin pie to avoid having to make two of everything on Thanksgiving Day. Nobody notices that dairy and eggs are absent from this delectable pie.

The ingredients may seem weird, but go with it...I promise breath-taking results.

1 1/4 cups raw soaked cashews
1 cup maple syrup
1 can organic pumpkin puree (16 ounces) (or use fresh puree)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

To Make:

1. Soak about one cup of raw cashews in about 2 1/2 cups of water in a large bowl. Add about 1/2 - 1 tsp of salt to the bowl - mix to dissolve. The salt allows the water to absorb more efficiently into the cashews and also adds some salt for your recipe.

2. Soak this cashew bowl overnight in the fridge. You want well-soaked cashews so that your pie mix blends up perfectly creamy. I soaked my cashews for about 18 hours. At least 8 is optimal. Don't soak for more than two days or the cashews can get grimy in my opinion.

3. The day of your actual pie making allow at least 3 hours from the time you start to the time you wish to serve the pie. I like a cool time of at least 2 hours.

4. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

5. Drain the water from your cashews. They should be very soft to bite and a slight purplish dark hue. This is normal. Add 1 1/4 cups of cashews to your food processor .

6. Add pumpkin to blender. Next, add in the maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Blend on low -> high for about 3-5 minutes until the mixture is completely creamy. If your mixture is a bit thick for some reason - you can add in a few teaspoons of either water, maple syrup or even non-dairy milk. After blending, do a taste test and add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt if needed. I added in about 1/3 tsp extra salt. But taste before adding.

7. Pour your mix into a par-baked vegan pie shell (I toast my raw pie shell in the 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes). You can buy a frozen crust or make your own per instructions linked in recipe above.

8. Bake pie at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes - or until the edges look fluffy and a darker caramel orange tone. Use a toothpick in center if unsure. The tooth-picked filling should come out slightly wet - but very thick and dark. It is important to remember that your pie will firm up significantly upon cooling and chilling in the fridge.

9. Remove pie from oven. Cool on counter for at least 30 minutes. Then place in fridge until ready to serve. At least 2 hours cooling and/or chilling time is my preference. A warm pie will be tasty, but still a bit "wet" to slice.

Butterflied Turkey with Fennel, Sausage, and Ricotta Stuffing

2011-11-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

Turkey is a Thanksgiving staple. I am not sure why, I need to review the history behind the tradition. All I know is that if there isn't a turkey on the table, then dad will claim that this isn't Thanksgiving. Luckily for him, I love to cook, regardless of my personal eating habits. My turkey skills are well-developed, so much so, that you'd wonder why I don't eat the poor bird. This recipe, which I took from Bon Appetit several years ago and adapted it to fit the tastebuds of everybody who eats meat. This is very Italian and I think it steals the show every holiday.

Ingredients

Stuffing

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed, broken into pieces
2 medium fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, diced, plus 1/4 cup chopped fronds
2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped shallots
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless country-style French bread
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Turkey

1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ground
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 12- to 14-pound turkey; neck, heart, and gizzard removed
2 cups (or more) turkey or vegetable broth (or chicken if you cannot find turkey)

Preparation

Stuffing

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage. Sauté until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl. Add diced fennel, leeks, and shallots to skillet. Sauté 8 minutes. Add garlic and wine. Boil 3 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
Scrape into bowl with sausage. Cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
Mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and ricotta into stuffing. Whisk eggs, sage, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and fennel fronds in bowl. Stir into stuffing.

Turkey

Mix fennel seeds, rosemary, salt, and pepper, then oil in small bowl. Rinse turkey; pat dry. Place turkey, skin side down, on work surface. Spread half of fennel oil over flesh side. Turn turkey over onto large rimmed baking sheet. Tuck wing tips under.
Starting at neck end, run fingers gently under skin of breast, thigh, and legs. Spread stuffing under skin. Massage to even out thickness of stuffing. Spread fennel oil over turkey skin.

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F. Pour 1 cup stock or broth onto baking sheet under turkey.
Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 160°F to 165°F, adding stock by cupfuls if pan is dry, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Transfer turkey to platter; let rest 30 to 45 minutes. Reserve baking sheet with juices.

Chipotle Cranberry Sauce

2011-11-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

Cranberry sauce is a debate in our home. My brother loves the canned stuff, mom prefers the broiled sort, and dad wants it pureed with orange zest. This year, there will be the canned stuff, sliced accordingly, but there will also be this Latin inspired Chipotle Cranberry Sauce. Mmmm, the perfect twist of zest, spice, and sweet tang to complement the Thanksgiving feast.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

2 dried chipotle chiles*
1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground cumin

Preparation

Place chiles in medium saucepan filled with water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chiles are tender, adding more water if needed to keep chiles submerged, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on dryness of chiles. Drain.
Combine softened chipotles, cranberries, sugar, and orange juice in heavy medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking until cranberries begin to pop, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon, and cumin. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly and flavors meld, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Cool.
Remove chipotles. Stem and seed. Mince chiles and return to cranberry sauce; stir to distribute. Cover and chill.

Eggplant and Pepper Lasagne

2011-11-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 eggplants, sliced lengthwise 3/4-inch thick (8 slices)
1 large sweet pepper, or 2 regular, slized into rounds
2 tomatoes, sliced
8 lasagna noodles (we used the no-boil variety)
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided plus more for baking dish
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn or left whole
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
2 cups marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice eggplant lengthwise into 3/4 inch thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Brush both sides with oil and salt and pepper and bake until the centers turn golden, around 25 minutes.

2. Spray or oil the bottom of a baking dish. Add a thin layer of pasta sauce. Then begin by layering lasagna single-layer slices of eggplant, sweet pepper, tomatoes, pasta sauce, ricotta, basil, cheese and parmesan cheese. The ingredients are enough for 2 layers, but add more layers (with obviously) more ingredients if you like. I would have layered it to the sky if I could.

3. Top with remaining cheese and basil and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover, and return to oven for an additional 20 minutes until golden brown.

Cornbread Soyrizo and Cream Cheese

2011-11-02T20:58:00.000-07:00

Sweet, spicy, and creamy is the description for this concoction.

As a vegetarian I need to go out of my way to make these appetizing. Here, I make a cornbread that has no animal derivatives, top it with soyrizo, and spread a vegan cream cheese (you can use whatever kind you prefer) in between. The combination gives you something grainy, something creamy, and something very spicy. Paired with a hearty ale and you have a meal.

Cornbread Recipe

Lemon Sticky Buns

2011-10-06T21:00:00.000-07:00

Three things that I love: breakfast, lemony tang, and sweet rolls. Guessing the direction in which I am headed??? Sticky, gooey, cinnamony, lemon buns. Oh, the goodness of those words. Sadly, being a single mom and full time college student means that these are rare in the house. I made them several weeks ago and finally getting around to informing you of my ecstasy. The recipe is adapted from Shutterbean....soy is swapped for milk and so forth. Feel free to use the real deal if you have it on hand. While, we stay to the side of veganism, I have zero reservation for using cream cheese in a recipe that would not be the same without it =)

The lemon sticky buns work wonders alongside a warm cup of Earl Gray tea and sauteed spinach.

Lemon Roll Dough
1 envelope (0.25 ounces, or 2 1/2 teaspoons) yeast
3/4 cup milk, warmed to about 100°F or warm but not hot on your wrist
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 lemons, zested
2 eggs

Sticky Lemon Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 lemons, zested and juiced *
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup powdered sugar
1 lemon, zested

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk. Allow to sit for three minutes. Using the paddle, mix the butter, sugar, vanilla, and one cup of flour. Add the salt, nutmeg, and zest. Lastly, add the eggs and enough flour to make the dough soft and sticky.

2. Switch to the dough hook. Knead for 5 minutes.

3. Spray the top of the dough with oil spray and turn the dough to coat it. Cover in a bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled. Around 60-75 minutes. Sometimes longer depending on where you live.

4. In a bowl, mix the sugar, nutmeg, and ginger together. Add the zest with the top of your fingers until the sugar is wet. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon. (Reserve the juice of the second lemon for the glaze.)

5. Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with baking spray. On a floured surface pat the dough out into a large yet still thick rectangle — about 10x15 inches. Spread evenly with the softened butter, then pour and spread the lemon-sugar mixture over top. Roll the dough up tightly, starting from the top long end. Cut the long dough roll into 12 even rolls, and place them, cut side up, in the prepared baking dish.

6. Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for an hour or until puffy and nearly doubled. (You can also refrigerate the rolls at this point. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake the rolls, remove the pan from the fridge, and let them rise for an hour.)

7. Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the risen rolls in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into a center roll reads 190°F.

8. While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small food processor (or with a mixer, or a sturdy whisk), whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and blend until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy.

9. When the rolls are done, smear them with the cream cheese glaze, and sprinkle the zest of 1 additional lemon over top to garnish. Serve while warm.