March, 2012

Entries from March 1st, 2012

“Everything but the Kitchen Sink” Quiche

3.31.2012

I am very strict in my system when it comes to groceries; every week I make a list of what groceries I’ll need for 3 dinner recipe (for Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday) and then have my usual list of staples (stuff for lunch sandwiches, quick dinners, etc) and that’s how we do it. We eat leftovers and quick dinners on the nights that I don’t cook and veggies sandwiches for almost every lunch. However, the last couple meals before I get to the store are always a mish-mash of what we have left on hand. And this is how this Quiche came about; it’s a mix of all the produce I had left lying around along with a pie crust in the freezer and half a dozen eggs. Simple? Ridiculously simple. I suggest you should create your own spin on this recipe and add in whatever produce you prefer or have on hand. Don’t have feta? That’s great- throw in some swiss! Don’t like leeks? Replace it with green onions! Mmmmkaa, I think you get the point.

Another great thing about this recipe: I used so much produce that the egg mixture was enough for two quiches! Which was perfect because we gobbled a whole pie down for dinner and then had another one to warm up for breakfast the next day! And I used different ingredients for the two pies and experimented a bit. Lastly, I used the basic recipe from when I made Sicilian Quiche because it turned out soooo wonderful the first time around.

“Everything but the Kitchen Sink” Quiche

For the First Pie:

1 prepared pie crust
3 eggs
1/3 heavy cream
1/2 cup milk (I used skim because that is what I had but whole milk would probably make it richer!)
3 oz of goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 leek, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon prepared pesto
splash of olive oil

For the Second Pie:

1 prepared pie crust
3 eggs
1/3 heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 leek, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 artichoke hearts, chopped and drained
1 teaspoon thyme
salt/pepper, to taste
splash of olive oil

Preheat oven to 425.

In a large skillet, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat and add the leek, cherry tomatoes, and minced garlic. Saute for about five minutes or just until they start to soften. Divide mixture evenly between the two pie crusts and add the artichokes (if using).

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs , cream, and milk. Pour over the veggies in the pie crust. Sprinkle with cheese.

Next, swirl the pesto into the mixture (or the thyme) and top with salt/pepper.

Cook for 30 minutes or until the filling as completely set and is starting to brown on top.

Serve immediately with a big mimosa or Bloody Mary.

Bakery Style Berry Muffins

3.28.2012

And so continues my desire for summer food! This recipe is great though because it’s like a fake summer recipe…you use frozen berries so that they hold their shape and color while you fold them into the batter. It’s great because you can go into this recipe knowing that it will turn out fantastic regardless of what season it is.

I had to race out of bed this morning in order to get a picture of these fluffy muffins before my roommates gobbled all of them up. These muffins are “bakery style” so they puff up way past the top of the tin and stay super moist and flavorful because of the yogurt in them (and smell up the whole kitchen with berry baking goodness!)

This recipe is adapted from Isa’s Vegan Brunch; it’s one of the first recipes I discovered when diving into vegan baking and it really hooked me. I believe strongly in the idea that vegan baked goods stay moist longer and manage to pack more flavor with their slightly dense texture. I suggest this recipe (and Isa!) for anyone who does not have much vegan baking experience but is ready to learn!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup natural cane sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup soy greek yogurt (I used blueberry flavored and it turned out great!)
1/2 cup nondairy milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups frozen mixed berries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yogurt, milk, and oil. Use a spatula to mix everything together until a smooth batter forms. Fold in the berries.

Scoop the batter into the muffin tins (just the 12- it should fill most of each tin so that they will rise to be big, bakery style muffins). Bake for 23 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Serve with butter or eat them by themselves for the rest of the weeks breakfast!

Corn Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Feta Sauce

3.27.2012

This weather is confusing my body! It thinks its summer and all it wants are smoothies, fruit, and corn on the cob! This is most disappointing since none of these things are in season yet (well smoothies are always in season) so I am doing my best to improvise.

I made this recipe a couple of summers back when I was staying with my parents. They have this great pool that demands constant pool parties and this was a hit from those summer parties. I know this recipe is impressive because I go through such mass volumes of recipes that I can hardly remember what I made last week let alone years ago! The fact that this recipe still pops in my mind is a sure sign that it’s worth making again!

It turned out just as I remembered; the patties were inviting with their fluffy texture and an intense kick from the cilantro. The sauce is salty from the feta with a great vibrant kick from the red pepper [it also makes loads so I've been using the leftover sauce on veggie sandwiches]. The two really work perfect together so I insist on making them together!

Corn Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Feta Sauce

Sauce:

1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp water
1 tsp lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 roasted red pepper, chopped
`salt/pepper

Fritters:

1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 cup water
2 cups of corn (canned or frozen)
4 scallion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
canola or vegetable oil, for frying

First let’s make the sauce. In a blender, add the feta, sour cream, water, lime juice, and garlic. Puree until smoother. While blender is running, slowly add in the olive oil. Add the basil, oregano, and bell pepper. Puree until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Stick in the fridge until the fritters are ready.

For the fritters: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, coriander, and cumin. Next, add in the egg, lime juice, and water. Use a spatula to mix until smooth. Finally, fold in the corn, scallions, and cilantro.

Heat a thin layer of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Use a heaping tablespoon to determine the size of the patties and cook them for about 3 minutes on each side or until browned (how fast they cook will completely be determined by how hot the oil is so keep an eye on them!).

Serve warm with the yummy yummy sauce!

We enjoyed them on the porch as a perfect evening snack!

Moody Monday

3.26.2012

Here it is again! Oh Mondays…you seem to come up so quickly these days. Luckily, this weekend was filled with cooking, family, and music shows so I have no reason to complain.

Today’s Moody Monday is about all the sprouting going on! Ahh! It’s March and my blueberry bush has already sprouted and all the trees are practically in full bloom! It’s crazy but gorgeous and it’s the kind of simple pleasure that can’t help but make you feel relaxed (even if it is Monday).

Spring Leeks and Zucchini Galette

3.25.2012

I actually made this last weekend but have been putting it off for two reasons: 1. I was a little frustrated because pictures could not convey how beautiful this piece of food was and 2. I don’t even know where to begin with being able to describe just how delicious this thing was.

Honestly, this is a bit more complicated than most of the recipes I blog about but it’s well well well worth the extra effort. The crust is flaky like a crescent roll with the slightest hint of sweet from the sour cream that you would never expect. And then the veggies are roasted until they practically melting in your mouth and to top it all of there is a layer of cheese on both the top and bottom. Looking to impress some guests? Please please please make this Galette!

I suggest making the pastry crust earlier that day so save time when it comes to cooking it. Also, I got the crust recipe from Smitten Kitchen so head over there and prep the crust!

Spring Leeks and Zucchini Galette

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Leeks, sliced
2 zucchinis, sliced
2 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup smoked mozzarella, shredded
3 teaspoons dried thyme
1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled
Drizzle of honey
1 crust from Smitten Kitchen
Salt/Pepper, to taste
1 egg white mixed with 1 Tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the Olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the garlic, potatoes, zucchini, and leeks and saute for about 3 minutes. Then add in the thyme and salt/pepper and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread the cup of smoked mozzerela evenly across the bottom of the crust. Line the vegetables however you’d like within the crust (we did in inward spiral with the zuccini and potatoes and then put the leeks in the middle but feel free to get creative)! Top with chunks of goat cheese and fold the extra crust over (see pictures below!). Brush the egg white mixture along the crust and pop in the oven for about 40 minutes or until the vegtables has softened and the crust is browned.

Drizzle a tiny bit of honey over the goat cheese sections and serve right away! Be careful though because there was three of us and this was gone in about 2 minutes with us wishing we had made 2…or 3 galettes!

Mixed Berry Grunts

3.24.2012

I don’t know what the proper name of this dish is called; I’ve heard grunts or dumplings or just plain old stove top cobbler. Whatever it is, it’s amazing. I looooove cobblers but when I discovered that I could make a version that has doughy dumplings drenched in fruity sugar…I was sold. I made a vegan version last summer which you can find here.

It’s like we skipped most of winter and now we are skipping spring and heading straight for summer. This is totally throwing my body off and the summer vibe is making my body crave fruity desserts. But it’s not fruit season yet (is it still March?) and my blueberry bush has just started blooming so what’s a girl to do? Well, I marched (in the form of walking my puppy) right to the store and picked out the freshest berries I could find. The pickens’ were slim with lots of impersonator fruits that we all know have traveled thousands of miles and were picked weeks ago but I did manage to find a batch of delicious looking strawberries and a batch of blackberries (sorry Kroger, I don’t like my blueberries shriveled and decrepit).

Don’t hesitate to make this vegan by substituting Almond/Soy milk for the milk, sugar cane for the sugar, and Earth Balance instead of butter!

Mixed Berry Grunts

1 pint of strawberries (about 2 cups)
2 cups Blackberries (or blueberries or raspberries)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

In a large saucepan, combine the fruit, sugar and lemon juice. Let sit for about ten minutes so that a sugar starts to form. Next, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and stir it often.

While waiting for the mixture to simmer, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Next, melt the butter into milk in a tiny saucepan. Add the warm mixture to the dry ingredients and stir into a thick dough.

Scoop heaping tablespoons full of the mixture into the simmering fruit to make dumplings. Then cover with a lid and let simmer for another 20 minutes.

The dumplings should double in size and the fruit should be drenched in a syrup. Serve warm with yummy ice cream on a sticky [March] summer [spring] evening!

Glazed Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts

3.21.2012

I honestly feel a little embarrassed making this post. I pride myself on having lots of what may seem to be unusual ingredients in my main rotation of cooking materials like agave nectar, Gruyère, and seitan. However, I’ve never cooked with (let alone ate) Brussel sprouts. Waaaah? I know! I never grew up eating them because they always seemed like a “icky” vegetable as a kid (you know like broccoli and peas; they just seemed too green and earthy smelly to consume when that yummy neon yellow macaroni and cheese was piled high on the other side of the plate (it’s been awhile since we were kids but I know you know what I’m talking about!).

Anyways, so I’ve never had Brussel sprouts which means I’ve never craved them and it’s not like a lot of recipes call for them mixed in. I guess this is just me making excuses but whatever the reason, I feel bad about it! And I was in the store the other day and saw this gorgeous puppy:

Which I immediately decided I need to have. It’s so pretty and it’s like owning a new plant when buying one of these things. However, since I mentioned I have no experience with Brussels sprouts what-so-ever, I did not realize that one of these could probably feed a family of ten as a side. Since it’s just my boyfriend and I, this recipe did not cover this whole branch of sprouts and you will probably be seeing a few more Brussels recipes before this week is over.

Anyways, the grocery co-op I worked at always prepared them by sauteing in loads of garlic and more garlic. I can imagine that is amazing but that sounded kind of like what I do with all my vegetables and I decided I wanted to try something more unusual. The result was amazing and I was pleasantly surprised by Brussels sprouts! Not only did they have an amazing texture but once cooked, they practically melted in your mouth and absorbed up the sauce perfectly. I was very impressed.

Glazed Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
2 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
3 Tablespoons honey mustard (or to taste)
Salt/Pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprouts with the centers facing down (check out picture below) and season with salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes or until the bottoms brown.

Add in the wine, broth, and onions and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes (or until softened).

Remove lid and scoop out the Brussel sprouts (and onions if it’s convenient, if not it’s okay). Into the liquid mixture, add the heavy cream and simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Remove from heat and add in the honey mustard (taste test it and add in more if you’d like!).

Drizzle on top of the Brussels sprouts and season with more salt and pepper.

Enjoy with a yummy main dish or by itself!

Also, make sure to share with your puppy or he might give you the concerned eyebrow wrinkle:

Moody Monday or Tortured Tuesday?

3.20.2012

Moody Monday on a Tuesday? Yeah, it doesnt make sense but I was just having too much of a Moody Monday to even post about it! I know that seems strange but I was just in a really negative funk and didn’t want to write a negative post.

But now it’s Tuesdays! And Tuesday is my longest day (classes from 10 am to 9 pm) so why not think of something to get me through my “Torture Tuesday”?

Today’s Tortured Tuesday is pictures from the Lake this weekend. Not only was it 80 this weekend (Hellooooo…March??) but it was also sunny and just begging for us to have a lake day. We have this spot in the middle of the forest that is known to only fishers and other young college students (no squares allowed!) and we had it all to ourselves this weekend which meant playing our tapes extra loud and introducing our puppy to the chilly water.

Why is it not Saturday again already?

Sparkling Blackberry Lemonade (Alcoholic or not!)

3.18.2012

Some days you have to just let yourself sit out on the porch all day and not feel guilty about it. To be honest, I’ve been doing this a lot lately but I am hoping that the charm of this weather will wear off within the next few weeks and I won’t be a total waste of life all summer (but if it doesn’t then so what? I’ll survive!)

There’s nothing like lying around on a warm day and drinking some lemonade. I, personally, am a little addict when it comes to Andre (or any cheap champagne) so I used that to give this drink some fizz but feel free to keep it alcohol free for the kiddies or what not.

Make lemonade according to the package directions. Then mix everything together in a cute vintage pitcher and enjoy with all your friends (PS- I suggest smashing the blackberries a little because they release more color that way!)

My roommate thought she would be able to write her thesis paper over Spring Break. Yeah, don’t worry, I didn’t let that happen.

Scallion Wonton Bites

3.16.2012

I don’t want to elaborate too much because I feel like it’s so clique for every vegetarian to have their stories about the foods they miss. BUT…if we are going to go there… I absolutely love love love Chinese food! I’ve managed to fill the longing for General Tao chicken with this recipe (it’s just as yummy!) but I still craved the crab rangoon when indulging in this delicious dish.

I played with the idea of using imitation crab to try to tackle my own crab rangoon but I just don’t know if I feel comfortable preparing it since it’s not even the crab that I like in the pockets but the gooey cream cheese (To be honest, how often does Chinese take-out crab rangoon really taste like crab? Exactly).

So instead I turned to creating something with the parts of the dumpling I actually like and it turned out fantastic! I usually steer away from frying foods but this is super easy and did not take any longer than it would to prepare anything by sautéing or baking.

I’d suggest you try these the next time you decide to whip up a batch of General Tao Tofu!

Scallion Wonton Bites

4 ounces of cream cheese
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
dash of red pepper flakes
10 wonton papers
Peanut/Canola oil (for frying)

Blend together the cream cheese, scallions, red pepper flakes and ginger.

Place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture in the center for wonton paper and then twist to seal (see pictures below).

Heat the oil in a tiny (to conserve oil!) saucepan over medium heat (you can tell it’s ready by sticking a small strip of wonton in and see if it gets crispy).

Place one or two wontons in the oil at a time and cook for one to two minutes (you’ll be able to tell when it browns to your liking). Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate.

Repeat with the rest of the wontons.

Enjoy with yummy Chinese dishes and your favorite movie.

Wild Rice Chowder and Open Faced Grilled Cheese

3.14.2012

It’s hard to believe with this 80 degree weather that I was craving soup just two days ago. But, putting myself in those shoes, it was a beautiful 60 degree day last Saturday and we enjoyed sandwiches and big coffee mug fulls of wild rice soup during a lovely picnic on the porch.

The chowder was delicious. I honestly have never hard wild rice soup before. This whole thing came about because I was at the store awhile back and saw the wild rice gleaming at me from the bulk section. It’s so colorful and vibrant and I’ve never tackled a recipe with it so I decided purchasing some would be a good challenge. Unfortunately, it sat on my shelf for the next three months before I decided that this avoidance had to come to an end. I looked up recipes with wild rice in them and came across dozens of patties, salads, thanksgiving sides, and soups.

I was sold on the idea of soups but most of them used meats and the “vegetarian” ones were just blander versions of the original. I decided to take one of the meat recipes and completely revamp it for all your vegetarian needs!

I was nervous that I’d end up with a flavorless soup myself but this was not the case. It was so delicious! And thank goodness at that because it made enough leftovers for me to eat it three times a day for the next two weeks (AKA I may suggest cutting this recipe in half if you aren’t looking for a large amount of yummy leftovers).

Wild Rice Chowder

1 cup wild rice, rinsed
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup flour
4 cups vegetable broth
2 potatoes, cubed
3 carrots, sliced
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups half and half
2 cups meatless crumbles
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring the two cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the rice and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat and set aside (do not drain so the rice can absorb up the excess water!)

In a large cooking pot, heat the olive oil up over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes. Then add the garlic and saute for another minute.

Next, add in the flour and stir constantly for a minute. Then add the broth and whisk until a milk mixture is created. Add in the potatoes, carrots, thyme, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Next, add in the corn and meatless crumbles and simmer for another 20 minutes (or until the vegetables are tender). Then add the half and half and cooked rice and stir until everything is warmed up and creamy.

Serve warm in cute animal mugs with yummy sandwiches!

We also made these simple and delicious sandwiches to go with the soup! Enjoy!

Open Faced Grilled Cheese

Half a baguette, sliced in half length-wise
1 fresh tomato, sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 slices of Swiss cheese (or however many to your liking)
salt and pepper, to taste

Turn your broiler on low (if you have two options). Combine the olive oil, basil, oregano, and salt/pepper in a small bowl. Lather the bread pieces evenly with the mixture.

Top with the tomatoes, swiss, and then garnish with a few a bit more dried basil.

Broil for only a few minutes (I don’t want to give exact times because everyone’s broiler is so touchy and different). I would just turn the light on and watch it until the top gets brown. No more than 2 or 3 minutes.

Enjoy with yummy soup and your favorite porch spot!

Nom Nom.

Tuko being so cute and good while we enjoy our picnic on the porch!

Mini Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins

3.13.2012

It’s amazing how productive and relaxed you feel when you don’t have hours of homework nagging at your schedule. I woke up this morning with the intentions of doing nothing but whatever I wanted to and it was marvelous.

I whip these up in about 20 minutes while sipping on coffee and listening to an old ‘Bob Dylan’ record. It was such a simple pleasure and it was wonderful to have the house to myself for once (I have four roommates..). These little muffins are SOOO easy that they can even be prepared while still half asleep and without any stress.

I seriously thought they were fantastic by themselves but feel free to dip them in maple syrup if you’re feeling extra indulgent. Also, they are absolutely fabulous when still warm and the chocolate melts in your mouth but feel free to stick them in an air tight container and munch down over a few days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Once well incorporated, make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in all of your wet ingredients (minus the chocolate chips). Use a whisk to whisk together the wet ingredients (it’s okay if a little of the dry mixture gets incorporated) then use a spatula to fold the dry into the wet until a thick batter forms.

Fold in the chocolate chips. Grease two miniature cupcake pans and fill each about half full (these little guys rise a lot!). You should end up with about 24.

Cook for 9 to 10 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean (they won’t brown on the top).

Enjoy with syrup and a big mug of french press coffee. And perhaps your favorite lazy morning cartoons (Scooby Doo!) or a Dylan vinyl.

Moody Monday

3.12.2012

Monday, again? Thankfully I have a semi-easy week with it being Spring Break…although I remember when spring break meant having a week off…now I only manage to have Tuesday and Thursday off and have to work the other days. Oh well, I like my job…alot..so no complaining.

Anyways, my Moody Monday post is about my huuuuuuuge brick porch that could be a house in itself. It’s absolutely amazing and I love spending all of my free time on it. It was so nice this weekend that I was able to not have one but TWO picnics on it!

On Saturday, Ella (my wonderful roommate), Tuco (pictured below), and I had a coffee date with biscotti and Turkish tea! Mmmm

And then last night, Wyatt and I had a dinner picnic full of yummy soup (post about this adventure to happen ASAP) and open faced sandwiches.

And my porch has the best view for me to lean against the brick and watch my boys play!

PB&J Pie

3.11.2012

Hey everyone!

If you have a second you should wander over to Samantha’s blog and check out my guest post!

Threadesque

Yay! Happy Sunday!

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

3.10.2012

This recipe evokes fond memories of when I first started learning how to cook. When I was 19, I moved down to Nashville, TN for the summer to try to pursue my music business career. It was the first time I had ever lived on my own and I had a tiny apartment all to myself. It wasn’t much but it was all mine and that was what mattered. I had a lot of goals that summer (perhaps to help with the fear of moving to a city where I knew practically no one) and one of them was to learn how to cook.

Don’t get me wrong, my mother is an amazing person but she didn’t appreciate when I would bake and get half the ingredients in the bowl and the other half on the floor. In my kitchen, I was free to create whatever I wanted without anyone being able to judge me. If I failed (which I did, too many times to want to admit) I could chuck it and start fresh without any criticism. And if I succeeded, I had yummy baked goods to offer to the neighbors in my apartment complex and try to make friends (the people below me smoked far too much and were always more than happier to try out my concoctions).

Anyways, this is one of the recipes from that summer; I remember being blown away by the fact that I was capable of making something so delicious. It’s funny to look back on it because I was so strict about following recipes word for word back then and I’ve managed to play around with so many times since.

Today was a beautiful sunny Saturday so I whipped these up while my roommate made some Turkish coffee that she acquired abroad in Jordan last year. We had a cute little tea [coffee] picnic on the porch this afternoon with these delicious treats!

Also, can’t wait to spend my lazy spring break mornings laying around and munching down on these with coffee.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup chocolate chips
powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep two baking sheets by buttering them and then brushing flour on top.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, cayenne, and baking powder. Stir to combine.

In another mixing bowl, cream the sugar, vanilla extract, and butter with a hand mixer. Once smooth, add the eggs and beat until well blended.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until stiff. Then add in the chocolate chips and almonds and (preferably with your hands because the dough will be stiff) knead until everything is well incorporated. Slit the dough in half and make two long logs on each making sheet. Dust both with powdered sugar and then use a knife to pierce slices about an inch from each other.

Cook for 35 minutes or until firm. Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes. Use a knife to slip the pieces fully and turn them their sides. Put back in the oven for ten minutes.

Let cool completely and serve with warm, yummy coffee. Or have a tea party with your favorite pooch (like mine shown below).

bloglovin’

3.08.2012

I obviously have a lot of love for blogs or else I wouldn’t have this beautiful website. I love being inspired from other blogs and my favorite way to do this is through my newsfeed on Bloglovin’.

So why am I telling you this? Well, this website has SOOO many fashion and photography blogs but the food blog presence is rather lacking. I’d really love to change that so I added my VV blog the other day and made a bottom to add to my sidebar. Just letting you know so when you see the button on the sidebar don’t be afraid of clicking on it to checking it out:

This button will lead you to here.

Guiness Chocolate Cake

3.07.2012

Update 10/29/2012: Don’t forget to stop by and check out VV’s newest giveaway which ends 11/02/2012!

_______________________________

I’ve been in a bit of a weird funk lately. I’ve been feeling overwhelmed with my school career coming to a closing and me having to enter into the “real world”. My usual solution to ridding any irrational overreaction is to bake. And what better to make than something that combines my other two problem solvers: chocolate and beer!

I made this cake for Wyatt’s birthday a few months back and still have craving for it ’til this day. The Guinness brings a whole new tint to the chocolate flavor that is just irresistable. And the moist cake pairs perfect with all your favorite ice cream treats or some refreshing green beer.

This would also be a perfect treat for St. Patrick’s day which is approaching at massive rates! Perhaps this cake is even an excuse for you to host a St. Patty’s Day Potluck (it is on a Saturday!) to share this treat with all your favorite people!

;

PS next week is my last spring break ever (well…sorta a break for me. I have to work at the record label Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) so that means I have soooo many recipes planned to conquer on my time off. Expect great things coming ASAP!

;

Guinness Chocolate Cake

1 cup Guinness (guess you’re gonna have to dye the leftover beer green)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 and fill a round baking tin with parchment paper (or grease it if you don’t have paper handy).

In a small saucepan, heat the beer and butter over medium-low heat until the butter has melted and they are combined together. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder.

In another small bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Slow mix into the beer mixture. Mix until smooth.

Cook for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.

Let cool completely and lather with your favorite chocolate icing and loads of sprinkles.

Enjoy with a big glass of green Guinness!

Moody Monday

3.05.2012

Today was a particularly dreadful day to get out of bed. For one, there was SNOW on the ground! We didn’t have snow from December to February and now that it’s March (and we are expecting to not get snow) it snows. This just started me out on the wrong side of the bed.

And then I get to work to find out that the heat is broken here! Yay! So we all get to wear our coats and gloves until the repair man comes to fix it.

Anyways, so this was a bad start to my week but what do I have to help improve my Moody Monday?

Let’s see…we’ll there is this blog which is the cutest thing to ever hit the internet:

www.veganstoner.com

This website makes me want to make a zine with adorable veggies pictures so bad (you know…the pictures where the veggies have facial expressions and are doing human like activities. I think I’m going to try to work on a zine over Spring Break (new goal- just set it!).

Oh, and I’ve been listening to Nobunny all morning which will drastically helped even the worst case of the Mondays:

Part 3 of 3: In Between//”Twin Peaksville”//The Journey

3.04.2012

For me trips are always half about seeing what you planned the trip for and half about the journey. Maybe that is why I love road trips so much but just because we flew on this trip does not mean that I did not take in every little thing that happened in-transit.

At the PDX airport they were selling Maple Bacon flavored beer. waaaaah?? I know. Sadly, it has bacon (go figure) in it so we did not try it but I love the crazy things that people come up with. We rode on 4 different planes throughout the trip and I had a Bloody Mary on each one…..why not? It’s not like you have standards knowing it’s coming out of a can. Next, when we were in Seattle we stopped off at an international market to pick up things for the 3 hour drive back to Portland. Can you tell I am a sucker for anything miniature? We picked up sparkling cider, brie, honey mustard, canned goose (for Wyatt), and some crackers.The bottom picture is of some biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig mountains we passed in Oregon.

I am going to try to be as little of a fan girl as possible when talking about the next few pictures (Wyatt said I got a little too excited about this part of the trip) but I made him drive two hours out of our way to visit “Twin Peaksville”. I put it in quotes because “Twin Peaksville” is really just some random small town in the middle of Washington but they did most of the filming for the pilot episode in this small town. Above is us pictured at the exterior of “The Great Northern”. I feel completely justified about going out of our way to see this because I love waterfalls and would have probably dragged Wyatt to it regardless of whether it was part of an opening scene of one of my favorite shows ever.

There really isn’t much to say about this picture. It’s obviously the diner from Twin Peaks. ‘Nough said.

Wyatt (Top) and me (Bottom).

This is a pile of all the goodies I collected along the trip and had to somehow fit in my already full bag. A collection of zines, cookbooks, vintage clothes, hard to find vegan products, and pamphlets. Ahhh, so many inspiring things! So excited to utilize all my amazing finds.

Finally, the trip back. A beautiful sunset to end the weekend with.

Baked Mac n’ Cheese

3.03.2012

I’m going to take a break from posting about our Seattle/Portland trip and post a recipe. This recipe was inspired by our Seattle trip since we picked up some yummy homemade pasta at Pike’s Place last weekend.The large stand we bought it from was totally overwhelming with dozens of flavors of homemade pasta laying out for you to choose from. They had everything ranging from chocolate pasta to southwestern pasta (aka some pieces tasted like corn, some like peppers, etc)- check out all the flavors here. We ended up purchasing the ‘Chive Garlic Sea Shells’ because Wyatt was sold on it the minute the guy said it worked great with homemade macaroni and cheese.

And to be completely honest, the guy was totally right. This bake was beyond perfect on a chilling Friday night. The mounds of gooey cheese paired perfectly with the garlic and chive flavor of the pasta. Not to mention, the crusty top made for a perfect crunch in every bite. It’s so funny because I always forget to make simple things like homemade mac n cheese since I’m always looking to try something new but it’s these comfort foods that always turn out the best. I realize that you can buy Kraft at the grocery store for 1.50 but this recipe is so spectacular that I feel a little guilty even giving it the same name as the boxed version.

Baked Mac N’ Cheese

Adapted from Simply Scratch

8 ounces of noodles (traditionally it would be elbow but we used shells)
1/4 cup onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons cream cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 cup colby jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top

First, prepare the pasta according to it’s packaged directions. Preheat oven to 400.

Next, in a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the onions and saute until translucent (about five minutes). Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add in the flour and stir for one more minute. Turn heat up to medium-high and add in the cream and milk. Let the mixture come to a simmer and then turn it back down to medium. Add in the cream cheese, cheddar, colby, dried mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted and then remove from heat.

Add in the noodles and stir until everything is well combined. Pour into the remekins (I only had 2 little remekins so I also used a little baking dish for the extra) and cook for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Let cool because this baby is hoooooot. And then munch down along with a small salad or french bread.

Part 2 of 3: Portland

3.02.2012

Our other “official” destination on this adventure was Portland; it was just as beautiful as I’d been imagining it. I absolutely loved Portland (I’m sure it did not help that it rained the whole time we were in Seattle and the moment we got here the sun came out). The food was phenomenal and the atmosphere artistic.

Here are a couple highlights: Powell books where we both managed to spent far too much money (and time- we spendtwo hours in this place and didn’t even scratch the surface) on zines, cookbooks, DIY tutorials, and journals. Ahh, I was so in love! And the other pictures are from Voodoo donuts which was (as you can imagine) a sight in itself.

Right when we got off the plane on Friday morning, we directly drove to this place. We had planned to head to Seattle for the first leg of our journey but Wyatt insisted on getting some yummy breakfast before we began our journey. We stopped at this tiny cafe because we saw Guy from ‘Diner, Drives, and Dives’ (sigh- I despise Guy and am not sure why we were watching his show) called ‘Pine State Biscuits’. It. was. so. delicious. This place was so small that most people had to stand while they ate and there was a line by the time we left. I had the mushroom gravy on top of my biscuit and every bite melted in my mouth. It did not take me long to realize that Portland has really really perfected the vegetarian gravy.

;

The night we got into town we went out for drinks and dinner with some of Wyatt’s old friends who moved out there the previous year. They lived in the Sunnyside neighborhood and its filled with bars, cafes,and vintage homes. We started out at a small bar that had amazing vegan sandwiches and local beer…sadly I had one too many of the local brews and can’t remember what the place was called. The other place we went to was a very upscale bar which we got a ‘flight’ to sample some higher end local gin, whiskey, and rum [this was also particularly fun because we hardly ever try upscale liquor].

The next morning we decided to all go out for a hang over brunch at a place that is known for their Bloody Mary’s- The Cricket (because what cures a hangover more than drinking more?). Top left is my citrus Bloody Mary, the right is Austin with his coffee-rum drink, the bottom left is Allison with her Bloody Mary (she got the same one as me but they have a dozen different kinds to choose from), and the bottom right was Wyatt’s raspberry beer mimosa.

I realize that food pictures taken by a iphones are never appetizing but I had to post this picture to show how intense this omelet was that we got. Not only was it made with four eggs but it was STUFFED with hash browns and veggie sauce then lathered in mushroom gravy! Ahhh, best breakfast food ever. Needless to say, Wyatt and I split the omelet.

Voodoo Donut. I (top) got a vegan orea donut that was topped with vegan oreos and peanut butter. Wyatt (bottom) got a voodoo shaped donut with raspberry filling. [PS I apologize for my expression on my face. For some reason, I seem to have forgot how to smile]

Here is another picture that is not very appealing but this place was sooooooo cooooool. It was a Vegan Grocery Store! That is right…nothing in this store was made with any animal product. This concept blowsss me away! If I lived in Portland, I would never have an excuse to not have the resources to be vegan again. Also, the store next door was called ‘Herbivore’ and it was a ‘cruelty free’ boutique filled with animal free products like shirts, zines, and knick-knacks.

Lastly, we ended our day at a small park which was at the top of a small mountain (well a mountain compared to what we have in the Midwest- probably just a big hill for most people) and it looked out over the city. So beautiful. We walked the paths for about an hour and it was so refreshing to feel the fresh air and see so many people positive about being outside and enjoying a beautiful February day.

Part 1 of 3: Seattle

3.01.2012

On our four day mini-vacation, we managed to tackle Seattle, Portland, and “Twin Peaksville” (as we liked to call it). We thankfully had friends in both locations to point us in the right neighborhoods that fit to our kind of lifestyle (record stores, cheap drinks, artistic spots, etc etc). This is a post about some of the pictures and places we tackled on our first day in Seattle. Enjoy!

Pike’s Place, Alley Graffiti, Alexander Calder sculptor, The Needle

We decided to get the ‘touristy’ things out-of-the-way right off the bat. We woke up early (the four hour time difference made our sleeping schedule so out of whack), grabbed a cup of ‘legendary’ Seattle coffee, and took a long walk down to the Olympia Sculptor Park. On the way we passed the needle (didn’t bother to go up in it…I just felt TOO touristy at the thought of that) and eventually ended up at the museum. The sculptor park is located on a hill behind the art museum and looks out over the water (absolutely beautifullll). We pretty much had the place to ourselves (it being so early on a Saturday morning) minus a few dog walkers (PUPPIES!). The winding walk past dozens of giant figures was a bit chilly (I mean it was February) but dry none-the-less and nothing short of breath-taking.

Me (top) and Wyatt (bottom) in ‘The Stinger’ by Tony Smith

My favorite part of the sculptor park was a small part of the trail that was secluded from the city by a small patch of trees. Within this “forest” there was some large black rocks and this enclosed structure made out of black metal; once inside, it excluded you from the hustle and bustle of the city. I’ve always been a fan of zen gardens and this sculptor/room reminded me of the formations of the meditations areas in some zen gardens we’ve visited before.

Produce, Seafood, Pasta.

Next, we adventured to Pike’s Place public market which was a wonder in itself. I really didn’t know what to expect…I had been told by dozens of people that we had to go and I had this vision of a large farmer’s market but it was so much more. There was dozens and dozens of booths consisting of produce, local art, seafood, homemade pasta, honey, cheeses, etc etc. It was absolutely overwhelming in the most wonderful way. All the produce in the Northwest is so cheap (and vibrant) compared to the Midwest…this alone is reason enough to never want to leave. We sampled some chocolate pasta and ended up buying some homemade garlic and chives pasta (expect a yummy macaroni and cheese recipe soon with it)!

Grims

We then spent the afternoon in the Capitol Hill area where we ate at Grim’s for brunch (Pictured above). It was this adorable restaurant/bar filled with brick walls and thrifted chairs. This adorable place makes a mean Bloody Mary and absolutely scrumptious egg dishes.

I got a french omelet with spinach, Gruyere, and caramelized onions. Mmmmmmmm. And Wyatt got eggs benefit with some of the best hollandaise sauce I’ve ever sampled.

I started out everyday on the trip with a Bloody Mary (hey…I was on vacation, why not?) This one was super spicy with pickled asparagus, onion, tomato, and olive and served in a mason jar (I have such a soft spot for drinks in mason jars…they just create such an elegant vintage feel). This drink had a fruity initial flavor and then a spicy after taste kick that made it practically a meal in itself.

The Value Village

My favorite major shopping spot that blew me away was this Northwest chain ‘Value Village’; It is a thrifters heaven. I was worried that a large city like Seattle would be completely picked over but I was wrong. Both Wyatt and I found so many goods finds including an over-sized textured cream sweater, 2 dollar high-waisted black levi shorts, pair of heeled boots, and a floral spring dress. Scooooore.

We also adventured more in the Capitol Hill neighborhood by exploring Everyday Records (overwhelmingly huge record shop), some local book stores, and even a local cupcake bakery.

Bimbo’s

We ended our day in the city at Bimbo’s; this eclectic Mexican/wrestling bar was my favorite place we went. We got a huge serving of vegan Nachos and margaritas (they had a whole side of the menu dedicated to the different types of margs- I ended up getting an orange juice one and Wyatt got their special). This was a great place to end our journey of Seattle.

It’s kind of crazy how we managed to only tackle to small areas of Seattle and already saw so many awesome things. We sadly only had a day here before we moved on to our next journey destination.

Hotel Max

Lastly, we stayed at this modern hotel located downtown called ‘Hotel Max’. It was super elegant and had artwork at every corner. I had to include this picture because Wyatt lost those glasses the next day at “Twin Peaksville”. RIP.