Sterling & Oats

Migas with Jasmine Rice

2015-04-30T10:34:00.000-05:00

2015, for me, has been filled with lots of high highs and low lows. I'm not sure if I'm just getting better at handling the lows or maybe I'm riding a pretty good high streak, but here it is almost May and I'm finally getting my shit together and organized. That's life, right? (I can't be the only one, so someone please agree!) Despite this roller coaster start to 2015, there is one thing that's consistent and that is my love for Saturday morning. It's one of two mornings in a week that I get to wake up, forget the makeup, not feel the instant stress that comes with my day job, and head straight to my happy place- the kitchen. Don't get me wrong, life ain't that bad, but anytime I'm about to lose my cool, Saturday mornings is usually the time that helps me relax and remember how lucky I actually am. It's difficult to be grumpy with a tasty breakfast in front of you.

Breakfast food is everything that's good in the world-French toast, hash browns, waffles, breakfast tacos, doughnuts, all of it! It's hard to say what my favorite breakfast dish is, but migas is what I eat most often at home. It's also a meal I never order out since I can be pretty picky about it. I like mine simple with the occasional diced tomato and/or avocado making an appearance...sometimes. I prefer finely diced spring onion but yellow onions are a favorite. The only fresh herb I wanna see is cilantro. I opt for hot sauce to bring the heat rather than adding a fresh pepper to the mix. But the big one is the crisp tortilla strips. Please don't come at me with bagged tortilla chips. That's all wrong! You need corn tortillas torn, fried and salted to perfection on your stove top. Trust me, there's a ton of terrible, overly-salted bagged chips. Frying those tortillas yourself is what makes the dish! And my last rule is how and when these chips are added back to the dish. Some people, including myself because it's just easier, do not remove the tortillas from the pan once they've crisped up and just add the eggs to it. That's good and fine as long as you crisp those tortillas up! You don't want to add eggs to semi-crisp tortilla chunks or you'll just make a soggy mess. My preferred method is removing the chips once they're done and adding them back to the eggs as they cook. But don't add them in too late 'cause then you've made egg nachos. I like my chips to still have some crunch but a little bit of a bite from mingling with the eggs while they finish cooking.

It may sound like I'm set in my ways and there's no room for additions in my perfectly planned miga preparation but there is one addition that I welcome with open arms... day old jasmine rice. Maybe it's just my absolute love for jasmine rice that I can tolerate it in just about anything, but there is something about that extra bite the rice gives that goes along perfectly with the crunch from the chips and the fluffy, creamy eggs.

This is something I showed Billy how to make and now he makes it better than anyone I know! He put me to shame and I'm okay with that. There's just something so great about lounging in my pjs on a Saturday morning while my man makes me the best migas in town.

Notes: I usually stick with springs onions for my migas but when I'm adding jasmine rice, I prefer green onions/scallions.
For the hot sauce, I like to add sriracha to the eggs and then top the finished dish with a drizzle of cholula. Like I said... I can be pretty picky about migas.

Migas with Jasmine Rice

3 tbsp veggie oil

3 tbsp butter

4 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
4 eggs
1 tbsp milk
hot sauce (I prefer sriracha or cholula)

2 green onion stalks, diced

1 cup day old jasmine rice

fresh chopped cilantro
dices tomato, cheese or avocado (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and desired amount of hot sauce. Set aside. Heat butter and oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortilla chunks. Lightly salt and fry til crispy and golden. Remove from heat and set aside on paper towel lined plate. Add a few teaspoons to the pan if needed, add the onions. Cook until softened- just a few minutes, then add the rice. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the eggs and then tortillas chips back to the pan and scramble your eggs to your desired liking. I like mine fluffy with most of the moisture cooked out. I still like a little creaminess to it. Stir in chopped cilantro. Top with cheese, avocado, and more hot sauce!

Enjoy!!

Lunchtime: Sweet Potato Noodle Bowl

2014-12-21T12:40:00.000-06:00

At this current moment I should be baking cookies. This weekend is the busiest baking weekend of the year. It's my absolute favorite. I make over 500 cookies for the ones I love most. After years of trial and error, I've narrowed down my Christmas Cookie box to the most requested favorites, while also throwing in a few new ones.

But right now I'm waiting for this headache to go away. I woke up not feeing well, but powered through it and made it to the store bright and early. My kitchen is stocked to the max with butter & flour. I can't wait to get to work but I need this pain reliever to kick in first.

So instead of being done with my third batch of cookies like I had hoped by now, it's 11am and I'm riding out this pain on the couch. There's no point in anxiously looking at the clock and back at my cookie list, I thought why not post about my delicious lunch from yesterday.

I'm particular about the kitchen gadgets I buy. Before getting a spiralizer for my birthday, I used a julienne peeler to make my veggie noodles. I went back and forth on whether I wanted to make room in my small kitchen for something I could essentially make already. But honestly even the best looking noodle I could pull from a peeler looks pretty pathetic compared to all the beautifully bouncy noodles I would see online. Sure it's all about the taste, but a visually appealing plate doesn't hurt. And after playing with the spiralizer a few times, I really do like this thing. Even more so because it's compact. Any effect on taste? I'm able to achieve thinner, more pliable noodles that work much better in the pan. Maybe the spiralizer and I are still in our honeymoon phase, but I'd say those bonuses do attribute to taste.

But I also had a pretty crappy peeler. So what do I know? Maybe we can just chalk this rambling up to a spoiled home cook taking a moment to go on about her new kitchen toy for no reason. I tend to ramble.

Regardless, it's pretty cool little gadget.

This isn't really much of a recipe, just an easy idea that's light and yummy.

Note: I've only experimented with veggie noodles this thin a few times and I'm still learning about the fine line between mushy veggie noodles and delicious ones. If you have a better way of prepping these sweet potato noodles, please do so. This is what has worked for me so far...

Sweet Potato Noodle Bowl

serves 2

1-2 sweet potatoes, spiraled *you get a lot from one potato

1 block tofu

1tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp rice vinegar

1 cup black rice

3 collard green leaves, julienned

pomegranate seeds

cilantro

Press tofu while preparing other ingredients. Bring 2 1/4 cup water to a boil. Rinse black rice under cool running water. Add the rice to the boiling water. Boil for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. You can use this time to spiralize the sweet potato, chop cilantro & greens, deseed pomegranate, etc. Using a strainer, let rice drain well over the sink for about 5 minutes. Return to pot, off the heat, and cover. Let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Season lightly with salt.

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Cut tofu into 1" cubes and add to bowl. Toss to evenly coat. Spread tofu evenly on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-40 minutes, depending on preference. I was going for quick & since I don't mind tofu at any stage, I went for about 25 minutes which got me very light brown edges.

Lightly oil a large pan over medium heat with 2 tsp oil. Pan fry noodles, stirring one or two times, for about 5-8 minutes. season with salt.

To plate: divide collard greens into two bowls. lightly oil your fingers with olive oil and message greens in the bowl. wash hands and lightly season with salt & pepper. Add a scope of rice, pushing the greens to the side. Divide noodles amongst bowls. Top with tofu, cilantro, and pomegranate seeds. Pour sauce on top.

Sauce/glaze/something mixed in bowl

1 tbsp sambal chili paste

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp maple

mix above ingredients. pour over noodle bowls.

I intended to make a vinaigrette and even had different ingredients on the counter, but because I was trying to do a million things at once and didn't even realize the error of my mistake until after I poured it atop of the noodle bowls, I made more of a glaze/marinade of sorts. not much to it, but it worked! adding fresh garlic and a bit of oil won't hurt.

Note: Sambal chili paste is not vegan or vegetarian, but I've found some vegan homemade versions that seem worthy of a try.

Enjoy!

Thoughts on turning 30 with Tres Leches {Momofuku} Cake

2014-12-01T10:50:00.000-06:00

Oh Heeeey...Hello! I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. I've got the blankets out and Christmas decorations up. I know I haven't been posting as much as I'd hoped this year, but I just turned thirty a few weeks ago and guess what I got that will help with this dilemma.... A laptop!!! I was saving for one since the summer (when my old laptop died) and my parent's helped me out with the last couple of bucks for my birthday. I'm so excited!!! I'm sure any blogger out there can appreciate my excitement. It's pretty inconvenient trying to blog without a laptop. But I'm up & running again!

Now back to this turning thirty business...

It happened. I exited my twenties with style and now I'm entering my thirties with a little bit of grace and knowledge.

Turning 30 is a little different than I imagined. It's actually not a big deal whatsoever. I use to think that there would be all kinds of differences between preteen Melissa and thirty year old Melissa, but aside from a few things like learning to balance a checkbook and putting washer and dryer on my Christmas wish list, some things just stay the same.

For instance, I thought the foods I enjoyed, like Goldfish, frozen Totino's Party Pizza, and Kraft Mac & Cheese, were because my refined 9 year old palate knew how to enjoy the good things in life. Surely, as I got older these things would no longer appeal to me... Wrong. I'm confident that I will buy a Totino's Party Pizza for myself in my thirties, and while I don't buy the blue box as much, I still crave mac & cheese, like a five year old. For the Thanksgiving pot luck last week, my workplace had a few of the sides catered. While we all gathered around to pile food on our plates, a coworker, referring to the generous offering of mac & cheese, asked, "Who invited my kids?" Without missing a beat, someone responded, "It's for Melissa."

I have switched from regular Goldfish to the whole wheat kind, so there's that.

When I was too young to know any better, I assumed that by this time, I would be rich, married, have a big house and a kickass job. I'm not at all upset, but none of these things would describe my current situation. For instance, I'm not making boatloads of money at a super cool job. But hey, it's a paying job! It's a job with health insurance and I am grateful everyday to have it. While the people at Chase Bank never seem very impressed with my paychecks, I'm so incredibly thankful. Those checks are not be paying off a big, fancy house, but they are helping me pay for my cute townhouse, complete with working kitchen appliances and a balcony big enough to grow some veggies. They make working towards my goal a heck of a lot easier. Also, I'm not married, but I am in a healthy, happy 6 year relationship with a man who treats me with more respect than I've seen most husbands treat their wives. Just about anytime we go out, I think to myself, "I'm really lucky to have this guy."

I guess in all this rambling, I'm saying that as I grew up, so did my thoughts on what signified a successful thirty year old, or adult for that matter. It may have taken me longer than some to figure out my goal in life (have you seen Master Chef Jr.?), but I know it now and I'm confident in my path. While I will never describe myself as someone who has their shit together, because really, who does? There is an episode from Mind of a Chef season 2 where I think Chef Sean Brock says it best...

"What’s important is what you’re born with. What’s inside of you. The journey of life is amazing and it’s easier if you know what the end point is and my end point is sitting on a front porch, on a rocking chair, in overalls, fat as hell with a huge beard drinking moonshine telling stories in the Appalachian Mountains- cooking these dishes passing them down. As a kid you want to run as far away from it as you can, but the older you get the more you realize enjoying life is sitting on the porch."

I enjoy making my own birthday cake. Some may find this sad, but whatever. I know what I want. This year I decided to make a Momofuku style cake. It's a tres leches layer cake with hojarascas crumbles, fresh whipped cream, mexican chocolate shavings, and gold flakes.

I highly recommend the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. The first time I read it, I was in Portland, sitting on the floor in the aisle of Powell's, reading every word of that cookbook until my neck couldn't take it anymore, and my bony butt was killing me. Christina Tosi is such an inspiration. She is one of the few bakers to admit that her baking experiments don't always involve measuring. A lot of my favorite chefs have a certain disposition against bakers. They feel that baking is too precise and there is no room to stretch their creative legs. A few days ago someone told me that exact thing, and to be honest, I think it may have been a personal jab at me. At least that's how it felt. I thought to myself, "Okay, let me guess you're a "really good cook" and you read about (insert famous chef's name) enthusiasm for bakers and now you regurgitate their pseudo life lessons, from atop your high horse." (hehe can you tell I took offense?) Christina Tosi makes me feel normal, in that I'm not always an accurate baker. When I have a new cake idea, I love nothing more than to experiment, no measuring required. Baking is as creative as cooking, just more daring. Mistakes are not as easy (but still possible!) to fix. Just like a cook knows about how much salt to start off with, even if working on a new recipe, I know about how much baking powder to add to the appropriate amount of flour when experimenting with a new dessert recipe. If you think that given the same recipe for carrot cake, we'd both walk out of the kitchen with the same carrot cake, your creativity is not taking you far enough, and you are underestimating MINE. HOLD ME BACK!!

Damn...apparently attitude came along with turning thirty. ;-)

Tres Leches Momofuku Cake

For my birthday cake, I wanted to use some tried and true recipes so I could spend the rest of my day outdoors. If you have a favorite tres leches cake recipe, I'm sure you can adapt it to work for this recipe.

For the Hojarascas crumbles I used my recipe. This will make more cookies than you need. You can either cut the recipe in half or freeze the unused raw cookie dough.

For the sponge cake layers I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe. I've made this recipe many times and it never disappoints.

For the Tres Leches Mixture: 1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can evaporated milk

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

Fresh Whipped Cream: 3 cups heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp sifted powdered sugar

Mexican Chocolate Shavings

Special Equipment:

6 inch cake ring

2 strips acetate, 3 inches wide and 20 inches long

Bake the sponge cake and set aside to cool. You can use this time to make Hojarascas. Turn cake out onto a parchment lined surface. Using a 6" cake ring or using a cake pan or board as a guide, cut out two 6" cake rounds and two half circles from the 9x13 cake. The two complete 6" cakes will be your top two layers and the two half circles, along with remaining crumbs, will make up your bottom layer. Clean the cake ring and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Line the cake ring with one piece of acetate. Place the two half circles inside and use the cake scraps to fill in any gaps. Press down to make a flat even layer. Using a fork or toothpick, poke several holes into the half circle cakes. Mix together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. Slowly drizzle about 1/2 cup of the mixture over the bottom cake layer. Be careful not to cause a build up around the edges. Let the cake sit and soak up the milk mixture while you prepare the fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Beat together heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Using a pairing knife or box grater, prepare Mexican Chocolate Shavings. Spread one-third of the whipped cream on top of the bottom layer. Grab a few handfuls of hojarascas and crumble them on top of the whipped cream. Using the back of a spoon, press the crumbles into the whipped cream. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes. *I was being extra cautious since I was turning a delicate cake into a layered one. I felt that freezing in between layers helped stabilize and help keep the fresh cream from running or getting weird from the milk mixture* Take the cake out and tuck the second strip of acetate in between the cake ring and the top 1/4" of first acetate. Before placing the next cake layer inside, poke several holes. Place cake inside cake ring and slowly pour milk mixture. Just repeat the process from layer one. Spread fresh whipped cream, cookie crumbles, and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Freeze for 20 minutes. Repeat.

Freeze cake overnight or 10 hours minimum. Let it sit out for about 20-30 minutes before serving.

Notes: I went easy on the milk mixture because I didn't want a soggy mess on my hands. This sponge cake can handle it so if you think that your layer can handle more than 1/2 cup, just slowly drizzle more in, remembering to keep the sides from flooding.

Hojarascas {Mexican Wedding Cookies}

2014-10-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

I'm just gonna get this out of the way, although I doubt this will be the last time I mention it, I love October. Halloween decorations throughout the house, The Shining on TV, "fun" (for who?) sized chocolate bars hidden in the fridge, and best of all; cool weather creeping in.

If you're into all that then you may also be into these cookies because they are perfect with a blanket and cup of coffee on the couch while watching scary movies. They also pair nicely with store bought chocolate...just saying.

These cookies are "Mexican Wedding Cookies", also known as "Hojarascas" or "Pan de Polvo". A lot of people are more familiar with the mexican wedding cookie that combines butter, flour, confectioner sugar, & pecans- also known as Russian Tea Cookies, but those remind me too much of another holiday favorite of mine-the lady finger or sandie. Hojarascas are the ones I grew up on & I think they are more well known as the Mexican Wedding Cookie in South Texas. People may also refer to these as "melt in your mouth" cookies because that's exactly what they do. And with good reason- these are pretty much pie crust cookies, a lot of flour and shortening with the addition of some sugar and fresh brewed tea.

Oh but the tea! This is a cookie that just keeps on giving! Your house will smell amazing for the rest of the day after making these. Some recipes for pan de polvo of hojarascas call for just cinnamon tea (or no tea at all) but this recipe combines anise and cinnamon to give the cookie that perfect amount of spice.

My mom has made these for weddings but these are more of a holiday tradition in my family. I love adding them to my Christmas Cookie Boxes. The original recipe calls for a full 5lb bag of flour but I've successfully been able to cut the recipe by a third. You'll still get a good amount of cookies!

On that **NOTE.... Each time I've made these I measure out 5 cups flour, but I only use about 4 - 41/4 cup. You want the cookies to be almost like pie crust-adding enough flour so that it doesn't stick to your hands and it starts to pull away from the bowl. Just add the flour 1 tbsp at a time when you're getting close.

This recipe has been passed down to me. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family & friends do!

Mexican Wedding Cookies

2 1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
4-5 cups flour**see note
3 cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp anise seeds

cinnamon/sugar mix

To make tea: boil 1 1/4 cup water, add cinnamon and anise. Bring to a simmer and leave for about 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350. Beat sugar and shortening together. Add flour and warm tea to the mix, alternating, starting and ending with flour- adding just enough flour that the mix starts to pull away from the bowl. Add cookies to an ungreased cookie sheet using a cookie press. If you don't have a cookie press, just snip little 1/2 inch balls. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until they begin to lightly brown on the bottom and edges. Toss warm cookies in a cinnamon/sugar mix. Store in a sealed container and enjoy for the next week or share with friends.

makes about 8 dozen flower cookies

Enjoy!

Vegan Spicy "Tuna" Hand Rolls

2014-09-17T11:20:00.000-05:00

I'm sure everyone's heard of the "honeymoon stage". It's when you first start dating and everything is sunshine and happiness, so you eat. And eat. And eat. Billy & I definitely went through that & aside from the junk food, one of our favorite ways of putting on that happy weight was going out for sushi. I mean we went all the time and ordered a boatload. Literally. A tiny boat would sometimes come to our table of two. Ugh. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that...

Why we couldn't have picked a cheaper vice is beyond me. Nowadays, we enjoy a home cooked dinner & save the money for weekend eating or special occasion dinning. Besides, with some practice, conquering a restaurant dish at home is absolutely doable (and cheaper!). Even with that mindset, I'm still nervous to try a few things at home. One of those things being, sushi. My one and only attempt happened 6 or 7 years ago with an old roommate. They came out pretty good for our first go at it but I just never tried again.

I figured it was time to change that. Instead of going straight to making rolls, I decided to dip my toes and just go for a hand roll since it seemed a little less involved and less likely I'd screw it all up. I used my baked watermelon recipe and also tried another marinade mix with a sesame chili oil base that turned out to be tasty.

For my first shot at making hand rolls, I'm pretty happy with the overall look. My second try at them did not go so well, but luckily the flavor was there so every wimpy roll was eaten regardless. I am getting better, though! And in perfect time... today is Billy & I's 6 year anniversary and after deciding that we deserved a Wii U for being so awesome, I think we may need to save the money and eat in. I'm fine with that. Staying in is the new going out!

Vegan Spicy "Tuna" Hand Rolls
recipe from my spicy "tuna" tacos

1 small watermelon, seeds removed
olive oil
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp raw coconut vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsp GF sriracha sauce or hot chile paste

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut your watermelon into steaks and place on baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, making sure to coat each side. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust to taste- I like spicy so I tend to add a few extra drops of hot sauce. Pour marinade over watermelon steaks, coating all sides. Cover with foil* and bake for 2 hours. Reserve the juice if you'd like!

*NOTE: If you bake without covering the pan with foil, it will still taste delicious but will result in more charring.

Marinade two:
sesame chili oil
ginger, minced
tamari
vinegar
dash of salt

This light marinade was made without measuring. Just tasted as I went. If you'd like to give it a shot, start with the chili oil and then the vinegar. Taste as you go. Add a tiny bit of minced garlic if you'd like.

To make the hand rolls:
1 1/4 cup cooked sushi rice*
1 tbsp rice vinegar
sugar
salt
4 nori sheets
cucumber, julienned
optional toppings: cilantro, sesame seeds, green onion tops

*NOTE: I know jasmine rice is a long-grain rice that is not used for making sushi but it's what I had on hand and it's also my favorite type of rice so I didn't mind using it as a substitute for the short-grain sushi rice.
In a medium bowl, toss the rice with the rice vinegar, season with the sugar and salt to taste. You don't want it overly sweet, instead you want it to compliment the spicy baked watermelon so if it helps, take a bite of watermelon with the rice and adjust seasoning to your liking. No more than 1 tbsp of sugar should be used. Set aside.
Using kitchen shears, cut the nori sheets in half lengthwise. Take one sheet of nori, shiny side down, and using your other hand grab some rice and lightly squeeze to form a log. Having a small bowl of water and dipping your fingers in it before grabbing the rice helps a lot. Place the rice on the left side of the sheet, like the picture above. use your finger to make an indention for your other toppings. Place watermelon, cucumbers and other toppings of choice on top of rice. starting from the bottom left corner, beginning rolling. You can use a tiny bit of sushi rice or just a light smear of water on the end bit to keep it closed.

Enjoy!

Baked Eggs, Tomatoes, & Sweet Potato Greens with chili oil

2014-09-15T11:14:00.000-05:00

Breakfast is my EPIC mealtime. I'll never not know what I want, because what I want is just about everything in the morning. Leftover spaghetti sauce spiced with some baked eggs? Sure. French toast, pancakes, and waffles? I'm down. Just some leftover pizza? Why the hell not?! It's this non-picky behavior that can sometimes lead me to a new recipe idea and then introduce me to my new favorite meal. For instance, I love having leftover jasmine rice for my breakfast migas. Lightly fried rice meets spicy migas. It may sound odd but I'm telling you it works! In fact, I may have to do a post just to prove it....

Not all my morning meals are filled with leftovers or seem like a 6 year old's dream come true. Sometimes I just play it safe. My breakfast of choice for the summer was this baked egg dish. I had a variety of tomatoes and fresh sweet potato greens in my csa all through summer, so they played a major part in my meals. Have you had sweet potato greens? They are similar to spinach in the way they cook down but milder in taste. Sweet potato greens also lack the oxalic acid, which after doing some research I found out is the reason behind that funny feeling you can get on your teeth after eating spinach.

For this dish, I prefer a nice runny yolk but if you have picky guests who feel comfortable with a more solid yolk, you can tell them to "shut it!", and just leave it in the oven for another 3-5 minutes.

Note:If you know how to achieve the baked egg dish of your dreams, by all means stick to that temp. and time.

Baked Eggs, Tomatoes, & Sweet Potato Greens

1 tbsp Oil
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red pepper
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
handful of sweet potato greens, julienne & stems removed
1/2 tsp butter
2 eggs

Before you begin prepping your ingredients, heat a griddle pan and put the whole red pepper on it. Get it nice & black all around. Place it in a bowl and cover with cling wrap or you can skip the bowl and place it in a paper bag to steam. Also, if you don't have a griddle pan, you can broil your pepper in the oven to achieve a nice char. After you've prepped your ingredients, remove char from pepper, scrape out the insides, and chop.
Preheat oven to 375. Place a oven safe dish inside to warm. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn heat to low and add greens. Cook until wilted. Remove dish from oven and add the 1/2 tsp butter and pour in the tomato mixture. Gently crack the eggs on top without breaking the yolk. Season with a little salt & pepper. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Turn your oven to high broil, and broil the eggs for another 2-4 minutes.

Chili Oil

recipe from: bonappetit
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
pinch of paprika
pinch of salt

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add spices & a pinch of salt. Cook until the butter starts to foam and browned bits form at the bottom of the pan, 1-2 minutes.

Drizzle on top of baked eggs. Serve with toast!

optional toppings: chives, cilantro, green onions

Enjoy!

Lemon Chili Charred Okra

2014-08-05T11:18:00.000-05:00

I immediately want cornmeal and flour when I see okra. Is that a bit of southern creeping out or does everyone wanna fry these green pods when they see 'em? There is no doubt that I can put away a pound of fried okra in a day. Psshh.. easy. Not even an challenge. Wouldn't even be impressed. And don't get me started on pickled okra! Too late, I'm riled up! Even okra haters can appreciate the pickled variety. Heck, why not let some of those pickled okras onto your next cheese board? I hadn't even tried pickled okra until my first year in Austin. An old roommate brought me a jar and I was a happy girl. At that moment I decided to stop stealing her toothpaste.

I'm kidding, Jessica! It wasn't me! Relax.

Lemon-Chili Charred Okra

1 lb fresh okra

2 tbsp olive oil

Fresh lemon juice (1-2 small lemons)*

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tsp minced red onion

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

sea salt

Top with reserved chopped cilantro, sprinkle of kosher salt and charred lemon

Combine olive oil, fresh juice of one lemon, garlic, onion, red pepper, and 1/2 tbsp of cilantro. Taste & season with salt. Add an extra squeeze of lemon if need. * I realized my first lemon was a dud and had to cut another to get a few extra squeezes of juice in there-taste as you go!

Trim the okra and cut in half lengthwise. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Make sure to use your tried and true, well seasoned skillet. In batches, place okra cut side down in the pan. Be sure you don't over crowd the pan. Cook until a nice char is achieved, about 3-4 minutes. Toss okra and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes, again, until a nice char is achieved.

Toss hot okra with the lemon-chili mix. Remove from lemon mix and plate. Sprinkle with remaining fresh cilantro, sprinkle of kosher salt, and a squeeze of charred lemon.

Enjoy!

Tomato Pepper Sauce

2014-06-30T14:58:00.000-05:00

Tomatoes of all sorts are taking up a good chunk of space in my csa box as of lately. I'm a fan, so no complaints here. In fact, I'm taking full advantage of the season and purchasing a separate bulk order of 'em from my favorite local farm. One easy recipe to use up some of those tomatoes sitting in your fridge is by making a sauce to use for later dishes. My favorite sauce so far this summer is this tomato bell pepper sauce.

I love me some bell pepper. I can eat them raw, sauteed, steamed, fried- you name it! You know who doesn't love bell peppers? My boyfriend. Love would be the opposite emotion he feels towards bell peppers. But it's summertime and along with the tomatoes in my csa box, I'm also getting some of my beloved peppers.

A great thing about this sauce is there is no long roasting time or standing over the stove waiting for the tomatoes to cook down. It's summer and aside from my baking, there is no need for my oven to be on longer than an hour. Rather than miss out on the enhanced flavors you get from roasting, I did a 10 minute broil to get a nice char on all sides of the bell peppers. I then cooked down my onion and garlic, sauteed the tomatoes and peppers, and then transferred to my food processor to puree. Bonus #2, no need to boil and deskin the tomatoes before you start because you're just going to puree 'em anyways and no one will ever know! And bonus # 3 is the use of coconut milk to achieve a nice creaminess rather than heavy cream.

This sauce can be used with your favorite pasta dish or eggplant parmesan.

It's so creamy and delicious! Trust me! You want to use some of those summer veggies in your house for this sauce!

Tomato Bell Pepper Sauce

3 large red bell peppers

olive oil

1/2 pound plum tomatoes, diced

3 tbsp vegan butter

1 small red onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 fresno pepper, sliced

3/4 cup canned coconut milk

1 tsp salt

handful of fresh basil

Drizzle about one tablespoon olive oil over bell peppers on baking sheet. Broil for about 10 minutes or until a nice char is achieved, turning to make sure each side gets some color. Place in a paper bag to steam. While peppers are steaming, start chopping your veggies. After about 10-15 minutes, remove the skins and tops of the bell peppers and dice. Heat 2 tbsp vegan butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic- saute for about 3 minutes. add bell peppers and tomatoes. Cook for another 3 minutes and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Transfer to food processor along with fresno pepper and puree until smooth. Using the same skillet, return to medium high heat and melt remaining 1 tbsp vegan butter. Add tomato puree. Slowly add the coconut milk and season to taste with remaining salt. Store in seal tight container in the fridge is using within 3 days, otherwise freeze it.

Enjoy!

Vegan {Faux} Spicy "Tuna" Tacos with gluten-free option

2014-05-02T11:58:00.000-05:00

The first time I heard about cauliflower pizza I was intrigued. I've used it as a rice substitute but never thought to use it as a dough sub. So I added it to my never-ending "new recipes to try" list. It wasn't until after the whole wave of excitement over cauliflower pizza crust that I actually gave it a try.

I immediately wanted to kick myself. It was DELICIOUS! At that moment I promised I would actually give that "new recipes to try" list more time and attention. If I came across any interesting, healthy substitutes that I'd never thought to try before, I was going to get in the kitchen and try it out! It's all about experimenting in the kitchen!

But that wasn't the first time I made such a promise to myself. I remember having those same thoughts many years ago after making bean brownies. And unfortunately I still haven't learned my lesson...

What can I say? It happens. Sometimes I get so use to my ways of cooking and baking that I forget the only way to grow is to continue experimenting. And honestly, that's when I have the most fun in the kitchen. Those times when I'm just doing my own thing, working with what I have on hand and seeing what I can come up with.

But yet again, I had the urge to kick myself last weekend when I finally decided to try baked watermelon as a vegan substitute for tuna. This has actually been on my list much longer than cauliflower pizza. The first time I came across baked watermelon steak (about 5 or 6 years ago!) I was interested, but I think because I was still eating actual steak at the time, it just didn't appeal to me enough to make it then and there. BUT! I was so amazed how watermelon can take on a whole new identity that I never forgot about it.

Finally, this past weekend, I went for the gold and made spicy "tuna" for some vegan spicy "tuna" tacos.

MAJOR KICK IN THE ASS!

So good! I couldn't believe I was eating watermelon. Neither could Billy! We devoured everything. It is the perfect solution for vegans/vegetarians that have fond memories of sashimi.

I can't wait to make these again.

And again.

And again.

Now some people have mixed feelings about watermelon. Is it good for you? Is it bad for you? I think after hearing a few people that are "dieting" give their grief about watermelon, I feel the need to stick up for the fruit a little bit! Especially after I heard someone quote their dieting consultant by saying "I can eat all the brisket I want, but I can't have watermelon."
What?! I understand people are concerned with the amount of sugar in watermelon but here's how I see it: Too much of anything, especially sugar, is not good for you. Just like with anything we eat, moderation is key. Unless you plan on eating an entire watermelon by yourself in one sitting, I think the essential vitamins it carries, like Vitamin A & C, outweigh the natural sugar it contains. The key is a few slices here and there and not the entire melon! Oh and did you catch that? I said natural sugar. There is a difference between the type of sugar a watermelon produces and artificial. Still I understand not everyone feels this way. I think I just get annoyed with those that eat half their sandwich or bowl of pasta because they are "dieting" but won't touch a watermelon with a stick because of it's sugar content.

Ahhhh... okay. Got that out. I feel better.

Notes: Don't forget to take those seeds out of your watermelon!

If you would like to achieve a nice char on both sides of your steak, flip once during the last 45 minutes of baking. No harm if you decide not to flip the watermelon while baking.

While the recipe for faux tuna is gluten-free, the tacos featured are not. But maybe try that cauliflower rice I was talking about as a jasmine rice substitute? You can even drizzle some of the reserved juices from watermelon baking on top of the cauliflower rice for added flavor. Also, not all store bought corn tortillas are gluten free so read the label carefully! Or just make your own because they will probably taste a million times better anyways.

Baked Watermelon//Spicy "Tuna"
Recipe adapted from whataboutwatermelon.com

1 small watermelon, seedless
olive oil
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp raw coconut vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsp GF sriracha sauce or hot chile paste

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut your watermelon into steaks (check out .gif above) and place on baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, making sure to coat each side. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust to taste- I like spicy so I tend to add a few extra drops of hot sauce. Pour marinade over watermelon steaks, coating all sides. Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours. Reserve the juice if you'd like!

To make tacos:
Mini corn tortillas
1 cup cooked Jasmine rice
Vegan Mayo
Cilantro
Serrano Pepper
Green onion,

Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of your frying pan. Fry tortillas, one at a time, by letting them soak in the oil for about 30 seconds first and then using a spatula to bend and hold the shape of a taco shell while they fry- about 45 seconds-1 minute on each side or until a nice golden color is achieved.
Mix jasmine rice with a spoonful of vegan mayo (or a little bit or yogurt). This will make the rice much easier to work with while adding a little taste.
Take your shell, add some rice, top with "tuna", and sprinkle with cilantro, thinly sliced serrano peppers and chopped green onion tops.

Enjoy!

Balcony Life

2014-04-30T19:51:00.000-05:00

Every time I pass up a small $3 bundle of "fresh herbs" from the grocery store I do a little karate-like, happy dance in my head because I know I can just pick fresh herbs from my balcony garden. This doesn't happen all the time because honestly I'm far from having a green thumb and some plants, sadly, have not stayed with me. I've been experimenting with my outdoor container garden for about 2 years now. There have been few successes and many fails but that hasn't stopped me from trying and I've only grown to love it regardless.

I think what got me past the point of just being interested in starting a container garden to actually doing it was joining a csa. I bet this is a similar path for others who have joined a csa- you've become more involved and aware of where your food is coming from so I think the desire to try growing produce yourself comes around naturally.

The great thing is you can grow just about anything in a container. I've grown beans, tomatoes, beets, swiss chard, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, watermelon, peppers, and herbs.

The first thing I did to get my garden started was research. I looked into what plants do well in containers, when to plant, the type of pots each plant needs, when to thin them, type of soil, how often to water, etc.

And even then, I still make mistakes but I'm taking notes and I can tell I've made improvements from last years try. Also, I've had a talk with Billy about using spray paint near my plants...

I can offer one tip! If you're having problems with birds getting to your tomatoes before you, go to your local dollar store and purchase some scarecrow birds. They work!

What? Your local dollar store doesn't carry fake birds in a bin for no good reason? Then that's not a real dollar store, honey.

Sure, I often daydream of relaxing in my big backyard with a raised garden bed in one corner and tons of produce coming out of the ground but for now I'm so very happy with my tiny balcony space.

And if you thought you couldn't attempt to grow veggies because you are also a renter with a small patio/balcony, think again! There are so many great ideas out there to get the best use of your space without making it look like a cluttered mess of pots. Here are some great sources that help with just that issue...

Apartment Therapy- Gardening Without a Garden

66 Square Feet- beautiful blog about gardening in tiny spaces & cooking!

BHG-Planning Your First Vegetable Garden

(Too many cucumbers for one pot! Time to transplant!)

Fingers crossed, I want to continue posting progress shots of my balcony garden. It's amazing how a string of lights, a hammock, and tons of beautiful green life can change the outcome of my day.

Cumin-Lime Roasted Carrots {for the rich and famous}

2014-04-28T09:47:00.000-05:00

Well I'm glad I documented the use of my last lime. Maybe not the smartest idea to post this recipe during a national crisis but I couldn't hold on to those two little ol' limes any longer...

I had to say goodbye.

It was a gloomy weekday. I looked over and said, "guys today is the day. you're starting to look super shitty and I just can't let you shrivel away."

The limes looked at me and said... I'm just kidding guys! Limes don't talk.

But in all seriousness, I know I'll reunite with limes once again-when I'm rich and famous. I can picture it now...

I'm old (but still looking really good) and I'm enjoying lime soup with my grand-kids in the dinning hall just past the grand foyer. We will comment on the beautiful weather and I'll tell them stories of when I use to pay a nickel for a bag of limes. They'll say "Oh grandma, you're so silly!" And I'll say, "Yeah, I know. Finish your soup and go home."

Kids aren't my thing. ;-)

Cumin & Lime Roasted Carrots

1 bunch of carrots, half lengthwise
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place carrots on top of baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine oil, lime juice, garlic and spices. Pour over carrots and toss to make sure carrots are coated. Roast for about 30 minutes, flipping over after 20. Serve with fresh cilantro, cotija and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Enjoy!

Stained Glass Cookies {vegan option}

2014-03-10T11:21:00.003-05:00

I became a fan of stained glass cookies back in ...2008? 2007? Maybe before then? My memory is crap but the point is, they've been on my favorite list for a long time now. I immediately had to try 'em out after spotting them in a Martha Stewart magazine and I've been making them ever since to include in my Christmas Cookie Box.

Geez...I've never really thought about how many times I've made this cookie. It's been quite a few times. Always experimenting with different sugar cookie recipes and different candies, but always ending up with a tasty end result.

Now even I have to admit that I can only eat about one whole cookie and then for the next cookie (shutup. like you eat just one!), I usually eat around the candy so I don't have to worry about it getting stuck in my teeth. Yup, that would be one of the many annoying concerns I now have as I get closer to 30. Dental health. How lame is that? I mean not that I never cared before but I miss the days of eating candy without a second thought.

Responsibility blows.

But you know who couldn't care less about getting candy stuck in their teeth? Kids and grown men. You're probably thinking, yeah I get why candy cookies get the kids all amped but grown men? Yeah, I don't get it either and it caught me off guard but I speak the truth. Grown men love candy cookies. Some grown men just don't care about cavities.

I've experimented with a few different candies other than jolly ranchers. I've tried life savers, lemon heads, butterscotch, and candy canes to name a few. Not all of these candies are on the accidentally vegan list so if you want to keep them vegan double check the list or just trust me and stick to the jolly ranchers.

NOTES: You can make these into whatever shape you want. I love thin sugar cookies but the thinner you go the more difficult your cookie can be to work with and you risk having candy splatter marks along the edge of the inner shape. I stick with about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.

The orange juice is optional but I do recommend adding some kind of citrus like lemon or lime. I went with orange juice since they are in season.

Depending on your shape you may need to crush the candy. For the shape used on the cookies pictured, I had a very easy time just placing the candy as is in the middle. If you are using a more intricate shape with more detail and nooks, crush the candy by placing it in a plastic bag and hitting it a few times with a hammer or rolling pin. You can do a tie-dye effect by adding different colored crushed candies!

I have two versions of this recipe for you today! Both delicious, one vegan. If you live in Austin you may have caught me on Fox7 showing you how to make these cookies! My armpits were sweating like you wouldn't believe the entire time I was recording this segment but it was fun!!

Stained Glass Cookies

makes about 30-5" inch cookies

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3-4 tbsp fresh orange juice

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt-set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy-about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time beating well to combine. On low speed, add flour mixture. Add fresh orange juice.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll cookies to about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Cut out inner shape. Place candy in the middle of the cookie shape and bake for about 10-13 minutes or until corners are lightly browned. Let cool on the pan for 5-8 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack.

{Vegan version}

makes about a dozen 5" cookies

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

4 tbsp vegan margarine

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp ground chia seed + 3tbsp water

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

Mix ground chia seed and water in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt-set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy-about 3 minutes. Add chia "egg" and mix to combine. On low speed, add flour mixture. Add fresh orange juice.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 45 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Lover's Dream Cake {Happy Galentine's Day!}

2014-02-13T16:04:00.000-06:00

'Tis the season for chocolate covered strawberries, hearts on everything, pink & red, hugs & kisses. Orrrr...'tis the season for all that annoying lovey-dovey crap. Regardless of your mindset, if you're in a relationship or single, Hangin' with the girls or hangin' with your cats, Valentine's should be handled the same way... With cake!

While chocolate cakes are not my personal first choice, when it comes to cake requests in February- chocolate trumps all. And when I think of a Valentine's Day cake, this cake here is what pops into my head. I know putting chocolate covered strawberries on top of a chocolate layered cake isn't the most original idea, but I think this is the type of cake that will never be dated. It's simple, classy, & elegant.

And whether you're a sweets person or not, chocolate covered strawberries are always tempting!

This cake is made up of moist chocolate cake layered with ganache and all wrapped up in a smooth chocolate buttercream frosting. Then topped with milk chocolate covered strawberries. Like the name says, a Chocolate Lover's Dream Cake.

Oh and.... Happy Galentine's Day, Ladies!! Treat Yo Self!

Chocolate Lover's Dream Cake

makes 4- 6" cakes

or 3- 8" cakes

2.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2.5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup + 3 tbsp all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup brewed hot coffee

Preheat oven to 350. Line pans with parchment paper and grease/flour. Melt bittersweet & semi-sweet chocolate in a double-boiler. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light & fluffy-minimum of 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time until well combined. Add melted chocolate. In another large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Alternating with the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, add each to the butter mixture starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Slowly add hot coffee, mixing until combined. Distribute among pans evenly and bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with a few crumbs. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and stick in the freezer. This helps with flavoring and handling for decorating but is not a mandatory step.

Ganache Filling

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

Heat whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edge of the pot. Place chocolate in a large bowl. Pour hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until smooth and bump free. Let sit for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, to cool and thicken enough to use as filling.

Chocolate Buttercream

2 sticks butter, softened

1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

2-3 tbsp milk or milk substitute

Cream together the butter and sugar. Gradually mix in the cocoa powder. Add vanilla and just enough milk to reach the consistency for easy spreading.

Enjoy!
Melissa

Roasted Tofu & Winter Greens Vermicelli Salad

2014-01-29T10:20:00.002-06:00

Woah! I did not intend to be away from the blog for this long. I've missed it!! Though not intended, I'm not surprised. It's usually already the middle of January before I get my act together and do all the things I should have done on the 1st, like writing down my yearly goals and organizing for a fresh new start. I'm lazy and getting my butt of the couch after a few holiday breaks from work is near impossible. Just let me sit with a bag of hot cheetos, a warm blanket and leave me be. But a few "snow days" here in Texas scored me some unexpected days off from work & I took full advantage. Lists have been made, goals have been set, the art/work room is the most organized and functional it's ever been, the pantry received some extra love, and everything is clean and ready for me to mess up all over again!

Even though I was absent from here, I was still busy in the kitchen. I've been nonstop baking. Cakes on cakes on cakes I tell you! Like going to work all day, baking til 3am and then doing it all over again the next day. Which I guess explains why I enjoy eating chips on the couch during my free time so much. I'm tired, yo! But in all seriousness I'm so excited to be this busy and I'm so excited to document more on this here blog. And to add to my excitement, I have a few more cake orders to fulfill in the next coming weeks! 2014 is starting off with a bang & I can't help but feel optimistic about the coming months ahead.

But I don't think I can go without posting for that long again. So no more long breaks for me. This year I promise tons of food, better pictures (forgive me for the photos today. it was dark and rainy. it's been a long time since my iso was that high. boo.), and more terribly awkward/weird writing from yours truly.

Let's start with a simple vermicelli salad.

When I think of a vermicelli bowl, I usually think of it as a spring/summertime meal. Just a nice cold salad to enjoy during the hot summer months. But it's January and salads are my best friend right now... or at least they should be my best friend right now. A vermicelli salad can be a nice addition to your repertoire if you're feeling a little bored with your current list of mixed greens.

I think the real reason I made this is because I'm over the chilly weather and icy roads and my craving for a vermicelli salad was me saying- I'm ready for warmer weather.

Regardless of my reasoning, this salad can be made using in season (always local if possible!) ingredients and makes one dang good salad. You can use winter greens like kale, collard greens, or chard. Maybe some shredded brussels sprouts or radicchio? Maybe roasted turnips instead of tofu?

Before I go... The most exciting thing happened at the beginning of this year...Austin Chronicle included me in their Top 10 Austin Food Blogs list!!! Made my ~~day~~ ~~week~~ ~~month~~ year!! Thank you Austin Chronicle!

**Notes: If you're trying to stay away from processed sugar- try substituting 1 tbsp of local honey, and then adjusting to your liking. When using honey instead of sugar, I also like to add a dash of hot sauce like sriracha.**

Roasted Tofu Vermicelli Salad

makes five servings

2 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp water

juice of 1/2 a lime

2 tbsp sugar**

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper

2 green onions, diced-white & green parts separated

1 block tofu, cut into 1" cubes

1 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

1 bunch curly kale

1 cup chopped swiss chard

olive oil

juice of 1/2 a lime

salt

vermicelli rice noodles

fresh cilantro

crushed peanuts

2 carrots, julienned

lime

In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, soy sauce, water, lime juice, sugar, garlic, red pepper, and white parts of the green onion. Let it sit in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl coat tofu cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Spread tofu onto a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, toss and roast for another 15 minutes. During that time de-stem and chop the kale. In the same bowl used to coat the tofu, toss the kale and chard with a light drizzle of oil. Season lightly with salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. If your roasting pan for the tofu is large enough you can remove from the oven and add the kale to roast. If you need to use another prepared baking sheet, spread kale on top and place on the rack below the tofu in the oven to roast for 10 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of roast, remove the pan from the oven and add the peanuts.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the vermicelli noodles in large bowl and pour boiling water until noodles are submerged. Let soak for about 5 minutes, stirring with a chopstick every few minutes to loosen the noodles. Taste to make sure they are cooked all the way. Drain and then run cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking process.

Prepare your salad bowl by placing greens on the bottom, then noodles, tofu, and sprinkle with toasted peanuts. Don't forget to top with carrots, cilantro, green onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Enjoy!

melissa.

The Christmas Cookie Box

2013-12-23T11:29:00.000-06:00

It happens every year. At least 2 drafts are made before I have my final list of cookies and ingredients. I tackle the store bright and early & enjoy the one time of year when it's okay to load my cart with a ridiculous amount of butter. And after two days of solid baking, The Christmas Box is complete.

This is pretty much how it works. Every year I choose between 8-10 different cookies and make about 500+ total to distribute among 13-17 boxes. This year I went with 8 different cookies. I stuck with favorites that get the most requests and the only new baked good I added to the mix were the butterscotch blondies, which ended up being my favorite in the group. A new challenge this year was location. I originally started this holiday baking tradition back in Houston and passed the cookies out to my friends there. I was able to use my mom's roomy kitchen and she helped clean all the mixing bowls after each batch so I could dirty them back up again. This year I'll be staying in Austin for Christmas so there was a whole new list of recipients and it was just me and my tiny kitchen. I was a tiny bit nervous but I love making my Christmas cookie boxes so I was more excited than anything.

I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself. Although Billy volunteered for dish-washing duty, I found my groove after the first batch and tackled everything on my own. I learned a lot from years before and had it not been for all that practice, I probably would have called it quits after the second recipe. I can honestly say that the only thing holding me back at this point is working with only one oven. A double oven is now a must for my future house.

Here is the 2013 Christmas Box...

Stained Glass Trees

Strawberry Hazelnut Thumbprints

Lime Flowers

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip

Butterscotch Blondies

Maple leaves and acorns

Ranger Cookies

Snickerdoodles

Sorry this isn't a recipe post. In the past, I was always so tired after baking nonstop (500 cookies people!) that I never properly documented any of it. Last year I made a tiny mention of it in a post so this year I wanted to at least get a picture of the finished product. Of course I forgot to get a picture of the actual finished box with it's cute tags and gold twine bow but that's to be expected when you stay up til 4:45am baking and wake up at 7am to get ready for work. Nonetheless, I'm happy I have pictures of the cookies all together. My goal for the 2014 box is to get progress shots.

Here are a few instagram shots from friends...

My cookies helped fuel a lot of atx artists like roshi_k!

Thank you for indulging me! I can go on and on about cookies, but I think that's enough for today.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!

Melissa M.

Persimmon Gingerbread Doughnuts {vegan}

2013-12-12T09:58:00.000-06:00

I waited. I was surprisingly patient. They sat on the kitchen counter taunting me for what felt like months. Until finally it was time- the persimmons were ripe.

I had all sorts of ideas on what to do with these persimmons when they were ready to my liking, but for whatever reason I landed on doughnuts. I think it's the long nights (Dark at 4:45pm?! How depressing.) that has my body thinking there is a seasonal gluten shortage and my belly needs to stock up for the cold winter months ahead. In reality, I'm just always thinking about doughnuts.

The flavor combination of persimmon & gingerbread made these my favorite doughnut recipe yet! Not only did these taste absolutely delicious, the texture is spot on- light, fluffy, creamy and fried to perfection.

The first time I made these, I was a little nervous that the 3 persimmons I had on hand would not produce enough puree to compete with the molasses & ginger, and the doughnuts would just end up tasting like gingerbread. Which wouldn't be a bad thing, but it would just be a waste of perfectly ripe persimmons. I'm happy to report that I was able to taste the sweetly spiced fruit right away. MMMmmm...I'm eating a doughnut as I type...

Yeah...these are really good...

Please make these. I care about you and want only the best for you.

One more thing before I get to the recipe! Last year I participated in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. Unfortunately I was unable to participate this year, but I can't wait til next year! The swap links amazing food bloggers together to exchange sweet treats while raising money for the charity, Cookies for Kids' Cancer. If you're a food blogger and you're curious about participating in next year's swap, I highly recommend you click the link above and start planning for next year! Not only did I receive cookies in the mail, but I was also lucky enough to form a beautiful foodie-friendship with Erika over at The Pancake Princess.

I'm grateful & excited that foodiecrush magazine highlighted the cookies I made for last year's swap in their holiday issue! You can check it out here!

**Notes: I prefer using 4 persimmons, but you can get away with 3**

Persimmon Gingerbread Doughnuts
{vegan}
makes 3 dozen doughnuts
+ doughnut holes

6 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 tbsp water
2 tbsp molasses
2 tsp vanilla
4 persimmons, diced & pureed til smooth
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
4 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 cup non-dairy milk

In a small bowl, combine flaxseed meal and water; set aside for 5-8 minutes. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Slowly add the flaxseed mixture, scrapping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in molasses, vanilla, persimmon puree, & spices. Add 2 cups of flour and yeast, beat on low until mixed. Mix in 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk on high for about 1 minute. Slowly add another 2 cups of flour. Beat in remaining non-dairy milk. Add the last 3/4 cup flour. The goal is to have your dough still be moist and slightly sticky. You can add a tablespoon of "milk" if your dough seems too dry or a tablespoon of flour if it seems too sticky. Place dough into a greased bowl, cover and let sit for an hour. Scrape dough onto a well floured surface and gently press the dough down. Roll to about 1/4" thick. Cut doughnuts, cover and let them sit for about 30 minutes. Heat oil to 350 and fry doughnuts in batches for about 30-40 seconds on each side. You want a nice golden outside.

Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze {vegan}

2013-11-12T12:04:00.000-06:00

Happy Tuesday, friends! I'm back to my usual routine today after a much needed day off from work. Why was it much needed? Because I had me a crazy-awesome-super-fantastic birthday weekend and although I turned a youthful 29, I can no longer attend a 3 day music festival without an extra day to recuperate before heading back to work. Yes, that's right. I have entered the last year of my twenties and to celebrate, Billy & I had fun with friends at Fun Fun Fun Fest! We spent the whole weekend dancing to music, watching some favorite comedians, and eating a ton of food. And we did it all in style with our fancy backstage passes. My favorite part of the festival...

watching M.I.A. from the very front of the side stage!

It was a great birthday weekend complete with thirfted treasures from my mom, beautiful art from friends, and delicious french toast made by my sweet boyfriend...

But enough of that! You're here for the pumpkin cinnamon rolls. I must warn you, this post is a bit picture heavy, but I don't think you really mind... do you?

I made these one morning with some leftover pumpkin puree I needed to use up. Instead of just going with the usual sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon mix for the filling, I added some cardamom, ginger, and cloves to make them chai-spiced pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

mmm... look at all that sugar and spice!

I should have made the picture above into a .gif and have it go around and around until you're hypnotized by sugar and cinnamon.

Depending on how thick you cut these, they may not fit in a 9" pan. I decided to go with my heart pan.

Freshly baked and out of the oven...

Have I mentioned how much I love making .gifs?

Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls

dough:
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup non-dairy milk *I used coconut
5 tbsp vegan margarine
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 3/4 cup AP flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp water

filling:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp melted vegan margarine

glaze:
5 ounces vegan cream cheese
3 tbsp grade B maple syrup

**NOTES: I was very low on powdered sugar, so I let the maple syrup do the sweetening. I thought the glaze was delicious with just these two ingredients, but you can also go the traditional route of adding some melted vegan butter and 1-2 tbsp sifted powdered sugar**

Melt and brown the butter over low heat. Combine the "milk" and yeast in a small bowl and leave for 5-7 minutes. In another small bowl, combine flaxseed and water- sit for 5 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, sugars, salt, and spices. Add melted brown butter and stir to combine. Add yeast, pumpkin puree, flaxseed and mix to combine. Attach the dough hook to your electric mixer and run for 5 minutes and the dough pulls away from the bowl. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover for 1 hour.
Mix filling ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Place dough on a well floured surface and lightly flour the top. Roll dough out to about 16x11 inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle with the filling mix. You most likely will have some filling leftover. Starting on the 16" side, roll up the dough and pinch the ends to seal. Cut into 8 pieces and place in a parchment lined pan- I used a 8" heart pan. Cover and let them rise in the pan until double in size, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.
Combine vegan cream cheese and maple syrup til smooth and drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Kale, & White Bean Empanadas with cilantro chimichurri

2013-10-31T10:49:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween! It's been a dark, rainy, scary one for me so far. I experienced some of the loudest thunder I have ever heard in my life last night. Heart-pounding thunder. Room-shaking thunder. I was scared for the majority of the night. It's looking as though it may happen again today. This may be terrible news for trick-or-treaters, but it does make it the perfect scary movie night for those of us who have to work early tomorrow morning.

Speaking of tomorrow... that's when the real magic happens. That's when all the Halloween candy goes on sale! Bag of Almond Joys, here I come!

I know this recipe isn't in theme for today, but what I lack in halloweeny spirit I make up for in .gifs! I posted one at the end of my last post and let me tell you-I'm .gif-obsessed! I can't stop making 'em! There are so many beautiful ones out there, I couldn't help but try my hand at it and I'm in love. So hold on tight folks, this will probably become a regular thing.

So let's get on to the recipe so I can show some more of these .gif(t)s I made for you! Empanadas. Yes, they are a bit involved. They aren't something you would feel like making for dinner after a long day at work. However, they do make great leftovers and they aren't difficult to make, so this would be a great Sunday (or whatever your day off may be) recipe. Not only is the dough easy but the time it needs to rest is the perfect amount of time to make the filling. After your dough is rolled and cut, the filling should be cool enough to stuff and seal. Bake and save some to grab from the fridge throughout the week.

You could make the dough in a food processor, but I'm going to show you how to make it by hand. First sift the flour and salt and combine in a large bowl. Remove the butter from the fridge and cut into 1/2-inch thick cubes. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl-set aside. Toss the cold butter into the flour and break it up with your hands until it reaches a coarse sand-like texture with a few pea-size pieces.

Add the egg and combine with a fork. Add vinegar, ice cold water, and mix until a dough forms.

Dump onto a lightly floured surface and very lightly knead- just enough to form a ball with the dough. Then wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit for an hour. **perfect time to start the filling**

After you've let the dough rest for about an hour, dump on a floured surface and lightly knead-do not over work the dough. Let it sit for a few minutes and then divide the dough and roll each piece to about 1/8-inch thick.

Cut into circles, then fill, seal, and bake.

But don't forget the most important part! This delicious cilantro chimichurri. This stuff is typically heavier on the parsley side, but I always preferred a heavy cilantro chimichurri. Make this first and let it sit in the fridge while you make the empanadas. This chimichurri goes great with just about anything so a jar of this in your fridge will definitely make for a yummier week.

Sweet Potato, Kale, & White Bean Empanadas

with cilantro chimichurri

Dough:

recipe from here

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 egg

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup + 2 tbsp ice cold water

Filling:

1 sweet potato, diced

olive oil

1/2 white onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dried rosemary-*fresh is usually always best but when you're out, you're out*

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp red pepper

1 can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed

5 cups chopped kale

juice of 1/2 a lemon

sea salt & pepper

Cilantro chimichurri

1 cup firmly packed fresh cilantro, stems and all

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley

3 garlic cloves

2 tsp mexican oregano

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbsp coconut vinegar *sub red wine or apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To make the chimichurri- pulse fresh herbs in a food processor to chop. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Store in the fridge while you prepare the empanadas.
To make the dough-In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt together. In a separate small bowl, whisk egg with a fork. Add cold butter to flour and break with hands until it resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and combine with a fork. Add the vinegar and ice cold water- You may not need all the water! Sometimes when I'm using more wheat flour than all purpose- more water is needed to get the right consistency. Your're wanting the dough to come together, but not be sticky.Toss dough onto a floured surface and lightly knead- do not over-work the dough. Just work it enough to form a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave for an hour. When an hour is up, lightly knead dough on a floured surface and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Divide and roll each piece to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into circles -size depending on what you have to make circles with. Fill and press the ends together to seal. You could also use egg wash to seal and wash over the tops of the empanadas- it gives it a nice shine.
To make the filling- Preheat oven to 425. Place diced sweet potato onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Season with salt & pepper. Make sure the sweet potatoes are laid out evenly and roast for about 35 minutes- tossing after 20 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Cook onion until it's soft and a bit translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and spices, stir to combine. Add beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped kale, stir to combine, cover and cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. The kale will cook down some but the color will be more vibrant. Stir in roasted sweet potatoes. Remove from heat. Season with lemon juice, salt & pepper.

The filling is really simple but so good! You will have some leftover, but it makes the perfect lunch.

Preheat oven to 400 and bake empanadas for 10-15 minutes, until they are light golden brown.

Serve with chimichurri and enjoy!

Grape, Honey Pepper Goat Cheese, & Walnut Galette

2013-10-22T09:51:00.001-05:00

It was the first Sunday of October when I made this. There was a hiking trip planned for the day. On my list of favorite fall activities hiking is #1. There is something about the weather and colors of October that turns a hiking trip into a time of clarity, a time to breathe and recharge. Granted, this can be true for any hiking trip anytime of the year, but there is just something about October. Even though it was perfect hiking weather, when I woke up that Sunday I just felt the need to welcome fall in another way. I needed to make something in the kitchen. I decided to stay behind while Billy and friends enjoyed the outdoors.

I had nothing particular in mind that I wanted to make but I knew it would involve the bundle of black grapes I bought the day before for less than a buck. I've always enjoyed grapes, preferably frozen. Have you ever tried frozen grapes? Delicious! It wasn't until recently that I fell in love with roasted grapes.

There were two new ingredients in my kitchen. The first being a jar of wild honey given to Billy by a friend involved with the Central Texas Honey Bee Rescue. They are a nonprofit organization committed to saving and relocating feral hives. The second was a new tub of Pure Luck- June's Joy goat cheese. Pure Luck is a local farm in Dripping Springs, TX. I first spotted them at a farmer's market one Sunday. From that moment on, I fell in love with June's Joy- goat cheese mixed with honey, thyme, & pepper. It's incredibly delicious and dangerously addicting.

Once I decided I would make a galette I opted to make my own honey-pepper goat cheese mix using the plain goat cheese I had in the fridge. (Yes, I often have several types of cheese at my house. This is what keeps Billy & I's relationship strong.) June's Joy is a bit on the pricier end so I didn't want to use most of it on one recipe.

I couldn't have picked a better dish to welcome in the new season. It's basically fall wrapped in pastry dough. When friends returned from their hiking trip, I welcomed them with a warm galette straight from the oven. They loved it and said it was the perfect way to end the day. There was no doubt that I made the right decision to stay behind that day, but you better believe I'll be going on the next hiking trip. I can't wait!

Grape, Honey Pepper Goat Cheese & Walnut Galette
adapted from this

Crust:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 whole wheat pastry flour *or use only all purpose*
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup solid chilled coconut oil *sub butter or shortening*
1/4 cup ice water

Filling:
1- 1 1/2 pounds grapes
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp dried rosemary
fresh cracked black pepper
8 oz goat cheese *or less-you decide!
1 1/2 tbsp honey
plus extra for drizzling
1/2 tsp thyme

Crust:In the bowl of an electric mixer , combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the chilled coconut oil. Blend until evenly distributed with remaining visible pieces. Add the ice water and mix until it begins the come together and pulls from the bowl. Do not over mix! Gather dough and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

filling:In a large bowl, combine grapes, oil, rosemary, and a dash of freshly cracked black pepper. In a medium bowl or food processor, combine goat cheese, 1 1/2 tbsp honey, and thyme.

to assemble: Preheat oven to 375. Remove dough from fridge and let soften a bit. Roll out to about 1/8-inch thick. transfer to parchment lined baking sheet or place in a cast iron skillet. Fill the center with honey pepper goat cheese and grapes leaving a 1 1/2 inch border all the way around. Top with walnuts, extra goat cheese and drizzle of honey. Fold in the edge of the pastry dough, covering about 1 inch of the grape filling. Bake for 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown. Top with extra honey if you'd like.

Enjoy!

Grilled Curry-Spiced Sweet Potatoes

2013-10-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

I usually have at least one potato in the house. Most often a russet will do but I like to rotate between red, yellow, purple, fingerling- whatever I'm in the mood for and is available at the farmers market. Once fall makes its way around, I tend to trade in my starchy potato for a starchy sweet potato. I love them in baked desserts, roasted, twice-baked, grilled... let's just say I'm a big fan of the sweet potato.

These grilled curry spiced sweet potatoes make a nice fall side dish or main course. When I made these I paired them with a scallion & plum salsa- mix of lime juice,salt, pepper, olive oil, cilantro, scallions & plum chunks. I just played around with the ingredients and adjusted by taste. Plums are over with this year, but the salsa is still tasty sans plums. Maybe try adding some sliced grapes? Pomegranate? You never know...

Grilled Curry-Spiced Sweet Potatoes

2 sweet potatoes, cut into 8 wedges

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne

salt

pepper

Boil potatoes for about 5 minutes. Place wedges on a baking sheet or in a large bowl and toss with oil and spices. Heat grill pan over medium heat. Grill potatoes on all sides until tender- about 2 minutes on each side.

Enjoy!

Peach Bourbon Cake

2013-10-01T14:14:00.001-05:00

Please don't roll your eyes at a peach recipe in October. I promise guys, I'm not a complete dumbass. I know it's fall and I'm posting summer recipes. I'm just always behind; always late (but never to a meeting cause that's just rude). Look, if you give this recipe a chance (next year...again I'm sorry), I promise you'll thank me! Nothing makes me happy like watching one of my freshly baked cakes disappear a piece at a time. The night that I served this cake, I was over the moon ecstatic to watch it disappear in a matter of minutes! This cake demands your attention. As soon as you cut into it, the smell of bourbon draws you in & once you notice the juicy pear chunks in each layer there is no turning back. You'll take a piece & hope that no one notices you're going in for seconds.

Okay, after this I'll stay on track and post in-season recipes... I'll try my hardest... ;-)

Peach Bourbon Cake

4 large peaches

2 tbsp butter

sugar

1/2 tsp ginger

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup bourbon

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and the peaches and give it a stir. Add a pinch of sugar & ginger. Remove from heat and once cooled, chop into tiny little pieces-reserving some for topping the cake; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 & prepare 8" cake pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & nutmeg in a large bowl; set aside. Cream butter & sugar together until fluffy, about 5 minutes. On low speed, add eggs one at a time. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Add bourbon. Fold in chopped peaches. Divide among 3 cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Bourbon frosting

1/2 cup butter

1/2 shortening

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2-3 tsp bourbon

Cream the butter & shortening together until fluffy. Add confectioners sugar and mix until well combined. Add vanilla and bourbon. Taste & add more bourbon if necessary.

**Notes: I topped my cake with a drizzle of maple & almond slivers but honey & chopped toasted pecans would also work well. Also, the baby cake pictured above was a little 5" bourbon-free cake I made for a friend's daughter that I knew would be at the get together. **

Enjoy!

Hatch Chile Chocolate Chip Cookies

2013-09-30T09:37:00.000-05:00

I know, I know! I'm posting hatch chile recipes in late September (soon to be October!!!!) but I have to share just one more. I made about 4 or 5 batches of these this past summer and received a ton of compliments. These will be made every hatch chile season from here on out.

I made these two ways. All were made using chia seed gel as the egg substitute, I just used two "eggs" for a few batches and that produced a thinner cookie with a chewy center & crispy edges. The ones pictured above were made with one "egg" and this produced more crumb & less spread. Both were delicious! If you have any hatch chiles tucked in the freezer, give these a shot!

Okay, no more posting recipes for things out of season! I promise! Except... I do want to post a recipe for a bourbon peach cake I made....

So maybe just one more. Ugh, my procrastination frustrates me!

**the recipe below is for a thinner, chewier cookie. You can reduce the chia egg by one for more volume & crumb**

Vegan Hatch Chile Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 4 dozen

1 3/4 cup AP flour

1/2 cup quick oats, grounded

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp chia seeds, grounded +

6 tbsp water

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup vegan butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 roasted hatch chiles, peeled, seeded,& chopped

1 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, ground oats, ground flaxseed, baking soda, & salt in a large bowl; set aside. Mix chia seed grounds & water in a small bowl and let sit for a few minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugars & butter together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chia egg and vanilla, beat another 2 minutes. On low speed, add the flour mixture. Add chocolate chips and chiles. Mix just until combined. Using a cookie scoop, drop balls of cookie dough onto the baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Enjoy!

Sweet Corn Tamale Hummus with Roasted Hatch Green Chiles

2013-09-27T10:57:00.001-05:00

I know hatch green chile season is over but I have a few recipes ( I'll be posting one more soon.) I want to share from the huge batch I bought this summer before we get all pumpkin crazy. (I'm sure I'm not the only one with a few hatch chiles in the freezer.)

I've never been a huge fan of The Cheesecake Factory. Let me clarify before I piss off any die-hard Cheesecake Factory fans (aka my sister). I'll be more than happy to go with you for the cheesecake but I'm not a fan of their regular food menu. One late Friday night, Billy and I were hungry and indecisive as usual. As it was getting later and later, our options went from a few to one. The only place near us that would be open for the next hour was The Cheesecake Factory. While I'm usually cool with dessert for dinner, I was extra hungry and decided to order something a little more savory ~~instead of~~ before cheesecake. I honestly could not remember the last time I ordered anything other than dessert from there, but I did remember the sweet corn tamale cakes being delicious. So I went with that. And what'd ya know?! They were delicious! Saturday morning comes, I wake up and for breakfast I wanted....sweet corn tamale cakes.Then I thought of it the next day. And then the day after that. And then the day after that. Until finally I couldn't take it anymore and decided to try and recreate the taste. I thought dip form would be less work and make better leftovers. So I ditched the flour and replaced it with fiber & protein rich chickpeas to make hummus.

The buttery flavor in the hummus is not as dominating like in actual sweet corn tamale cakes but that doesn't make this dip any less addicting. Plus, you can always add a little more butter... ;-)

The part of this recipe that had me all kinds of happy was the success of the coconut cream southwestern sauce. The southwestern sauce that the Cheesecake Factory uses to top their cakes is mayo based. I really wanted to keep this vegan and I also did not want to use veganise or any other vegan mayo substitute. When I spotted a can of coconut milk in the back of my fridge, I thought I'd give it a shot. So so so so so good!!! I want to make so many different kinds of coconut cream based sauces now. How have I never made one before?! I think I may write a post solely dedicated to my newly found love of coconut cream dips and sauces.

Sweet Corn Tamale Hummus

with roasted hatch green chiles

Hummus:

1 can chickpeas, rinsed & drained

3/4 cup sweet corn

2 hatch green chiles, roasted, peeled & diced

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp vegan butter, melted

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

Tomato Salsa:

1 tomato

1 tbsp minced onion

2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno, minced

1/2 tsp lemon juice

sea salt

Coconut Cream Southwestern Sauce:

whipped coconut cream

1/2 tsp vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp paprika

dash of cayenne pepper

dash of onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

dash of cumin

juice of 1/2 a lemon

fresh chopped avocado

cilantro

Combine ingredients of the tomato salsa in a small bowl & refrigerate. Pulse chickpeas, corn, and chiles in a food processor until well combined. Slowly add in oil and butter. Season with salt and a dash of pepper.

To make the southwestern sauce: whip the coconut cream til light & fluffy and add in seasons & lemon juice. *sorry there are so many "dash of" this & "dash of" that. I like to taste and add to the recipe as necessary* Serve hummus topped with tomato salsa , fresh avocado, any reserved cilantro, and southwestern sauce.

Enjoy!

Goodbye Summer Rolls with yellow squash & plum

2013-09-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's official. Today is the last day of summer.

It's been a rainy week (my favorite). Yesterday's rain brought in a nice cool breeze and I kept my windows and balcony door open all afternoon and through the night (another favorite). It got me all kinds of excited for fall... and the less expensive electric bill that comes with it (FAVORITE!).

I'm spending time with family this weekend, but I'm hoping to get some good cuddle time with Sterling Bear on the couch... 'cause what's better than spending a dark rainy day cuddling with your pup? Before I switch to lazy mode, I want to share this quick recipe; to celebrate the end of sweaty-pits, regularly-scheduled leg shavings, frighteningly large yellow jackets, and hotter than butt-crack, beautiful summer days.

These summer rolls have a light & crispy bite from the cucumber, carrots, lettuce, and yellow squash, with a little sweet & savory from the plum & ginger-sesame baked tofu.

Pairing these rolls with a spicy peanut dipping sauce is the way to go. Trust me.

Summer Rolls

with summer squash, plum, & ginger-sesame tofu

makes 12 rolls

springroll wrappers

bean thread noodles

Lettuce, massaged kale, or spinach, julienned

1-2 carrots, julienned

1 summer squash, juilenned

1/2-1 cucumber, julienned

4 basil leaves, julienned

1/2 chopped roughly chopped cilantro

2 plums, sliced

Tofu:

1 package of tofu

1/4 cup coconut aminos (or tamari)

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

3 tbsp sesame seeds

To make the tofu: cut tofu into 4 even steak slabs. Press your tofu while preparing marinade. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Marinate tofu for about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 30-40 minutes. remove from oven & when cool enough to handle, cut into 1/4" thick slices.

Cook bean thread noodles according to package. Have all your ingredients ready and in an assemble line of sorts. Fill a pie pan or bowl big enough to fit your spring roll wrappers with lukewarm water. Dip your wrapper in the water to soften. You don't want it to soft or they'll break on you. Soak for about 10 seconds. Lay the soften wrapper on a flat surface & fill your rolls with a little of each ingredient. Roll tight & enjoy!

*for easy rolling, start by placing the ingredients closer to one end of the wrapper rather than the middle. Gently roll over once, tuck in the sides and then continue you roll*

Spicy Peanut Sauce

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp red pepper

3 tbsp water

Combine all ingredients but water in a food processor. Pulse a few times til smooth. Add water 1 tbsp at a time until you reach desired consistency. I usually go for 3 tbsp.

Summer Squash Nut Bread Cookies {V}

2013-09-18T13:24:00.000-05:00

**soft vegan cream cheese = a delicious grainy mess

Summer comes and summer goes.

Cookies will always stay...

on your hips.

Kidding, kidding! These cookies are totally fat-free, calorie-free, gluten-free, vegan, and when you eat one an angel gets his wings. Okay... that was also a lie. But the cookies shouldn't get too bad of a rap. I mean they have squash in 'em for peeps sake!

So maybe I can't bill these as "healthy cookies" but I did add some flaxseed meal & chia seeds for a little omega-3 & fiber. Of course you can omit the chia seeds if you wanna save on some calories. Either way, if you're trying to get rid of some summer squash to make room for some butternut squash, let me be of some assistance.

These cookies are so so good! Tender, moist little mini nut breads for your morning coffee or tea.

Enjoy!

Summer Squash Nut Bread Cookies

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 cup vegan butter substitute (earth balance), softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp ground chia seeds + 3 tbsp water

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 yellow squash, finely grated

1 cup oats

1/2 cup pecans

1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, & salt together; set aside. Beat "butter" and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer til pale & fluffy. Add egg & vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, squash, oats , & walnuts. Refrigerate dough til firm, about 1 hour. Using a cookie scoop, or whatever your preference, drop balls of cookie dough on baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake until edges are golden, about 15-17 minutes.

**I prefer the cookies by themselves but if you wanna fatten these up & make them cookie sandwiches as pictured above, beat 8 oz vegan cream cheese & 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar together. Also, it's important not to let the cream cheese sit out for too long or it could become a grainy mess. (Oh and do not over mix!) As you can see from the picture, I made that mistake. Not only did I realize I forgot about the cream cheese sitting out before I used it, but my impatient self decided to just go with it anyways. It was good nonetheless but not very pretty.