tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39760128516208702112024-02-06T20:46:35.672-06:00Life on the Vegan EdgeRandom thoughts and discoveries about life's joys and challenges as a single mother trying to become a vegan with with two sons and three dogs.Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-23165730656468277532017-11-30T21:04:00.000-06:002017-11-30T21:08:45.046-06:00Quick & Tasty Dinner<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRf7CBU4weEkgHd1B5RQDgpUueR5QKu9YEtbIilm-osxm9yRhe366XuEgtZ-D8SiCM6UIUqghVjfJV4gouYZ8ltqUxh3wpgMT7hQMEcOCvQRmxHtW9KSwOQj4aLpilDeL2wtXmOF2QhDtX/s320/Tomato+Soup+Grilled+Cheese.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup & Grilled Vegan Cheese Sandwich</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been on a soup kick this week. Yesterday, I made Southwestern Black Bean & Corn Chowder from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Cheap-Recipes-Simple-Strategies/dp/0470472243">Vegan on the Cheap</a> by Robin Robertson. It's one of my most favorite soups. It comes together quickly, simmers for a half hour and is ready to eat. It's forgiving when I don't have all of the right ingredients (like only 1 can of black beans, so I subbed 1 can of great northern beans and no fire roasted tomatoes, so I used organic tomato sauce). I've used many different combinations of almost the right ingredients (no chopped mild green chilies? use dried jalapeno instead) and it's delicious every time!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuhCfreOFCJYGkr0I9gvnO58MW7SetEo1qFg2KbTQBIkjCMYAQ8ZgE2xaN7iMjyoBTgT5aR6gSoka9fbUZGvRTiTJwfPWQOK9hgkLgmEgv5FfTXUA-NHeEwwyWEb8PpIuHoJaAyoZy9kv/s320/SW+Black+Bean+Corn+Chowder.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southwestern Black Bean & Corn Chowder</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today, I picked up a small container of Creamy Tomato Bisque soup and put it in the fridge at work. I'm thinking you can guess what happened tonight when I was in the car driving home. Yep! I left the soup at work. My son still wanted Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese, so I went online searching for soup recipe. And, I found a good one ... <a href="https://thenovicechefblog.com/2013/09/creamy-tomato-soup-panera-copycat-recipe/">Panera Creamy Tomato Soup Copycat Recipe</a> by <a href="https://thenovicechefblog.com/">The Novice Chef.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was an easy fix to veganize this recipe. I switched out the half and half for SO Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer. I also added a few things based on the suggestions in the comments of her blog. The result was a creamy soup that mimics the taste of Panera Bread's Tomato Soup. Here is the slightly altered recipe below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Serves 4</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2-3 tablespoons olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 garlic cloves (run through a garlic press0</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 large onion, sliced (I used 2 small)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more for a spicy soup)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tablespoon Earth Balance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 (28 oz.) cans San Marzano peeled whole tomatoes with juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 to 1½ cups water </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 vegan chicken bouillon cube</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 tablespoons sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 cup SO Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 small package of organic basil leaves (in the produce section) sliced in ribbons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 teaspoon dried oregano</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Salt & pepper to taste</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Heat pan, add olive oil and then add garlic & sliced onions at the same time. Cook over medium to medium low heat stirring frequently for 4 minutes. Add smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and Earth Balance. Continue cooking another 4 minutes or so until onions are translucent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Add the tomatoes with juice, water, bouillon cube and sugar. Turn the heat to medium until soup starts to bubble. Simmer for 12 -15 minutes. Add the vegan creamer, basil, oregano and salt & pepper to taste. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it's smooth with no large chunks of veggies or spices. Serve with crusty bread or grilled vegan cheese sandwiches. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is definitely enough to feed 4 people. My son and I both had a generous helping and I'm freezing the rest to eat another week when I need "fast food" at home. </span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-61718342193057198762016-12-25T11:56:00.000-06:002016-12-25T12:01:10.454-06:00Christmas 2016<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's Christmas morning for the next 32 minutes or so and I'm looking up my recipes for Christmas dinner. I'm making an <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/12/vegan-eggnog-cheesecake.html">Vegan Eggnog Cheesecake</a> from Susan Voisin's website, <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/">FatFree Vegan Kitchen</a>. I'm also making vegan filet mignon, a recipe I posted in March 2015. I have since bought the cookbook the creator published, <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/tracy-williams/meatless-meals-for-meat-lovers/ebook/product-17418177.html">Meatless Meals for Meat Lovers</a> by Tracy Williams. It's a mere $5 and has the recipe for both the Best Damn Seitan I've Ever Had PERIOD and for the Seitan Turkey and Stuffing I have made for Thanksgiving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year, I made homemade gifts for some coworkers. I made bottles of vanilla extract. I used 1 vanilla bean for every 2 ounces of vodka. I began seeping the beans on September 9, 2016. The longer the beans seep, the richer the extract. By the time I gave them to my coworkers on December 22, 2016, the extract was a nice brown color and very fragrant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also made them Vanilla Cinnamon Nuts. I got up at 4:00 a.m. on December 22, 2016 and by 5:20 a.m., I had made 8 cups of nuts. The recipe was extremely easy and vegan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vanilla Cinnamon Nuts</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 cups of any type of nuts (raw)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1½ cups sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2/3 cup water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 teaspoons vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 teaspoon or so of freshly grated nutmeg</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Preheat oven to 350º F; roast nuts on jelly roll pan for 15 minutes, shaking the pan every 5 minutes to prevent burning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Combine sugar, water, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg in a dutch oven (large enough to hold all of the nuts) and bring to a boil. Over medium heat, add all nuts and stir constantly. The mixture will bubble up. Keep cooking and stirring until the sugar crystallizes. This will happen in 6-10 minutes. All of the liquid evaporates and the sugar on the nuts dries out. Once it starts drying out, it will happen quickly. You need to continue to stir (it will be harder since the liquid is gone) until the coating on all nuts has crystallized. Turn off the burner to prevent burning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Line the same jelly roll pan you used to roast the nuts with a piece of parchment paper. (I did this immediately after I put the nuts in the sugar so it was ready when the nuts were done.) Dump the nuts on the jelly roll pan and spread out to cool. If the nuts stick together, once they are cooler, break the bigger chunks apart. Store in a sealed container. (I used Ball jars.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I decorated my vanilla bottles and Ball jars with jute and red yarn and made labels for them. I believe in giving homemade, because it's from the heart, but I don't believe in sloppy homemade. The packaging is a reflection on me and it takes so little to make things nice. I bought the labels at Hobby Lobby and they came with a website address where I found templates and could personalize them. The labels even had a hole punch out to hang on my projects. They are Avery labels #80503. Great little labels.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hope you all are having a Merry Christmas! It's time for me to go cook. </span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-32288436748666134432016-11-01T15:03:00.000-05:002016-11-01T16:42:13.854-05:00What Took Me So Long? Vegan Yogurt & Granola<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Who buys a yogurt maker on September 21, 2013 and waits until August 29, 2016 to make her first batch of yogurt? I mean really, after 3 years, wouldn't you think that the yogurt maker should go in the Goodwill box? I hadn't even opened the box to look at it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I bought the yogurt maker, I had looked at many recipes and thought I could make yogurt. I wanted to make vegan yogurt. I had tried commercially prepared vegan yogurt and I liked it fine. But it's expensive and hard to find different flavors. I even had a hard time finding plain vegan yogurt. So I bought the yogurt maker and ordered vegan yogurt starter (2 boxes - I was ambitious) and threw the starter in the freezer like I was supposed to. And then everything stopped and sat waiting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In August, I decided I would dig out the yogurt maker and make vegan yogurt. It seemed like I read 100 recipes and tips articles, but I'm sure it wasn't that many. I finally decided on one recipe that heated the soy milk (Edensoy or WestSoy - the kind with only soy beans and filtered water in it - no other additives). It was very easy. This recipe used cornstarch as a thickener and I'll admit, the yogurt was very thick. I thought I cooked it too long (10 or 11 hours) as it was a little sour for my taste, but it turns out, that's just because I wasn't used to the flavor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My vegan yogurt starter expired in February 2014. YIKES! Turns out, it stays good indefinitely in the freezer. I have used it for every batch of yogurt I've made except one where I added 1/2 cup of my yogurt instead as the starter. Good thing the starter is still good - I have those two boxes to use up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I tried another recipe using Arrowroot Starch for the thickener. It turned out OK, too, but wasn't as thick as cornstarch. Then I read another recipe and the author said she uses no thickeners and doesn't heat the milk before culturing. She just adds 1 capsule of vegan probiotic (the refrigerated kind) to the milk and then cultures it. That sounded great to me ... BUT ... I still have these 2 boxes of vegan yogurt starter. So, I dumped a box of soy milk in my Pyrex bowl, added an envelope of vegan yogurt starter, and threw it in the yogurt maker for about 11 hours. VOILA! It's not as thick as when I use a thickener, but it's not soupy either. Honestly, it's thick enough for me. It's a softer set, but still delicious and perfect for granola or protein shakes. I've made it this way several times now and it's the only method I'll use.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My first yogurt attempt.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, instead of making yogurt in the little jars, I make it in a 7-cup Pyrex bowl so I can just dish out as much as I want into a ball jar to add a bit of fruit and granola. Those little jars are great to only eat yogurt as they are big enough to add fruit to, but they are not big enough to add anything else. To flavor the yogurt, I have been adding a teaspoon or so of fruit butters that I made (blueberry butter and peach butter). I also add fresh fruit. I've been on a kick of adding 1/2 cup of granola to the yogurt and having it for lunch. It's good and filling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho0OhqoF67aiiW1XL-Q2mxkquLq537_hYlDosu8D5HjerWlAFRqh3gaPPc2NMGId0xDqn1yex4XB23718MWFVkAvGzpcCmSSmQUAayDwdtD1Hr5tEC1AlUxMGsvM9dFHuE8zxu0GRZswq/s1600/Yogurt+Spoon.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho0OhqoF67aiiW1XL-Q2mxkquLq537_hYlDosu8D5HjerWlAFRqh3gaPPc2NMGId0xDqn1yex4XB23718MWFVkAvGzpcCmSSmQUAayDwdtD1Hr5tEC1AlUxMGsvM9dFHuE8zxu0GRZswq/s320/Yogurt+Spoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been buying granola in bulk from Whole Foods or the Health Food Store, but I don't know what's in the granola and I like the idea of making my own. It's taken me a couple of months to actually attempt to make granola ... enter today. I have been collecting granola recipes in Pinterest waiting for the day I was ready to make granola. I ate the last of my health food store granola for lunch, making a perfect opportunity to move forward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM7OQ70yXPKlu_yxd-2hKC0X7wFEySTJNL0v4hiOqomc18nf9WKxmKOukOz0xd5lR7VG4P1NDt7G-Aa6qZSLQtAvW0PBmAuD8cAX4A3dN5RhkIHPb3Acec8OU2bZn-AvnIzSDyafR55hd/s1600/Granola+11.1.16.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM7OQ70yXPKlu_yxd-2hKC0X7wFEySTJNL0v4hiOqomc18nf9WKxmKOukOz0xd5lR7VG4P1NDt7G-Aa6qZSLQtAvW0PBmAuD8cAX4A3dN5RhkIHPb3Acec8OU2bZn-AvnIzSDyafR55hd/s320/Granola+11.1.16.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I used a simple granola recipe and made it my way. It has smelled heavenly cooking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fruit & Nut Granola</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Makes about 6 cups</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Preheat oven to 300º F. Prepare jelly roll pan by placing parchment paper in it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dry ingredients; mix together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 cups rolled oats</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">½ cup raw unsalted Pepitas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">½ cup raw unsalted Sunflower seeds</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">½ cup raw Pecans, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">¼ cup golden raisins</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">¼ cup Bing cherries, dried/chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">¼ cup mixed dried fruit </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">¼ cup Coconut sugar or brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 teaspoon Cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/8 teaspoon (or so) freshly ground nutmeg</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wet ingredients; mix together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used canola because I didn't have coconut on hand)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/3 cup agave syrup (or could use pure maple syrup)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract (homemade of course)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients making sure the dry ingredients are coated. Pour into the jelly roll pan and spread around. Stir every 10 minutes for a total cook time of 30 minutes. Granola will not get crispy-crunchy until it cools. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cool, break up the granola and store. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enjoy!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, I only need to start using the yogurt cheese maker to make vegan yogurt cheese and vegan Greek yogurt. BUT, I only purchased it on August 31, 2016, so I have time yet. ;)</span></span></div>
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-14614325617654137712015-03-15T16:30:00.001-05:002015-03-15T16:47:20.396-05:00Best Damn Seitan I've Ever Had PERIOD!On Christmas Day 2010, which seems like a lifetime ago, I made Seitan Filet Mignon au Jus for the first, but definitely not the last time. It was on this website address:<br />
<br />
http://aveganfordinner.blogspot.com/2008/04/best-damn-seitan-ive-ever-had-period.html. <br />
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However, A Veg*n for Dinner has been gone for a LONG time, years in fact. The owner deleted the blog and along with it, some GREAT recipes. I didn't get all of the recipes I wanted off of the blog, but I did get a couple choice recipes. One being the recipe for the Best Damn Seitan I've Ever Had Period! Another is for Seitan Turkey with Dressing. <br />
<br />
I decided to share the Filet Mignon recipe with you. If the creator of this recipe ever sees this blog, I hope it sparks you to reconsider sharing your FABULOUS recipes!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7IGy2CiUE2WlvlexqchuqVRLzHo6yUPVBLA_lu8HsZ5P8mHDab_ZYCUTPxkkgTK9Ytlq7OAtOUmZ5IeunjG079RwDb4RUs7lhUJDjv3ov8FaWLWrFhgwUqLzsWeqZTC10_ZqeRimKPlt/s1600/Seitan+Filet+Mignon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7IGy2CiUE2WlvlexqchuqVRLzHo6yUPVBLA_lu8HsZ5P8mHDab_ZYCUTPxkkgTK9Ytlq7OAtOUmZ5IeunjG079RwDb4RUs7lhUJDjv3ov8FaWLWrFhgwUqLzsWeqZTC10_ZqeRimKPlt/s1600/Seitan+Filet+Mignon.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooked Filets</td></tr>
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So ... here goes ... and again, I want to make it clear this is NOT my recipe. I don't know who the creator is as I can't look at the website to give you her name. The website was inactive for at least 2 years when I ran across this recipe and the entire website was deleted 2 to 3 years ago (at least ... maybe longer).<br />
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Seitan Filet Mignon au Jus<br />
Serves 5-6<br />
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Add the following to a blender and blend until smooth:<br />
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½ of a 12 oz. box of firm silken tofu<br />
3/4 c. cold water<br />
1½ tbsp. ketchup<br />
1 tbsp. oil<br />
1½ tbsp. Braggs Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce<br />
½ tbsp. steak sauce<br />
1 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce<br />
1/4 tsp. black pepper<br />
½ tsp. Italian seasoning<br />
1/4 tsp. sage<br />
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast<br />
2 tbsp. beef-style bouillon<br />
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In a large bowl, mix well (with a whisk):<br />
1½ tbsp. cornmeal<br />
1½ c. (180 grams) vital wheat gluten<br />
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Add the tofu mix to the gluten and mix well. While mixing, add enough additional wheat gluten to form a firm ball (up to another ½ cup or 60 grams); just enough so it's not sticky while kneading (adding too much will make the dough hard and difficult to work with). Knead for about 5 minutes; cover and let sit for 1 hour.<br />
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Roll out the dough on a surface dusted with vital wheat gluten flour until it's 2" thick. Cut into 5 steaks; use a biscuit cutter or glass. (I cut mine into 6 steaks.)<br />
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In a large skillet (12") or multi-cooker add the following. (I use a 6 quart electric multi-cooker with a rack on the bottom to keep the steaks from burning.) <br />
<br />
3 c. cold water<br />
3 tbsp. beef-style bouillon (or can use 3 c. no-beef veggie stock)<br />
1½ tbsp. oil<br />
2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce<br />
2 tbsp. Soy Sauce<br />
½ tsp, black pepper<br />
½ tsp. garlic powder<br />
½ tsp, onion powder (optional)<br />
<br />
Put steaks in the pan before turning on the heat (so liquid is cold); cover. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. When starts boiling, turn temp to low. Simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes. (If cooking on a rack, you can wait a little longer ... 15 minutes at least.) If not using a rack, watch to make sure steaks don't stick to the pot and burn.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSS-Vjt_FRXDNumJLfhR8jlt3aqzusYoUSrTBtgfN8LAEyJGCi0wKpefetUwONzmiaMetYFBESDy78iUtzUc9m1GSxKvb-hYQ3iTQzdiGyeoyUY3aW7-9vGpRAuhAitAcfxgxBNXGs1V_/s1600/Seitan+Filet+Mignon+Cooking.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSS-Vjt_FRXDNumJLfhR8jlt3aqzusYoUSrTBtgfN8LAEyJGCi0wKpefetUwONzmiaMetYFBESDy78iUtzUc9m1GSxKvb-hYQ3iTQzdiGyeoyUY3aW7-9vGpRAuhAitAcfxgxBNXGs1V_/s1600/Seitan+Filet+Mignon+Cooking.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steaks cooking in the 6 qt. multi-cooker</td></tr>
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Remove the steaks from the pan, keeping the liquid for later or reheating the steaks. If storing for later, let steaks cool for 10 minutes (at least) before putting in a sealed container or wrapping for longer term storage (think freezer ... I've frozen these and used them in soups and sandwiches months after I cooked them). <br />
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You can use the au Jus to reheat the steaks and serve them with a little of the juice. I made gravy and served mine with mushroom gravy. I've also made a Port Wine gravy and served them with that. VERY TASTY!Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-58464657631252789602015-03-15T14:30:00.000-05:002015-03-15T16:41:28.434-05:00Spring Begins in 5 Days!!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7cAxPei_qtzRuUFgsoFfI0SND989h5L4hqLWTU-JtHvxJg1mNMbNmOYNSUZ-_bCNjY8-vBDjZE9HPbRebwLISSNiI0HTnObcxoZ7b-zC_clzSN5kXIZrcKs0S5fbUy4N0155tn2OG1PI/s1600/DSCF1546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7cAxPei_qtzRuUFgsoFfI0SND989h5L4hqLWTU-JtHvxJg1mNMbNmOYNSUZ-_bCNjY8-vBDjZE9HPbRebwLISSNiI0HTnObcxoZ7b-zC_clzSN5kXIZrcKs0S5fbUy4N0155tn2OG1PI/s1600/DSCF1546.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pale Pink Daylilies from my garden.</td></tr>
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In only 5 days, Spring will begin. I can't wait for Spring. It's been a long, hard winter in Chicago. Depending on what article you read, we either tied for the coldest February on record (in 1875) or came close to it. I've had Spring fever for awhile now. I ordered (in advance) three types of flowers for a new spot in my yard, a spinning decoration to add to that location, and a new spade/shovel thing to use to dig for the flowers. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrySjinEnEKGMfuCiFJT76abCYMmwP19avYSsQLeagYuJhuSI-89bRAoHvgKVVa5qi_AS52D3csOs-akAp3q5WlewLxmCn5XEQ5oszEWMGCH26VyE2sEI43Vh0c6FXWm-m-qmEOF3zZ0GJ/s1600/DSCF1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrySjinEnEKGMfuCiFJT76abCYMmwP19avYSsQLeagYuJhuSI-89bRAoHvgKVVa5qi_AS52D3csOs-akAp3q5WlewLxmCn5XEQ5oszEWMGCH26VyE2sEI43Vh0c6FXWm-m-qmEOF3zZ0GJ/s1600/DSCF1548.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burgundy Red Daylilies from my garden.</td></tr>
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In only a few short months, my Daylilies will begin to grow and bloom. I have three different colors and love them all. I'll be planting my container garden. Last year, I had both cherry and plum tomatoes, banana, jalapeno, and green peppers, cucumbers on the deck as well as, sweet corn and pumpkins in a 3'x3' patch on the side of the garage. I learned a few things (cucumbers do not do well in a container), but for other things, I got bumper crops.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqpGCS32vremEAZoP87mcckF3IGTYU8BgQcppgxzl9MatSF2hU_-8fvz4JL5fjX3D0joKsM1lcF8zV2YQU10-XF-VPWZpMiR9UbH-N8X1xYy7ORKKnYFx38vHidgFNXe0PPL4CQK0KiW7/s1600/2014+Summer+Veggies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqpGCS32vremEAZoP87mcckF3IGTYU8BgQcppgxzl9MatSF2hU_-8fvz4JL5fjX3D0joKsM1lcF8zV2YQU10-XF-VPWZpMiR9UbH-N8X1xYy7ORKKnYFx38vHidgFNXe0PPL4CQK0KiW7/s1600/2014+Summer+Veggies.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various veggies from my deck container garden.</td></tr>
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Last year, I also went full blown on fermenting. I fermented veggies and made dill pickles. I made sauerkraut. I used half gallon and quart Ball jars, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/reCAP-Mason-Jars-Pour-Cap/dp/B00JV1CV1A/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1426446961&sr=8-7&keywords=ball+jar+plastic+lids">reCAP Mason Jar Pour Caps</a> plus <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFD9VSE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">#6 drilled rubber stoppers</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041F2DL4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">3-piece airlocks</a> for the fermenting process. Worked like a charm. I was a little scared. I used leaves off of my Blackberry tree in the bottom of the jars to keep the pickles crunchy. I made a half gallon jar of pickles for my girlfriend and her hubby and wasn't sure if they would like them They loved them. I'll be making more this year.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39vqof6tHszbUt6uNOMKIxzu7EKyPMxflIe3qIfp7579JSM258VL-xKO8Pd3CGXwEhFykG9XNHu2iGl7-8HC_1tdqQ7skaYg7QEIQH42QILt6UBWH8Y4ZacN_XbztaCof7y6qKMn4m8sP/s1600/Fermentation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39vqof6tHszbUt6uNOMKIxzu7EKyPMxflIe3qIfp7579JSM258VL-xKO8Pd3CGXwEhFykG9XNHu2iGl7-8HC_1tdqQ7skaYg7QEIQH42QILt6UBWH8Y4ZacN_XbztaCof7y6qKMn4m8sP/s1600/Fermentation.jpg" height="155" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2014 Fermenting Project</td></tr>
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Back to food blogging soon. Next weekend, I'll be making a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake for my son. It was his birthday yesterday (he turned 24), and that was his request for a cake AT the last minute late Thursday evening. I need to find a vegan recipe, so it will be next weekend. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVD99WiQ6CMFrhfP8A8OefH2S-sZCXy3f4zJX_684_t7eJMynCQ8oGNdbPPCJFZyPNbo-05cbpaa1zQMNg77WlgcdVt3uZ43jsfbyYoQDOd7ggTZfESQa7LRQT8m31nokcXdSklrPo1Ybv/s1600/2012-05-18+08.27.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVD99WiQ6CMFrhfP8A8OefH2S-sZCXy3f4zJX_684_t7eJMynCQ8oGNdbPPCJFZyPNbo-05cbpaa1zQMNg77WlgcdVt3uZ43jsfbyYoQDOd7ggTZfESQa7LRQT8m31nokcXdSklrPo1Ybv/s1600/2012-05-18+08.27.02.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ONE and ONLY peony I got from this particular plant before my lawn care guy mowed it over. UGH!</td></tr>
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BRING ON SPRING!!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgDqUb-K8sYEyCb4BHdIfAdrnqp8AoDY6iTT0lSj_OVBPC5yLQHjj1NRRMWsXjhbYzrZbX5jvjLhJwtiYbkmk_2ms3mOnvHrbMqcaErlsnOvVF00qONlMUaMErrV7CKYK1lFrj20jV8tt/s1600/2012-06-11+07.15.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgDqUb-K8sYEyCb4BHdIfAdrnqp8AoDY6iTT0lSj_OVBPC5yLQHjj1NRRMWsXjhbYzrZbX5jvjLhJwtiYbkmk_2ms3mOnvHrbMqcaErlsnOvVF00qONlMUaMErrV7CKYK1lFrj20jV8tt/s1600/2012-06-11+07.15.32.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brilliant orange Daylily from my garden.</td></tr>
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-60977264549858993932013-09-01T15:16:00.002-05:002013-09-01T17:02:50.560-05:00A LOT has happened ... and a Southwestern Tofu Scramble<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">So much has happened in the last year. I had some serious issues, my first foster dog had serious issues, but I made it through to the other side. So, it's back to cooking. Actually, I've been cooking all year, but it's back to blogging a bit.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWDUeEUNVdDAj5LAeatKxlj1NS4_vUqcPNnBoNmiRkpO0ThRBtBsdhKjCAAmvyZQsyk5DlXOnOOSoCjhkkdjVhreyPm8JE5AvPrtLu50O71-KVGQXudJv7DNGJb4iy4fI9Q1x8k6Yf7RF/s1600/DSCF1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWDUeEUNVdDAj5LAeatKxlj1NS4_vUqcPNnBoNmiRkpO0ThRBtBsdhKjCAAmvyZQsyk5DlXOnOOSoCjhkkdjVhreyPm8JE5AvPrtLu50O71-KVGQXudJv7DNGJb4iy4fI9Q1x8k6Yf7RF/s320/DSCF1146.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I decided to use some of the tofu I bought a couple of weeks ago. Both packages expire within days of each other and their time is about up. One will be frozen and one was cooked today. I haven't made a tofu scramble in a year or so and thought it would be a perfect "brunch" item for me. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTONIGHfnIf-CWMkr7T3xzeaZOAo9SbVm_IWV6V3sFIQfA3kB8L8PD06xnjQMcKmzA6WqhGwmmBVeZkT5kQvos7TN-IdDIaFs-amLZWg6S3PuPPaoQYmnpM5TTzdz_DFzP-odQ4Mhm6DJE/s1600/DSCF1071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTONIGHfnIf-CWMkr7T3xzeaZOAo9SbVm_IWV6V3sFIQfA3kB8L8PD06xnjQMcKmzA6WqhGwmmBVeZkT5kQvos7TN-IdDIaFs-amLZWg6S3PuPPaoQYmnpM5TTzdz_DFzP-odQ4Mhm6DJE/s320/DSCF1071.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From my container garden ... yellow pear tomatoes, banana pepper, poblano pepper, red tomatoes, and jalapeno peppers.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had some vegan breakfast sausage in my freezer that I had made. Four little sausage patties was the perfect amount for the scramble. The sweet white onion was from a farmer's market, and the poblano pepper and tomatoes (red and yellow pear) were from my container garden on my deck. I have to say, I just LOVE walking out on my deck and picking peppers or tomatoes or snipping herbs!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1dp2e-o2C41He0uzvx2Mw0xQWZbKgErBkME-LSXTRGnfu-QE5PvchJmbfSnaprCayNFdO0C0fCtQobwGJcNSQdyDO7uRJ27ABAGDWmWQ6-ZXYJz7940kfJSgHTpU1sXnLp4k2b5-2igW/s1600/DSCF1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1dp2e-o2C41He0uzvx2Mw0xQWZbKgErBkME-LSXTRGnfu-QE5PvchJmbfSnaprCayNFdO0C0fCtQobwGJcNSQdyDO7uRJ27ABAGDWmWQ6-ZXYJz7940kfJSgHTpU1sXnLp4k2b5-2igW/s320/DSCF1076.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My poblano pepper plant.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wasn't sure what I was going to do because I didn't have all of the ingredients (or didn't want to put out the required effort) for some of the recipes I reviewed. So, I kinda did my own thing. My inspiration came from Tamasin Noyes' <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0980013119/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=10918492905&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=s&hvrand=462132401138278065&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_2fmnv3lwkv_e">American Vegan Kitchen</a>. If you don't have that cookbook, I swear, you must get it. Every single recipe I've made from that cookbook has been fabulous!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHI8eFfOLDyZRVg7brvnVi-YKTaQFgUEvlaoxD2M3FPgiu_qUO6CKBVS7bh6OYICBmNBhjdg893irT_ND5vNCL5agRJPqvwSJ2mIpWTcnqhICGo_gzH3sWUE2Cll4HRmz58an6SsAnW-3h/s1600/DSCF1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHI8eFfOLDyZRVg7brvnVi-YKTaQFgUEvlaoxD2M3FPgiu_qUO6CKBVS7bh6OYICBmNBhjdg893irT_ND5vNCL5agRJPqvwSJ2mIpWTcnqhICGo_gzH3sWUE2Cll4HRmz58an6SsAnW-3h/s320/DSCF1147.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I microwaved a couple of russet potatoes, peeled them, diced them, and then browned them in a couple of teaspoons of canola oil until they were crispy brown on a couple of sides. I used some of the potatoes to make my son a couple of breakfast burritos. :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEbbW2DtavLuGvpnruFiGKe0H_N7TmZ1V2DwSsYSaKSG1ur5CVk1GjL-qIM5eE-PcgkyY0wSD5Q-rXZHW3vbqrLNVEcMNanMjIPZiPlfvXY2_PTMdp9hsKlvDeVGtw0J6qyw1Kl2BW-FP/s1600/DSCF1145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEbbW2DtavLuGvpnruFiGKe0H_N7TmZ1V2DwSsYSaKSG1ur5CVk1GjL-qIM5eE-PcgkyY0wSD5Q-rXZHW3vbqrLNVEcMNanMjIPZiPlfvXY2_PTMdp9hsKlvDeVGtw0J6qyw1Kl2BW-FP/s320/DSCF1145.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">While the potatoes were browning, I chopped up some red and yellow pear tomatoes, a poblano pepper, a sweet onion, and my vegan sausage. My tofu had already been squeezed in my Tofu Xpress (love that thing) for about an hour, so all I had to do was crumble it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq92VUN2hfB8hSj9yEFqI2ct4b4CepiIx4SOmQmbLAMcIKCaoCMg0c0TbWOKA67dw1X9AFmdEd340Yqdhf7uLKYXhOhlW9EGSZei3S8Uc0TN212ESZF__Gd79rfV9kzua2AmWZ_5AJeXGA/s1600/DSCF1148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq92VUN2hfB8hSj9yEFqI2ct4b4CepiIx4SOmQmbLAMcIKCaoCMg0c0TbWOKA67dw1X9AFmdEd340Yqdhf7uLKYXhOhlW9EGSZei3S8Uc0TN212ESZF__Gd79rfV9kzua2AmWZ_5AJeXGA/s320/DSCF1148.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I sauteed the sausage, onion, pepper, and potatoes (again!) for a couple of minutes before I added a few spices (chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and Kala Namak also called black salt). I stirred it all up, then added the tofu, some nooch, water, lime juice, and Cholula Chipolte hot sauce. I let it cook for about 10 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zVecgKPD7Rd4PVgmtQDzHQIts3l-0BG2u7uWzt3wIGoR5LF2xE2UIp3LJV21QXano8Dce2AtJ_G8Mqu_AOCUP68t0SchEAr1TvngXcXEVQMdmj5dxyIAGBwtyqdYxQrSjmZU1PBOZPTJ/s1600/DSCF1149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zVecgKPD7Rd4PVgmtQDzHQIts3l-0BG2u7uWzt3wIGoR5LF2xE2UIp3LJV21QXano8Dce2AtJ_G8Mqu_AOCUP68t0SchEAr1TvngXcXEVQMdmj5dxyIAGBwtyqdYxQrSjmZU1PBOZPTJ/s320/DSCF1149.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To serve, I threw about a tablespoon of Follow Your Heart Mozzarella Shreds and some Herdez Salsa Verde. It was quite tasty. Probably cheddar or monterey jack shreds would have been better than mozzarella, but that's all I had.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are the ingredients and measurements I used.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 medium potato (microwaved, peeled and diced)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon canola oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Saute the potato until browned and crispy on a couple of sides in a big skillet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 small vegan breakfast sausages, diced (was about a cup total)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 small sweet onion, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 poblano pepper, seeded, veins removed, and diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Add diced sausages, onion, and pepper to skillet. Saute a few more minutes (2 or 3).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon garlic powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons cumin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon chipolte chile powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon Mexican oregano</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon or so Kala Namak (black salt ... I found it locally and it was pretty cheap)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon regular salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">pepper to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sprinkle spices over sausage mixture. Then immediately add the following to the skillet:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">crumbled tofu (14 oz. package firm tofu, pressed and crumbled)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons lime juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tablespoon Cholula Chipolte Sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cook on low for about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup diced tomato and cook for a few more minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Serve with salsa, avocado, fresh chopped tomatoes, vegan cheese shreds ... whatever toppings you like on your southwestern dish. This would be excellent as a breakfast burrito filling. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuspTkpsJTwFbejuWlGrDkQgHKv5rWbrEiAZQ55SsH1TeTIR3JnJCAbV5BsCZGFOeMhbZXgPdvfcYTqfu-StAH8swQdVlftu9QrsFILrw0e2iHuI3rRrxV5RqTuNthIjuVUi5hWz6qnnys/s1600/DSCF1153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuspTkpsJTwFbejuWlGrDkQgHKv5rWbrEiAZQ55SsH1TeTIR3JnJCAbV5BsCZGFOeMhbZXgPdvfcYTqfu-StAH8swQdVlftu9QrsFILrw0e2iHuI3rRrxV5RqTuNthIjuVUi5hWz6qnnys/s320/DSCF1153.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">OK, now onto my foster pups. I began volunteering for a rescue group, It's a Pittie Rescue (Chicago, IL area) on April 7, 2012, which was Easter weekend. I started by going to their boarding facility and walking the dogs. One dog I walked was Gumbo or Gumbino as he was known to our family.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLuJLCXHjHYeBnlGBwx9zBG7IkU_hfRNXbQ1GmKo2SSsNOoexeg2EY5Ac71s1TbQkOVFMWkDC9_TIf8HB5yuHLgseKgk0Pm8qshT7cuD92OkKJ0q9DCY1Qd5fWDV4D6pEmF2EcDvgUcNH/s1600/DSCF0560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLuJLCXHjHYeBnlGBwx9zBG7IkU_hfRNXbQ1GmKo2SSsNOoexeg2EY5Ac71s1TbQkOVFMWkDC9_TIf8HB5yuHLgseKgk0Pm8qshT7cuD92OkKJ0q9DCY1Qd5fWDV4D6pEmF2EcDvgUcNH/s320/DSCF0560.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gumbo, Kobe, and Jordan in September 2012.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">As you can see from the picture above, Gumbo was a natural in my girls' pack. Gumbino had other issues and we had to keep him away from most visitors. Gumbo had actually bit a visitor to our home. We don't know what happened to him before he joined It's a Pittie Rescue, but I would venture to say it traumatized him and made him distrust people. We fostered Gumbo from May 12, 2012 through September 23, 2012. I had surgery on September 24, 2012 so Gumbo went back to boarding while I recovered. Unfortunately, Gumbo had aggression issues towards strangers and he bit a walker on September 28, 2012 and the decision was made to put him to sleep. This was a very traumatic time for my sons and I. Gumbo came to see us one last time that day before he was put down. It still brings tears to my eyes because I blame myself, in part, for sending him back to boarding. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhag8g1PHvN2dW_ZhFeYV9H2zqy81jOKIMQv3Zwq6IhDBodovWP3X9mmcTM_P_TNfNArf-gFe-3MD1nR5MLMNYLq3aXAhySxK1FBqmMy1RKtCBaaudHlEwcF-Os_Xc0vvhiHvmhgirj-v/s1600/DSCF0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhag8g1PHvN2dW_ZhFeYV9H2zqy81jOKIMQv3Zwq6IhDBodovWP3X9mmcTM_P_TNfNArf-gFe-3MD1nR5MLMNYLq3aXAhySxK1FBqmMy1RKtCBaaudHlEwcF-Os_Xc0vvhiHvmhgirj-v/s320/DSCF0555.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gumbo wore worry on his face sometimes. It was a product of the hard life he had lived. September 2012.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Gumbo may have had fear of strangers and aggression toward them, but he would have never hurt our family or my girls. Gumbo would have protected us to his death. I still love this handsome boy and I still miss him. I do take some comfort in knowing that for the last months of his life, from May to September, he knew what it was like to be a beloved member of a family. Rest in peace, Gumbo. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5Rb0lyF-0n92twSFfKD63t9Bkv7DKgwWvGoUPxH_B5h9KY_isclGZbA4knR5TRE6o64JEaYovYnppAwmDoel2SkWcO0JDtYCxe3lAacHFO090LYnhakC4PHrFIE_ub_psWsiEsPMP_IT/s1600/DSCF0904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5Rb0lyF-0n92twSFfKD63t9Bkv7DKgwWvGoUPxH_B5h9KY_isclGZbA4knR5TRE6o64JEaYovYnppAwmDoel2SkWcO0JDtYCxe3lAacHFO090LYnhakC4PHrFIE_ub_psWsiEsPMP_IT/s320/DSCF0904.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Frost LOVES laying in the sun. He regularly sunned himself on the deck. This was in June 2013.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It took us a month before we fostered again. I saw a plea from Reach Out Rescue, NFP for a foster for Frost or Frosty Frost in our world. I thought he was beautiful and I thought it would be a short foster, as he already had an application for adoption pending (it fell through). I applied to foster, was approved and have been fostering for Reach Out Rescue, NFP ever since. They are a great rescue group that rescues all dog breeds and a lot of kitties. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Frost is an extremely handsome, make that beautiful American Bulldog mix. I picked up Frost on Halloween 2012. We fostered him until August 21, 2013, almost 10 months. Frost was starved to the point of being a skeleton dog. He was kicked in boarding and his hip was broken and he had to have surgery. This was in February 2012 way before I met him and even before he joined the rescue group. The broken hip was when the rescue group stepped in and took Frost under its wings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From February 2012 to Halloween 2012, he was fostered by a former official of his rescue group. The woman was wretched to all of the foster dogs in her possession as she kept them all in cages that were too small. She made them stay in the cages for 24 hours a day, only letting them out to go outside to potty, and I'm not even sure how much that happened. She made them eat in their cages and gave them rawhides in the cages. She quit the rescue group and dumped the dogs in her possession at the vet's office on Halloween 2012. It was the absolute best thing she had ever done for the dogs. They were finally free of her torture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fEdpoJj0dtEEtUWzaaCbf56zeKWxGUBN2v3bkO09mquTxKgZ1uSZMPO7nTtVBrTmG3I3W7MrrN0TFuYDfvC_KjYGKI2rayfoZ6_uRX04klMNO1232FaquDikip1Aj_Fbg9wCiSjYYfJJ/s1600/DSCF0617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fEdpoJj0dtEEtUWzaaCbf56zeKWxGUBN2v3bkO09mquTxKgZ1uSZMPO7nTtVBrTmG3I3W7MrrN0TFuYDfvC_KjYGKI2rayfoZ6_uRX04klMNO1232FaquDikip1Aj_Fbg9wCiSjYYfJJ/s320/DSCF0617.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Frost during his first week with us ... skinny and stained from life in a cage.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Frost had urine stains on the back side of all of his legs. In the picture above, you can see the stains on his front and back paws. His tendons had shortened from inactivity and being confined 24 hours a day, so he "high-stepped." He didn't know what toys were for, he didn't know how to catch a treat, he couldn't walk on my kitchen floor (ceramic tile) without slipping and sliding. He didn't know how to walk up or down stairs. It was heartbreaking. The first time I scratched his back from his neck to his tail, he actually shivered because the act of giving him back scratches was completely foreign to him. How sad. Back, side, and belly scratches and rubs quickly became one of his favorite things.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6CAWiYT-_xUVF4i3xq2cIqrROFt3A7hRHW5EEkoZUZS4v6Diodk9p4Jlm0p4B8hg9xvz7Lm2cEX6wWblj_3gv9kCYZB7c_8e8WVKO7XhNbMWFe61WT-1FRBwNP9bqqg-ap_3_sIHAAd9/s1600/DSCF1089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6CAWiYT-_xUVF4i3xq2cIqrROFt3A7hRHW5EEkoZUZS4v6Diodk9p4Jlm0p4B8hg9xvz7Lm2cEX6wWblj_3gv9kCYZB7c_8e8WVKO7XhNbMWFe61WT-1FRBwNP9bqqg-ap_3_sIHAAd9/s320/DSCF1089.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">August 17, 2013, a couple of days before Frost left ... no more stained paws for this boy!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Frost flourished with us. Frost is an extremely loving dog. I don't think I've met a more loving dog who craves human attention and affection more than Frost. Frost was a reluctant pack member with my girls at first. He had a little food aggression (which he got over) and was jealous of the attention we gave our girls. Over the months I realized that while Frost became a good pack member with my girls, he really wanted to be an only dog who got all of the attention. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PtHqtLODVvGcZ7QCwg2JjDODnQrlv4QThaqhtZWsfpONlo6p8wd-rpdPw68M6bwaw8oev6J0BHMAui3P14U_EfQN6vwE9Z-Gu0V3Xd-FEtXxFwBdUSBD2z9_svoIVPkH0S02HGi4OrH3/s1600/2013-08-21+10.33.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PtHqtLODVvGcZ7QCwg2JjDODnQrlv4QThaqhtZWsfpONlo6p8wd-rpdPw68M6bwaw8oev6J0BHMAui3P14U_EfQN6vwE9Z-Gu0V3Xd-FEtXxFwBdUSBD2z9_svoIVPkH0S02HGi4OrH3/s320/2013-08-21+10.33.08.jpg" width="241" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">August 21, 2013, Frost's last day with us, sunning himself on the deck.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It took a long time to find the perfect family, but Frost is finally home with them. He is the only dog in a family of four, Mom, Dad, brother (age 10), and sister (age 4), plus a cat, who he is still trying to get to know. It was so sad for us to lose Frost (I still miss him a lot), but he is being so pampered and loved that I can't help but be totally happy for him.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CXI1QSBip9SKp3Cw0Yp1VZU-GCCgarDUK9OmyFkXMBdje88wadJzRKF_HQkA1kZKRpiZkRE-3YDy5Ifkg9DRytPrA5fBjLZXpVCp1Ep3weAV0I_xXcMluKW0AzW4A1Vwza3CagsOQrIm/s1600/DSCF0920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CXI1QSBip9SKp3Cw0Yp1VZU-GCCgarDUK9OmyFkXMBdje88wadJzRKF_HQkA1kZKRpiZkRE-3YDy5Ifkg9DRytPrA5fBjLZXpVCp1Ep3weAV0I_xXcMluKW0AzW4A1Vwza3CagsOQrIm/s320/DSCF0920.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadora, now Keegan - June 29, 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We fostered Sadora only for a night. I got her on a Saturday from the vet's office. Someone else had been fostering her and boarded her when they went on vacation. I offered to pick her up to do a house check and adoption contract for her, but her new family couldn't meet on Saturday, so we kept her overnight. She was adopted on Sunday, June 30, 2013. Her new family named her Keegan. She has a furry brother to keep her company and is doing well.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQokbExhhaW0vnkF9vVpAg-KcMiIZ0ltV4dHhWzsCAWv-YkEghMZ-eGX9KQDDGExrGKCxgNBzMpsPZwNaIqiLdQCpq8xbV5KsvSX6jJfzlpbEzcl_BHRO11IXFRzEqV1Z8Pf6ivhBR12T/s1600/DSCF1143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQokbExhhaW0vnkF9vVpAg-KcMiIZ0ltV4dHhWzsCAWv-YkEghMZ-eGX9KQDDGExrGKCxgNBzMpsPZwNaIqiLdQCpq8xbV5KsvSX6jJfzlpbEzcl_BHRO11IXFRzEqV1Z8Pf6ivhBR12T/s320/DSCF1143.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nacho Libre - August 31, 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That brings me to our current foster dog. Nacho is a pure bred Boston Terrier. He is a trip. He's about a year and a half old and weighs 16 pounds, but he acts like he is a big dog. He chases Kobe Bean (my black lab) and Jordan (my rottie/shepherd) like he is their size. He's a good boy. His family didn't have enough time for him, so they surrendered him to Reach Out Rescue, NFP. I picked him up on Friday, August 23, 2013. Nacho has an approved adoption application and I will be doing a home check and taking him to his forever family this week on Wednesday, September 4, 2013. Even though Nacho is a short-term foster, he has made a big impact on us. We'll miss his crazy, frantic energy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mkJ9ra2az5mkfyQtFzRmaaRuoEVEU1naEqhAUBCxPziU1LCeC4D7io00e6zkhCRvBGCKWXxxqnpv6QFfILEi0sstwFJ1emk_a5YM8BV3_TG4U1WYTLfH7iDQUmxfPZeeu0U0rBhmiwlS/s1600/DSCF1142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mkJ9ra2az5mkfyQtFzRmaaRuoEVEU1naEqhAUBCxPziU1LCeC4D7io00e6zkhCRvBGCKWXxxqnpv6QFfILEi0sstwFJ1emk_a5YM8BV3_TG4U1WYTLfH7iDQUmxfPZeeu0U0rBhmiwlS/s320/DSCF1142.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am already thinking ahead and have offered to foster a couple of puppies. They were born on July 13, 2013 and are a rottie/shepherd/chow mix. I think I'll be getting them on September 13, 2013. I don't expect them to last long here, either. Puppies go fast. But, I'll keep fostering. Fostering and adoption saves lives. I'm giving back and I feel good about it.</span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-52216008778326337742012-09-10T21:34:00.000-05:002016-11-01T17:42:46.951-05:00It's been a long 7+ months since the last time I posted. I had a major issue crop up in my life that took me completely away from the life I knew and led me on a new path. I'm finally making my way back here. :::smile:::<br />
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During the last 7 months, I have cooked occasionally. Actually, I've cooked more than occasionally, but didn't take pictures or have the energy to blog about it. I'll recap now, though.<br />
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In February, I made a <a href="http://vegweb.com/recipes/blueberry-streusel-cake-lemon-icing">Blueberry Streusel Cake with Lemon Icing</a>. While it was tasty, it wasn't a dessert that my sons appreciated, so only a couple of slices were eaten. (I mean, really, how much could I eat?!?!?)<br />
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I would make it again, but before I did, I'd make sure that I was making it for a crowd that likes blueberries and lemons. The combination is very refreshing.<br />
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In March, I made a chili that had a combination of veggies that I couldn't imagine would taste good together. Why I made it, I'll never know, but I'm glad I did. I LOVED IT! I made<span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2008/11/chipotle-chili-with-sweet-potatoes-and-brussel-sprouts/">Chipotle Chili with Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts from Appetite for Reduction</a> (p. 238). Luckily, the recipe is on theppk.com, and I've included the link for you <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2008/11/chipotle-chili-with-sweet-potatoes-and-brussel-sprouts/">here</a>. I will be making this again this fall/winter. It had such a great flavor and just enough zing for me. I highly recommend this chili. I know it sounds weird to put both Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes in chili, but it was excellent. Sometimes it really pays off to walk outside of my food comfort zone and try something totally new.</span><br />
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In April, I made <a href="http://sundaymorningbananapancakes.blogspot.com/2012/03/creamy-avocado-chipolte-sweet-potato.html#more">Creamy Avocado and Sweet Potato Soup</a>. It was pretty tasty. I like a creamy soup now and again. It was a good way to use up the avocado that was reaching the end. In fact, I have an avocado and a sweet potato that I need to use. This would be an excellent soup for his week.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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In May, I made <a href="https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1630389">New York Times Veggie Burgers</a>. These were quite tasty. My oldest son loved them. I made 6 regular burgers and 1 baby burger. I got to eat one of the regular burgers the day I made them and the baby burger a week or two later (I froze the leftover burgers), but my son ate the rest. I need to make these again.<br />
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In May, I also made a <a href="http://blog.nativefoods.com/nativefoods/2012/05/going-bananas.html">Banana Crumble</a> (recipe at the bottom of the webpage). I added sliced fresh strawberries to it. It would have been good with half or even a third of the crust listed in the recipe. There was WAY TOO MUCH crust on this and not enough fruit/filling.<br />
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Finally in May, I made <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=jQZnAeKnODsC&pg=PA252&lpg=PA252&dq=ole-fashioned+chili+beans+alicia+simpson&source=bl&ots=aZCM4cH1Cl&sig=gS8WIeGVx9iuA_in863HSUtY1Mw&hl=en#v=onepage&q=ole-fashioned%20chili%20beans%20alicia%20simpson&f=false">Ole-Fashioned Chili Beans</a> (click on the 169 and it will take you to the recipe) from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Easy-Low-Cal-Vegan-Comfort/dp/1615190422">Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Foods.</a> The chili is a bit on the spicy side, but good. I made it because I was going to make Chili Cheese Fries (page 165 of the cookbook), but I ended up just eating the chili. I have some of the chili in the freezer and need to thaw it so I can make the Chili Cheese Fries. All of the recipes in this book have less than 350 calories. I still need to make the Seitan Cheesesteak that is pictured on the front of this cookbook.<br />
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This isn't something I cooked, but this dog is something I acquired. This is Gumbo. No, he is not my dog, but I have been fostering him since May 12, 2012, so just about 4 months now. Fostering has been very rewarding and challenging. Gumbo had been in a boarding facility for just about 6 months. At the time I brought him home, he had lived almost half of his life in a kennel. (He was just over a year old.) He's put on weight and is a loving dog to my family, but he has stranger issues. He's good with my two girls (the black lab and rottie/shepherd). Although we love Gumbo, he's not a forever dog for us. I'm really hoping that we can help him on his way to finding the perfect home for him.<br />
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These are two pictures of Gumbo in August. He's relaxed a lot in the past four months. I can tell he didn't know a lot of love early in his life because it took him a long time to connect with us. Now, he has and he is an attention hound who thinks, at about 60 or 65 pounds, that he IS a lap dog. :)<br />
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In July, I decided enough was enough with my appliances. My oven stopped working. The gas would come on, but the electronic ignition wouldn't light the oven burner, so I'd just smell natural gas. That's not a good thing. The oven did that once, but then lit up when I tried to light it again within a few minutes. It worked for a week or two without problem, but then it started acting up again. I couldn't mess around with natural gas.<br />
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My dishwasher was over 30 years old. I believe my house was built in 1978, 1980 at the latest. The dishwasher was the original one from when the house was built. It hadn't been working well for a while, but I scrubbed the dishes before I put them into it. It still left streaks. I was just tired of it and knew I needed a new dishwasher. Plus, it sounded like a jet engine when it ran. It was extremely noisy.<br />
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I bought a stove and dishwasher in one sitting. The stove crapped out for the last time on Saturday and I was using a small electric convection oven to bake. Sunday night, I went online searching for a sale and found one at Sears plus 12 months no interest financing. I bought a stainless steel stove with a black top and a black Bosch dishwasher that is so quiet, we can't hear it when it's running. It has a red light that shows on the floor to tell us the dishwasher is running. My fridge is black, so everything matches nicely now. I swear the new appliances even make the 30+ year old cabinets look better. :) I love them both. <br />
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Of course I needed to try out my stove, so I made <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2010/12/curried-cauliflower-sweet-potato-soup.html">Curried Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Soup</a> from the <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/">Fat Free Kitchen Vegan</a> blog. This is one of my favorite soups. It hits the spot no matter when it's made during the year. I also made <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/03/smoky-refried-bean-soup.html">Smoky Refried Bean Soup</a> from this website, but I have no pictures of it. I made it during the summer (June), and I liked it very much. It's a heavy soup though, and really best suited for the winter months.<br />
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I made <a href="http://vegweb.com/recipes/vegan-patties-youve-never-had">Vegan Patties Like You've Never Had</a> in late August. These are made with nuts, refried beans, and oatmeal. I made the burger mixture on one day, threw it into the refrigerator overnight, and then formed the burgers the next day. The mixture was very sticky and soft the first day, so the overnight refrigeration was perfect. I pan fried them for 5 minutes on each side, but they were still very soft burgers, so I ended up baking them at 350º for about 20 minutes. That helped, but I ended up putting them back into the oven (it had been turned off for 15 or 20 minutes and had cooled down a lot) and just let them sit in there for another 20 minutes or so.<br />
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They froze nicely. I had one tonight and it was firmer, but I wouldn't call these really firm burgers. They are very tasty, though. This recipe made 12 burgers for me, 12 good-sized burgers.<br />
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Last week, I made <a href="http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/12/12/leek-mushroom-potato-stew/">Leek Mushroom Potato Stew</a>. OK, I didn't have any leeks, so I used more onion and a huge handful of chives (I have a huge plant on my deck). I put in 24 oz. of button mushrooms because those were the only mushrooms I had. I used Yukon Gold potatoes, because I didn't have purple potatoes. AND, while I had chorizo sausage that I could have used, I decided to use two links of Field Roast Apple Sage Vegan Sausage, that actually seemed to go perfectly with the flavor of the stew.<br />
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I liked this stew, BUT, I hated the pasta in it. I will make it again, but I will not put pasta in it. It was mushy and did not reheat well. Otherwise, it was a lovely stew. I will look for some Field Roast Chipolte Vegan Sausage to use in it. I might like the extra zing.<br />
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Tonight, I roasted broccoli, Yukon God potatoes, and baby bella mushrooms in a splash of olive oil, French gray sea salt, and pepper. OMG! I love roasted veggies and could have eaten the entire pan of them. I tried to restrain myself and I saved a generous portion for tomorrow.<br />
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I ate them with one of the Vegan Patties Like You've Never Had smothered in pickles and a generous squirt of mustard. It was a lovely dinner for a Monday night after a dentist visit in the afternoon. bah! I'm not a fan of the dentist, but I go when I'm supposed to. I never want to have any kind of serious periodontal disease. My ex-husband had perio gum surgery and it looked absolutely torturous. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRixCsYQwdcrv_dX6xLOMxQb4f7BIq7INV80MdmEIHvHqMN9sjpc2kB1sYd8PyzeSqTkkby9xj1YjPezptBVZt8MhBDASme27h20cPSfZoaDsn1SGsCXXOGVWcPViVE80YeRZcUW2eQWE/s1600/2012-09-02+14.15.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRixCsYQwdcrv_dX6xLOMxQb4f7BIq7INV80MdmEIHvHqMN9sjpc2kB1sYd8PyzeSqTkkby9xj1YjPezptBVZt8MhBDASme27h20cPSfZoaDsn1SGsCXXOGVWcPViVE80YeRZcUW2eQWE/s320/2012-09-02+14.15.12.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
OK, that's caught me up to today. I'm leaving you with a picture of the three dogs together. As you can see, Gumbo (the lightest dog) thinks he fits right in. :::smile:::<br />
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-69304672817312690902012-01-24T10:03:00.000-06:002012-01-24T10:03:49.697-06:00State Fair Caramel Apple Oatmeal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2daStAgE02tYaPu_7RPHYD6yx0SfdBkbntKvk5HsRZaPg2AV9bjb5zWgVtNyfP1KZHX-cYaGTjscEekKdKzFfM550f4KR36SOoryo_yVZp7R_q3RZ0cDXIRvAx8-oTOe_DnWkWzoWPyj/s1600/DSCF0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2daStAgE02tYaPu_7RPHYD6yx0SfdBkbntKvk5HsRZaPg2AV9bjb5zWgVtNyfP1KZHX-cYaGTjscEekKdKzFfM550f4KR36SOoryo_yVZp7R_q3RZ0cDXIRvAx8-oTOe_DnWkWzoWPyj/s320/DSCF0205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This morning, I made <a href="http://healthyslowcooking.com/2011/10/03/slow-cooker-state-fair-caramel-apple-oatmeal/">State Fair Caramel Apple Oatmeal</a> from Kathy Hester's blog, <a href="http://healthyslowcooking.com/">Healthy Slow Cooking</a>. In actuality, I did not slow cook this oatmeal and I think it would have been better if I had. I just didn't have an oatmeal "vision" for today's breakfast last night. So, I cooked it in my rice cooker.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMXuIYToINdEyUCyDQJgkZHp4kbsp3KSx5jtpijo8TdeXAT7AaqqjOCZTIIVoCrewtKThShOc_D1mkZcxtcT5fKKOv5-UzRudYH60S1lBh-vJVQML76sBAGy-0z5N2sF-4s020tiTrx6v/s1600/DSCF0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMXuIYToINdEyUCyDQJgkZHp4kbsp3KSx5jtpijo8TdeXAT7AaqqjOCZTIIVoCrewtKThShOc_D1mkZcxtcT5fKKOv5-UzRudYH60S1lBh-vJVQML76sBAGy-0z5N2sF-4s020tiTrx6v/s320/DSCF0198.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Here's a couple of interesting things about the rice cooker. One, when cooking steel cut oats with almond milk (versus water), expect that the milk will "foam up" (and I do mean <span style="font-size: large;">FOAM UP!!!</span>) while cooking. Two, don't close the lid of the rice cooker. Rather, vent it with a wooden spoon laid across the top of the pot. Three, when you don't think about items one and two, expect that the almond milk will boil over, come out of the top vent, and generally make a mess all over the kitchen counter. (No, I did not take pictures of that! ha!) Trust me, next time I will be making this in my little 1½ quart slow cooker. Sheesh!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslxmF_b8viiuHEJyDpafI0moH7gul-Bt2dD4ZYO_HkBhFi5vEH_8UEtxZcUcHooMUjLUKYjaHP30CXyXZMOT3kbJSFEQjANhGWurAHeB6EamywL1Vp5MRXfpNmNOSYt0DVrFQm-CIjrzP/s1600/DSCF0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslxmF_b8viiuHEJyDpafI0moH7gul-Bt2dD4ZYO_HkBhFi5vEH_8UEtxZcUcHooMUjLUKYjaHP30CXyXZMOT3kbJSFEQjANhGWurAHeB6EamywL1Vp5MRXfpNmNOSYt0DVrFQm-CIjrzP/s320/DSCF0202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is a very tasty morning oatmeal dish. I really liked it. I will say that next time, I'll cut down on the brown sugar as it was a bit sweet for me. Yes, I did add a touch of brown sugar for the picture (at the top), but this picture is without the added brown sugar and it was still just a tad sweet (but my sons would have loved it). Of course, that could have been because I didn't slow cook it, but rather fast cooked it in my rice cooker. I'll still add less brown sugar and see how that is because I did love the flavoring. <br />
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If you haven't visited Kathy's blog to explore her 40 recipes for steel cut oats, you need to visit it and start exploring <a href="http://healthyslowcooking.com/category/love-your-oatmeal-celebration/">Love Your Oatmeal Celebration</a>. Kathy has non-oatmeal recipes on her blog, too! I have her cookbook, The Vegan Slow Cooker, and love that, too!<br />
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And now, a request ... Gateway Pet Guardians in St. Louis has been feeding homeless dogs and cats that live on the streets of East St. Louis for years. You can visit the blog <a href="http://gatewaypets.com/blog">here</a> and read about the wonderful things they have done and see videos of Pj feeding the cats and dogs, something she has done daily for years. Gateway is one of many competing for a cash award from Monsanto. Monsanto may not be your favorite corporation, but please go to the <a href="http://www.monsanto.com/stlouis/Pages/grow-STL-contest-voting-form.aspx">competition website</a> and vote for Gateway Pet Guardians. It's the animals that will benefit from your vote. Currently, GPG is in 3rd place, which could mean $5,000 to them. If we can get them to first place, it would mean $15,000. <b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.monsanto.com/stlouis/Pages/grow-STL-contest-voting-form.aspx">Please vote daily.</a></span></b> The voting doesn't end until January 29. The more votes GPG gets, the closer they will come to 1st place and the more good these animal angels can do for homeless dogs and cats. Thank you! :)Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-86556443039268400182012-01-22T12:23:00.001-06:002012-01-22T12:24:20.582-06:00Eggless Nog Pancakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2qnjzvXwZH455LozXEf1IYc4AXrGdP-mwxRKkGV6y-cWHu5M60kFeWSJYuKKq4klyq0-tzusk606TT0nlxxz-ZcUiSxXmK_AOuDYlUAx7EriStuE5SLVbA4UXRFs4MbfZw_HJDY0XHx2/s1600/DSCF0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2qnjzvXwZH455LozXEf1IYc4AXrGdP-mwxRKkGV6y-cWHu5M60kFeWSJYuKKq4klyq0-tzusk606TT0nlxxz-ZcUiSxXmK_AOuDYlUAx7EriStuE5SLVbA4UXRFs4MbfZw_HJDY0XHx2/s320/DSCF0193.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I bought Soy Nog for the first time this year. I used to like drinking Egg Nog, within moderation. I wanted the coconut milk version, but didn't see it at Whole Foods. (I'm sure it was there and I just missed it.) So, I bought Soy Nog. OK, not only did I buy one quart, I bought two quarts. Never mind that I haven't had any in years. I'm not sure why I thought I'd drink so much of it. Good thing for me, the Soy Nog doesn't expire until January 30, 2012. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBvYjHaZnqcdlACB1BcLb2oZdXXvZS9FGq7pJwRGz0cN7aulTQin1FRhLZHX2Wi-QiaIpWH-h1oCVrolr51xYInqg4l14g-CJ_xjAuboUqPFBXPCMWWqDxh0yVbGysLTilEwM3nmm8VsB/s1600/DSCF0182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBvYjHaZnqcdlACB1BcLb2oZdXXvZS9FGq7pJwRGz0cN7aulTQin1FRhLZHX2Wi-QiaIpWH-h1oCVrolr51xYInqg4l14g-CJ_xjAuboUqPFBXPCMWWqDxh0yVbGysLTilEwM3nmm8VsB/s320/DSCF0182.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wanted to make baked Soy Nog French toast, but I couldn't find a recipe I liked and I didn't want to botch one up. So, I decided that I would alter a vegan pancake recipe. I used the <a href="http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/vegan-pancakes/">Vegan Pancake</a> recipe by the Happy Herbivore as my base. I've not made the basic pancake recipe, so I'm not sure how those turn out. Perhaps that should have been my first step.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP-gr6Q5jspPOdQgsgArJ44FUbc0qeAjdJJy-zUidTENASue2vqNIwwepuhDXqa49IcEZHALOzTdrdZrN4jqu9iHNKYeJXrclsM7cEdeQiL9dgX9BIfc3WDfZeVsrnLV8pvjsvoMPxKS_/s1600/DSCF0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP-gr6Q5jspPOdQgsgArJ44FUbc0qeAjdJJy-zUidTENASue2vqNIwwepuhDXqa49IcEZHALOzTdrdZrN4jqu9iHNKYeJXrclsM7cEdeQiL9dgX9BIfc3WDfZeVsrnLV8pvjsvoMPxKS_/s320/DSCF0183.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't "measure" my flour or other dry ingredients that are in "cup" measurements. I weigh those as I feel it gives a better result because weighing ingredients is more consistent. The pancakes were too dense for my liking. Even given my weighing the ingredients, I think using the whole wheat pastry flour was much too heavy for these pancakes. Could be that I didn't use any water, but used all Soy Nog. I'll try these again sometime (read: this December), but make a few alterations to try to get a lighter, fluffier pancake. Below is my recipe.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Eggless Nog Pancakes</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">8.50 ounces whole wheat pastry flour (equivalent to 2 cups)</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 teaspoons baking powder</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 teaspoon salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 teaspoon nutmeg</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 3/4 cup Soy Nog (can use 1/2 cup water for part of the Soy Nog)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla </div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tablespoons maple syrup</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients to mix. Let batter rest for a few minutes. Heat griddle pan (heat medium high). Use 1/4 cup ladle to pour batter onto to skillet. Cook for a couple of minutes and then flip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDisJvP8gVVGh-RLaMOn8dXw5WMEyivYn54X4K7HPSOeJg4006R00NMPNwVPrctRT7Qnft51B7pHjDWle4XUJDZDiRmp3fE9TRtVmCiwVTPGVVheokwSNTUlPFnR0SHRWScVWwzRWmBCA2/s1600/DSCF0188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDisJvP8gVVGh-RLaMOn8dXw5WMEyivYn54X4K7HPSOeJg4006R00NMPNwVPrctRT7Qnft51B7pHjDWle4XUJDZDiRmp3fE9TRtVmCiwVTPGVVheokwSNTUlPFnR0SHRWScVWwzRWmBCA2/s320/DSCF0188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Because the batter was so dense, it didn't "bubble" like regular pancakes, so I had to watch the pancakes more closely so they wouldn't overcook.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBG5EIk9G7AwrSdIqH3quQ9Bq1s1WLT7whsFj6fKera9ZQkovSTX85V2Xup_NgoCNIJjKbGC4zmp_d2XUNTQeeqpobCgBq1eHhx4u_5rtQVxC7iJyI7yhxAAnOk4eyi9UIBkrn01aYSP4-/s1600/DSCF0191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBG5EIk9G7AwrSdIqH3quQ9Bq1s1WLT7whsFj6fKera9ZQkovSTX85V2Xup_NgoCNIJjKbGC4zmp_d2XUNTQeeqpobCgBq1eHhx4u_5rtQVxC7iJyI7yhxAAnOk4eyi9UIBkrn01aYSP4-/s320/DSCF0191.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The flavor was good. I liked the subtle cinnamon/nutmeg flavor. I do think a combination of a lighter flour and subbing some water for part of the Soy Nog would lighten up the density. I much prefer a batter that is thinner and pours onto the griddle. This batter was so thick that I had to put it on the griddle and then spread it around. If you like dense pancakes, this is definitely the recipe for you.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0t6z95G2G8j2bcKewpjGJtwXIyHNckebIwV3g9Gn_9deKQi4GYjmC1Qge0MwyB81sDerPa5MdCWx_p7AsFOif8SfJCIVHkBBfl4dGZu-XWhjs3GQa6y7L8Xhd1vEIKIEWTgFaymvU6K1/s1600/DSCF0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0t6z95G2G8j2bcKewpjGJtwXIyHNckebIwV3g9Gn_9deKQi4GYjmC1Qge0MwyB81sDerPa5MdCWx_p7AsFOif8SfJCIVHkBBfl4dGZu-XWhjs3GQa6y7L8Xhd1vEIKIEWTgFaymvU6K1/s320/DSCF0177.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordan, January 20, 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">On another note, here's a picture of Jordan playing in the snow on Friday evening. We got SOCKED with snow on Friday, which meant a 2½ hour commute home for me. I was so glad to be home. I used my electric snow thrower shovel to make quick work of my driveway. Gotta love the electric aspect of it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-42052427154215769412011-11-26T16:29:00.001-06:002011-11-26T16:30:22.699-06:00Coconut Banana Pecan Coffee Cake OatmealI have not been feeling the best the last couple of days. I drove to Springfield, Illinois, 3 hours from my home, so that my sons and I could have Thanksgiving dinner with my Mom. On the way back, I had a coughing fit before I even got out of the Springfield area (which I attribute to the air freshener I got at the car wash the night before and was promptly thrown out), and once that was done, I had a scratchy throat for the rest of the drive. Yesterday, I woke up with a mild sore throat and a hoarse voice. Today, I had a voice, but I had a moderate sore throat. Needless to say, a green smoothie was not appealing in the least.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5ApKnOrCyHgp0fWL9GY5QU8c1dgA3eL23Ndt5tre6VOppGwyKGDN-oImcv0oWpqP8JFvOq5JoT5ylK0O7bPGSPXW-mCUnVVjs3u6CwYkfhkS1cnn4d7EUnIm6p2VIJyCLp1y_g2SRucs/s1600/100_1691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5ApKnOrCyHgp0fWL9GY5QU8c1dgA3eL23Ndt5tre6VOppGwyKGDN-oImcv0oWpqP8JFvOq5JoT5ylK0O7bPGSPXW-mCUnVVjs3u6CwYkfhkS1cnn4d7EUnIm6p2VIJyCLp1y_g2SRucs/s320/100_1691.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I remembered Kathy Hester's website, <a href="http://healthyslowcooking.com/">Healthy Slow Cooking</a>, and that she had a TON of recipes for steel cut oats. The only problem being, the recipes all call for a 1½ to 2 quart slow cooker, which I did not own. That is ... until I ran out and bought one this morning at 9 AM. :::smile:::<br />
<br />
After looking at all of her oatmeal (steel cut oat) recipes, I finally settled on <a href="http://healthyslowcooking.com/2011/10/21/slow-cooker-coconut-banana-pecan-coffee-cake-oatmeal/">Coconut Banana Pecan Coffee Cake Oatmeal</a>. Yes, it does take a long time to cook (7 to 9 hours), and by the time I washed out the crock pot and put the ingredients in it, it was 10:20 AM. I didn't care. I decided I would eat the rest of the soup I had in the fridge early and eat the steel cut oats later. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ4q5HCLpz3qK1nU3z2dOqT0gSR4ntDl48vT-EnX46K7zBCeIwQ7W2StMFQN9WfgNFQDTnu_upfNu70RnTGmG-iwdu_PqY_gnqb_1NJH_XK2Ey20XyNMFsFF9kB4VjkQb9CySpCGU6Fk0/s1600/100_1696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ4q5HCLpz3qK1nU3z2dOqT0gSR4ntDl48vT-EnX46K7zBCeIwQ7W2StMFQN9WfgNFQDTnu_upfNu70RnTGmG-iwdu_PqY_gnqb_1NJH_XK2Ey20XyNMFsFF9kB4VjkQb9CySpCGU6Fk0/s320/100_1696.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I only did a few things differently than the recipe, and I'm sure they did not affect the taste. First, I used unsweetened almond milk (not vanilla flavor) and upped the vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon. I used agave instead of a low calorie sweetener and I used walnuts for my nuts instead of pecans. I didn't have any pecans in the house and walnuts just seemed close enough. I don't know if my slow cooker cooks at a warmer temperature than Kathy's does, but 6 hours was long enough for my steel cut oats. To cook it overnight, I think I'll add a bit more liquid and put it on so it will only cook for 6½ hours at the longest.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpPgZY0w0v9ZH5BVkIEEAP0UkFk-DZ54FhSv-GKm8rnQu-NShX-RxmooKhIufWJTZjsMW1iEM9R7tIODQpmur5_-zc8Pg9CtYJAQ4b8WkrcsZOdyYPuVJ3c8JE9hXErWOjM6OHmXmQq9t/s1600/100_1693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpPgZY0w0v9ZH5BVkIEEAP0UkFk-DZ54FhSv-GKm8rnQu-NShX-RxmooKhIufWJTZjsMW1iEM9R7tIODQpmur5_-zc8Pg9CtYJAQ4b8WkrcsZOdyYPuVJ3c8JE9hXErWOjM6OHmXmQq9t/s320/100_1693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is an absolutely delightful steel cut oat dish. It's extremely tasty. It would be good with a splash of almond milk in it, too. As a bonus, the vegan bowl I ordered from Etsy.com came today, so I got to eat the oatmeal in my new bowl.<br />
<br />
I can't wait to try more of Kathy's oatmeal recipes. These will be perfect for the upcoming winter months.Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-49289464719434065822011-11-21T21:18:00.002-06:002011-11-21T21:20:14.961-06:00Cabbage, Chickpea, & Sweet Potato Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXBo3zvWkKaFR1gLvFWDoundWfbvg_0iMkH2U7e6WkiQHouDlostT7-GqGoSq6WlW8vq2EXyUFh5rCT8_i7ti9gklFp61hD_XlE8SmaBIuhHM6pip2xSruX-UVSYuo8AyxStRkmsxaBY2/s1600/100_1663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXBo3zvWkKaFR1gLvFWDoundWfbvg_0iMkH2U7e6WkiQHouDlostT7-GqGoSq6WlW8vq2EXyUFh5rCT8_i7ti9gklFp61hD_XlE8SmaBIuhHM6pip2xSruX-UVSYuo8AyxStRkmsxaBY2/s320/100_1663.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I started out to make one soup, <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2010/12/chickpea-rice-soup-with-cabbage/">Chickpea Rice Soup with Cabbage</a> on PPK, and ended up making an entirely different soup. Part of the problem was I didn't have any carrots. The other part of the equation was although that is a good soup, it was too bland for my palate. I like soup with a little zing.<br />
<br />
Here is what I did:<br />
<br />
Cabbage, Chickpea, & Sweet Potato Soup<br />
<br />
1 onion, sliced or diced<br />
1 tablespoon of olive oil<br />
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (I used Penzey's minced equivalent to 2 cloves) <br />
1 teaspoon thyme<br />
1 teaspoon dried jalapeno flakes<br />
1/2 teaspoon of red cayenne pepper <br />
sprinkle of salt and pepper<br />
1/2 to 2/3 cup brown rice<br />
1 squirt (about 3" long) of Thai spice blend (in the tube in the produce section)<br />
1/2 head of cabbage, shredded or cut in 1/4" or less ribbons<br />
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced in 1/2" squares<br />
6 to 8 cups of water<br />
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of Better than Bouillon, no-chicken flavor <br />
2 cups cooked chickpeas (I use frozen that I've cooked at home)<br />
1/2 teaspoon dill weed<br />
<br />
1 teaspoon Tofutti Better than Sour Cream per bowl of soup<br />
<br />
Saute onions in the olive oil until soft over medium heat; add garlic, thyme, jalapeno flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, and brown rice. Saute another minute or two over medium heat. Add cabbage, sweet potatoes, water, and Better than Bouillon. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chickpeas and let simmer another 20 minutes, until the rice and sweet potatoes are tender. Add dill weed. Let simmer another minute or two.<br />
<br />
Ladle soup into bowls. Add 1 teaspoon of Tofutti Better than Sour Cream per bowl (no more than 1 teaspoon - you only want a hint of richness to keep the soup on the lighter side versus it being a heavy soup). Stir to mix in and enjoy.<br />
<br />
This soup is not over-the-top spicy, but rather has a little zing, just enough to make the soup interesting and keep you coming back for another bowl. YUM! It's a keeper.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8b2xD3Jam1MbMd_qPFZegqMWrhFDwI_We2lQhzul4puDbBZ_23TOxYHZf8TpmvO86_GRLvp_icieSJLKDi2YEkOurUTRnQVxjOeJMKxYeE4yqSi_dd7FYSh1uv_ObG-wims07NgeQuUjd/s1600/100_1667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8b2xD3Jam1MbMd_qPFZegqMWrhFDwI_We2lQhzul4puDbBZ_23TOxYHZf8TpmvO86_GRLvp_icieSJLKDi2YEkOurUTRnQVxjOeJMKxYeE4yqSi_dd7FYSh1uv_ObG-wims07NgeQuUjd/s320/100_1667.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-19199210017949652262011-11-19T16:03:00.001-06:002011-11-19T16:06:08.600-06:00Butternut Squash with Couscous and Dried Fruit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjfuzJrtKAXEZv4VbcfTx8LmBO3pIqwucWGG7gYSZXBrgPZC4YT4kvOT7Gm6T3NQh1PxX_dq_-XhN_q-4lBPxqOZ0sZv9zyVXHtv07bdwvZoueQl6dMUYS5NCo6HnvQMGYomeQgo32vuY/s1600/100_1660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjfuzJrtKAXEZv4VbcfTx8LmBO3pIqwucWGG7gYSZXBrgPZC4YT4kvOT7Gm6T3NQh1PxX_dq_-XhN_q-4lBPxqOZ0sZv9zyVXHtv07bdwvZoueQl6dMUYS5NCo6HnvQMGYomeQgo32vuY/s320/100_1660.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I needed to use the butternut squash that I roasted the other day. I didn't want to make a risotto, although I think that's what I should have done as I love winter squash risotto. Instead, I was trying to find a soup that I could make. I ended up settling on a recipe from VegWeb.com called <a href="http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=11168.0">Butternut Squash and Couscous</a>. This would be my first time making couscous.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsYa5k80GpDPAGtcwng7an5VvZxH3j8DkCJchqBPEuypvqCQTnVVYw7kf6Pd8ROE6TwacegqcHauretUcSiB72VmSrdOq00MkXWHscGHAXDzQr8XLbjvR6TyPoKbzCwWi4Yg2ZXsuDqWT/s1600/100_1655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsYa5k80GpDPAGtcwng7an5VvZxH3j8DkCJchqBPEuypvqCQTnVVYw7kf6Pd8ROE6TwacegqcHauretUcSiB72VmSrdOq00MkXWHscGHAXDzQr8XLbjvR6TyPoKbzCwWi4Yg2ZXsuDqWT/s320/100_1655.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I chopped the onions and minced the garlic and ginger. Then, I sauteed them for a few minutes and added a fruit medley. I was going to use a craisin/raisin blend, but I had a bag of mixed fruit that I needed to use. It contained papayas, pineapples, raisins, and bananas (which I picked out). (In hind sight, the fruit medley would have been perfect in a rice pudding. Go figure that occurs to me now!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu9UU7bQsEFC4fmGnftYrjCVbsFgVZvCYlKYzlPg9vKzmSD142eDp0Vx8d0V7noaZuEgy4mhyXrJsjA7ih-vPum2940XezltjAf15NmkJ0u0O8qGD-YlcEiktXGBne_BUcGnxNhVJBcTp/s1600/100_1657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu9UU7bQsEFC4fmGnftYrjCVbsFgVZvCYlKYzlPg9vKzmSD142eDp0Vx8d0V7noaZuEgy4mhyXrJsjA7ih-vPum2940XezltjAf15NmkJ0u0O8qGD-YlcEiktXGBne_BUcGnxNhVJBcTp/s320/100_1657.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I sauteed that mixture for a bit and then I added 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, and 1 teaspoon (at least) of freshly grated nutmeg. I sauteed that for about 30 seconds and then added 2 1/2 cups of water and the couscous.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLHIim5HwaVj63k693ZfToZlocCRErbcmdDcJVrlJ_8aBGBgZM2_2WgIEkWXbRaPB23TaLG1cHUkYFj6U4VtKGKhMeewjGM_V_b4WLyR9Cjazsg46qUfuYMY_sB-oBfwiq_93eU2AqdcH/s1600/100_1658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLHIim5HwaVj63k693ZfToZlocCRErbcmdDcJVrlJ_8aBGBgZM2_2WgIEkWXbRaPB23TaLG1cHUkYFj6U4VtKGKhMeewjGM_V_b4WLyR9Cjazsg46qUfuYMY_sB-oBfwiq_93eU2AqdcH/s320/100_1658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Since my butternut squash was roasted, I didn't need to complete the step to let it simmer until tender. I thought I'd up the spices and add a few more to give it more of a sweet and savory type of taste. I decided I didn't want it to be a thick pasta dish, but rather a creamy soup. So, I added a handful of garbanzo beans, 1/4 cup of SO Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer, and about 2 cups of water. The "soup" (very thick soup) turned out too sweet, not enough savory.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjfuzJrtKAXEZv4VbcfTx8LmBO3pIqwucWGG7gYSZXBrgPZC4YT4kvOT7Gm6T3NQh1PxX_dq_-XhN_q-4lBPxqOZ0sZv9zyVXHtv07bdwvZoueQl6dMUYS5NCo6HnvQMGYomeQgo32vuY/s1600/100_1660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjfuzJrtKAXEZv4VbcfTx8LmBO3pIqwucWGG7gYSZXBrgPZC4YT4kvOT7Gm6T3NQh1PxX_dq_-XhN_q-4lBPxqOZ0sZv9zyVXHtv07bdwvZoueQl6dMUYS5NCo6HnvQMGYomeQgo32vuY/s320/100_1660.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I ended up putting a squirt of Sriracha in my bowl and that helped, but it was still missing something. So, I added 1 teaspoon of red curry paste and about a teaspoon of Sriracha to the pot. That was more like it. It's much better now. However, in the future, I'll leave out the fruit all together. I'm not a fruity soup person and would have never thought to add it before reading the recipe on VegWeb. I also didn't care for the minced ginger. If it was grated, that would have been better. The ginger flavor was too strong when biting into a small cube of ginger.<br />
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While I won't make this soup exactly the way I did today, I will try making a butternut squash soup again. I love winter squashes. I'm glad I experimented as it brings me closer to finding the exact spice ingredient combination that is perfect for me.<br />
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Today, it is cloudy with a temperature in the lower 50's with a wicked wind whipping around. I took the girls for a walk at Lake Katherine today, which is our favorite place to walk. However, I under-dressed because I'm thinking 50's, not 30's or 40's with the wind chill. Brrrrr! We only walked 1 mile and then came home. (Our norm is 2 miles.) I guess that 1-mile walk was enough to tucker the girls out, because here they are this afternoon.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVWC54vBi44VqauXUzsbS5VKeGAqUbI2OAJgenerCwiH4V6uZKqt_Yr2w3-H_MOp-aZ67TwqpGa-iM1Y9mdvELzzt0IQRVuU1tnWEvFXZPrYRRyuBMniGrIN2x2xTChahR7j7s-IC9rtv/s1600/100_1661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVWC54vBi44VqauXUzsbS5VKeGAqUbI2OAJgenerCwiH4V6uZKqt_Yr2w3-H_MOp-aZ67TwqpGa-iM1Y9mdvELzzt0IQRVuU1tnWEvFXZPrYRRyuBMniGrIN2x2xTChahR7j7s-IC9rtv/s320/100_1661.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Kobe is in the dog bed, which she OWNS and has actually pushed Jordan out of when Jordan had the "nerve" to lay in it the other day. Jordan is in the rocker/recliner, which she owns. ha!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqCUzDl6lRT0XHOUXzQou1rxbFnETJ49Bcdgi8QCGxfRi6Bpwe-6_o9mvX6JKeLwWGGuriJH7otpDdRIPLswQWuLRY5Qr6VELWUuXtHMR85gx0YAAbM3BT2lzusYioyjN68DMK6U1IMZK/s1600/100_1662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqCUzDl6lRT0XHOUXzQou1rxbFnETJ49Bcdgi8QCGxfRi6Bpwe-6_o9mvX6JKeLwWGGuriJH7otpDdRIPLswQWuLRY5Qr6VELWUuXtHMR85gx0YAAbM3BT2lzusYioyjN68DMK6U1IMZK/s320/100_1662.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>They've been in these positions for the last hour at least. They need to rest up because tomorrow morning, we'll be back out there walking our 2-miles and I will be dressed more appropriately!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfFjmilDdKaVPHNuiQ97ydSWvaF_6t51YNVNz5QsBp1aDFSIIaayPlCBqPCvyVJUfZmTYGs_a4oKPHJmzaqYS3cT87t5E0V1baha87mo-t1Sb6V9vnqPYYwKSpMOmi3D5F6Z8nk-51el8/s1600/IMAG0401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfFjmilDdKaVPHNuiQ97ydSWvaF_6t51YNVNz5QsBp1aDFSIIaayPlCBqPCvyVJUfZmTYGs_a4oKPHJmzaqYS3cT87t5E0V1baha87mo-t1Sb6V9vnqPYYwKSpMOmi3D5F6Z8nk-51el8/s320/IMAG0401.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Katherine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-28444145856697569802011-11-15T21:51:00.000-06:002011-11-15T21:51:06.080-06:00Roasted Red Kuri Squash & Coconut Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZ_VlcEAIjdRXSCTNitU1PGVea2qQh2E_Ae-vIzTA0JpUIZH7ek-Tkz7cgxPlKpCtWQcfj6qPV2DdDW0_g0f6JDwRp9aj_eMUhyIUDLFDzFHw04BGKlKC2lv5saEk87iznfRZBkxifm7S/s1600/100_1647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZ_VlcEAIjdRXSCTNitU1PGVea2qQh2E_Ae-vIzTA0JpUIZH7ek-Tkz7cgxPlKpCtWQcfj6qPV2DdDW0_g0f6JDwRp9aj_eMUhyIUDLFDzFHw04BGKlKC2lv5saEk87iznfRZBkxifm7S/s320/100_1647.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I have a variety of squash at my house. I have a spaghetti, butternut, acorn, and red kuri squash along with a pumpkin pie pumpkin at my house. I've had these squashes for weeks. OK, some since mid-September. I figure it is time to start using them. So, I threw the red kuri and butternut squashes in my roaster that doubles as a slow cooker, and slow cooked them for 8 hours today. I knew I wanted to make soup or risotto or something with the red kuri squash as I've never had it before.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENqMgovjcIVpS15biiLUjvp8xZLjiz0ehUtAIfgl0IjyAvgTeFg2motzbj0azK5fPDd9iaaYvCocFCQXNUUzbKW4VHiZVuOOh9hJECpOFRbsKGRLJvwgG4YHLpvFP3xSjCBZC-c2NfuI6/s1600/100_1649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENqMgovjcIVpS15biiLUjvp8xZLjiz0ehUtAIfgl0IjyAvgTeFg2motzbj0azK5fPDd9iaaYvCocFCQXNUUzbKW4VHiZVuOOh9hJECpOFRbsKGRLJvwgG4YHLpvFP3xSjCBZC-c2NfuI6/s320/100_1649.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>So, I put it on a plate to remove the skin. I really wonder why I needed to remove the skin. The skin was extremely thin and was almost as tender as the squash flesh. I think next time I roast one of these, I'll leave the skin on it. I've seen recipes that use it unpeeled, so that's what I will do. It was an absolute M-E-S-S to peel the thing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC6ivet-rJxfm0Hh-qPzWeoWVt_rbOmeyy7izAsRS973SHw2LCn_5qctxjYyFGeKDunKZK1ZWq-f2GjuQ0-LDn4u_Lbht-IbGlcRhcgpNkT33r1sqex1oyON6WZ0vp_kxofkgNtx_EWw5/s1600/100_1651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC6ivet-rJxfm0Hh-qPzWeoWVt_rbOmeyy7izAsRS973SHw2LCn_5qctxjYyFGeKDunKZK1ZWq-f2GjuQ0-LDn4u_Lbht-IbGlcRhcgpNkT33r1sqex1oyON6WZ0vp_kxofkgNtx_EWw5/s320/100_1651.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>After looking at MANY recipes (and bookmarking a few of them), I decided to make <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/soup/recipe-roasted-red-kuri-pumpkin-coconut-soup-159051">Roasted Red Kuri Pumpkin & Coconut Soup</a>. Technically, I don't think the red kuri is a pumpkin, but it kind of looks like one. What I can say, regardless of the title, this soup is the BOMB! LOVE IT!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu3wWw3Tn-oHWBkJd_nJRJN6c_CMHHgLTY-FeWDJjUm7bb3W0w4E6hJ0iyqhDJS9sjHOMxS7-oakfmezvAvAGiI2pobCQOU1IcESvhqRBWY52IMg21yOkvU-HsMK6lgJ_P2wYSgg8o1uR/s1600/100_1652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu3wWw3Tn-oHWBkJd_nJRJN6c_CMHHgLTY-FeWDJjUm7bb3W0w4E6hJ0iyqhDJS9sjHOMxS7-oakfmezvAvAGiI2pobCQOU1IcESvhqRBWY52IMg21yOkvU-HsMK6lgJ_P2wYSgg8o1uR/s320/100_1652.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It took a bit to put it together between chopping shallots, mincing garlic, and grating ginger. I was supposed to "crumble" a dried red pepper in with the shallots/garlic/ginger, but I discovered that my pepper wouldn't crumble. Oh it's dried and has been sitting in a cellophane pocket for months, but it was still a little gummy. So, I chopped the CRAP out of it and added it.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyuL29Rq02li7AhPdacpZNtfb2DTkWWRaD0b6o6Ri16gFsV_aCSH2I2D-kcxGM_caVEXH-9StIJREPE9NCpz73QK5Kbq9XaBthHot8PKs2fmo4DlSvZvcDb3UCq4CnHp7zVMHF2xnyK_Y/s1600/100_1653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyuL29Rq02li7AhPdacpZNtfb2DTkWWRaD0b6o6Ri16gFsV_aCSH2I2D-kcxGM_caVEXH-9StIJREPE9NCpz73QK5Kbq9XaBthHot8PKs2fmo4DlSvZvcDb3UCq4CnHp7zVMHF2xnyK_Y/s320/100_1653.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>This is my first recipe using coconut milk. I bought a can for something (I have no clue what), and finally used it today. When I first put the coconut milk in the soup and tasted it, I could taste the coconut strongly. After simmering for 30 minutes, it no longer has a strong coconut taste. While I did add the lime juice, I only added 1 tablespoon, not two. Also, I didn't use the garnishes. Maybe they add a ton to the soup, but I have to say, I absolutely LOVE the soup without them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiacrJJEd6h4vfLOhv6zity-i3_orj002kAPB60LTMMK5JcZfUxVXk2ILdsAOM7xKOs7jig7-sksuxHtBAQROOTcNrQF-BnQvde_3bS80xVsoEl_VKzVODX0wbI9ghc_hCdY_JIJ0Knthr/s1600/100_1657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiacrJJEd6h4vfLOhv6zity-i3_orj002kAPB60LTMMK5JcZfUxVXk2ILdsAOM7xKOs7jig7-sksuxHtBAQROOTcNrQF-BnQvde_3bS80xVsoEl_VKzVODX0wbI9ghc_hCdY_JIJ0Knthr/s320/100_1657.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This soup is a keeper and will be a repeat in my house. There is a link in the comments for the blog entry for this soup for a butternut squash soup. It's called <a href="http://ottawafood.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-found-heart-of-my-story-for-my.html">Spicy Butternut Squash, Apple and Coconut Milk Soup</a>. Since I already have a roasted butternut squash, I'm thinking this is my next soup. Although, this soup uses far less coconut milk, which is a good thing. I could probably get away with using 1/2 cup of almond milk. I'll keep you posted. :)Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-61929456821088968292011-10-31T15:44:00.003-05:002011-10-31T19:21:28.035-05:00Happy Halloween!It's Halloween. As Halloweens go, the weather is pretty nice. It's been just a so-so day for me. The State of Illinois, in its infinite wisdom, sent new license plates for my son's car. I found out, when I was trying to take the old plates off, that the bolts were rusted. After researching the problem online, I headed off to the auto store to get some PB Blaster to spray on the bolts. The biggest advice on the internet was to be patient and go slow. OK, sounded easy enough.<br />
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So, I spray the bolts, wait about 10-15 minutes and go out with my vise grip pliers. The right bolt turns reluctantly and comes out. YAY! The left bolt seems a bit more stubborn. Do you think that I sprayed more PB Blaster on it and waited? Nope. I snapped the bolt head off, leaving the screw inside the nut. It snapped off flush with the nut, so there was no hope of using pliers to get it out. Back to the internet!<br />
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The next procedure was to get a bolt extractor kit, make an indentation in center of the bolt fragment, and then drill into the center of the bolt fragment. Once there is a pathway through the bolt fragment, I was supposed to tap the bolt extractor into the pathway and screw counterclockwise to remove the bolt. Sounded scarier, but hey, I was up for the challenge. Alas, I couldn't get an indentation in the middle of the fragment, which meant that when I tried to drill, the drill drifted. Rather than risk more damage to the nut, I took it to the car dealer, which was the only place that would drill out the old bolt (believe me, I called around for a cheaper alternative).<br />
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I had the dealer remove the bolt fragment and then install the new plate on the back. (This could or could not have involved tapping out the screw and rethreading the nut, I didn't ask.) Then, I had the dealer install a new bracket for the front plate, which has been missing for years after someone rear-ended me and pushed me into the car in front of me, popping the license plate and bracket off of the front of the car. While I've not been ticketed for a missing front plate, it's a distinct possibility in Chicago, so I just had them replace it. $200 later, the car is back home. :::sigh::: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0ABKX2j-lCHSif8alrZKSRBMkMOCYaZmoj9ArR7vgvxAL4_9qeoaxCZWyp9uNzINuVJS4hUf2w7SifJ4_pZh2HtXfwFr5ne5VxqG3-IHzOCHRXNTKaZ5odBIOhlOcDzcWzOIPZ-XMhsU/s1600/100_1632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0ABKX2j-lCHSif8alrZKSRBMkMOCYaZmoj9ArR7vgvxAL4_9qeoaxCZWyp9uNzINuVJS4hUf2w7SifJ4_pZh2HtXfwFr5ne5VxqG3-IHzOCHRXNTKaZ5odBIOhlOcDzcWzOIPZ-XMhsU/s320/100_1632.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>So, while I was waiting for the car to be fixed, I decided to make some <a href="http://www.cooking.com/recipes-and-more/recipes/Slow-Cooker-Black-Bean-Mushroom-Chili-recipe-9801.aspx?_mid=1083905&_rid=1083905.34100.1338037&ref=http%3a%2f%2fnews%2eemail%2dcooking%2ecom%2ftrack%3ftype%3dclick%26enid%3dzwfzptembwfpbgluz2lkptewodm5mdumbwvzc2fnzwlkptiwodmwmyzkyxrhymfzzwlkptm0mtawjnnlcmlhbd0xnjc3nzu5oszlbwfpbglkpxdtczqxmdbay29ty2fzdc5uzxqmdxnlcmlkptffmtmzodaznyz0yxjnzxrpzd0mzmw9jmv4dhjhpu11bhrpdmfyawf0zulkpsymjg%3d%3d%26%26%262021%26%26%26http%3a%2f%2fwww%2ecooking%2ecom%2faff%2fa%2easp%3fa%3dcknwrdne00410a%26s%3ds2010748487s%26%5fmid%3d1083905%26%5frid%3d1083905%2e34100%2e1338037">Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili</a>. I received the recipe in a Recipe of the Day email. I made a few alterations. First, I halved the recipe as it's a TON of chili. Second, I added some ingredients and changed one.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8i5y-qFn8gSsifKzWDrXd-SfLVKleYeTm737y-hlZgkMzE83RTWzT9zhFnLYkh8dqqZSkBRl3xGupNzT7noA38B3ZEcwjLyzPqq8s39uuuvpowYI5T__slzOR5hQNHM42XpeaylA53Mt/s1600/100_1626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8i5y-qFn8gSsifKzWDrXd-SfLVKleYeTm737y-hlZgkMzE83RTWzT9zhFnLYkh8dqqZSkBRl3xGupNzT7noA38B3ZEcwjLyzPqq8s39uuuvpowYI5T__slzOR5hQNHM42XpeaylA53Mt/s320/100_1626.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I sauteed the mushrooms, tomatillos, and onion in the spices and 1/4 cup of water. I probably sauteed them 15 or 20 minutes before the liquid from the vegetables started to evaporate. Instead of adding mushroom broth, which I didn't have, I added 1 carton of Imagine Organic No-Chicken Broth. I still added a full can of tomato paste and two chopped chipolte peppers in adobe sauce.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD6Ih3OyQPVh8hIQhjNVKCZ34ETij77ft6KOP51v0ebdArKYw17PDcIwZv77d6MUNhq4ju5XVswA_pjUSmKycrXHXrlZol0JaSuU2jYTvLR6De4-SoN35kIxiEpn4yjgBTwbjMYe8AU8G/s1600/100_1631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD6Ih3OyQPVh8hIQhjNVKCZ34ETij77ft6KOP51v0ebdArKYw17PDcIwZv77d6MUNhq4ju5XVswA_pjUSmKycrXHXrlZol0JaSuU2jYTvLR6De4-SoN35kIxiEpn4yjgBTwbjMYe8AU8G/s320/100_1631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I let the broth heat up so it was steaming before I added it to the crock pot. I put 3 cups of frozen black beans that I had cooked on Thursday, and I added 1 poblano pepper, chopped to the crock pot.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiQxUuQgkXh9DAx52DhpRu9FZ_GlxP89Jq_rig5HPV3NqTPU4qV43YoCMi8BooN7YaifIxWrcJtkljKVU6klxwJdNNbacL3LvDhxMG_kpFNYWbbM8owst8OV5NuXrrdl02NSPBaJzCHzx/s1600/100_1630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiQxUuQgkXh9DAx52DhpRu9FZ_GlxP89Jq_rig5HPV3NqTPU4qV43YoCMi8BooN7YaifIxWrcJtkljKVU6klxwJdNNbacL3LvDhxMG_kpFNYWbbM8owst8OV5NuXrrdl02NSPBaJzCHzx/s320/100_1630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I also added a cup or so of a black bean/corn/bell pepper frozen vegetable blend and a third of a bag of vegan crumbles that I had in the freezer after I added the broth to the crock pot.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqTBvQ0hk_tVPu2udRPtfrdOVJphdREy_qhGxnoLSodEN_qRLkiiQ_3DSwOiW852pstGFL331z12qxMEm1JGtBoh7BDNcCcsLz5YDojgJXPvP3QIxgFoxr_TD2SQlu5Xmx05f3rjLRY_a/s1600/100_1645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqTBvQ0hk_tVPu2udRPtfrdOVJphdREy_qhGxnoLSodEN_qRLkiiQ_3DSwOiW852pstGFL331z12qxMEm1JGtBoh7BDNcCcsLz5YDojgJXPvP3QIxgFoxr_TD2SQlu5Xmx05f3rjLRY_a/s320/100_1645.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Since the beans are already cooked, I figured I didn't need to let the chili cook as long as it would have needed to for uncooked black beans. I put the chili on high and let it cook about 4 hours. I will be eating mine with a little avocado and a teaspoon of Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream. If it's not quite zippy enough, I'll add a little Cholula Hot Sauce, chipolte flavor. Here is the recipe as I made it.<br />
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Addendum: The chili is da bomb! I didn't add any avocado (due to laziness), but I did add 1 teaspoon of Tofutti Sour Cream and a couple of dashes of Cholula Chipolte Hot Sauce. This chili rocks. I'll definitely (A) be freezing some portions for future meals, and (B) be making this again during the winter season. Next time, I need to make some rocking cornbread to accompany it. Tonight, I'm just satisfied with the chili. :) <br />
<br />
Black Bean and Mushroom Slow Cooker Chili<br />
<br />
3 cups black beans, cooked*<br />
1 poblano pepper, chopped<br />
1 cup corn (or corn/black bean/bell pepper blend)<br />
1/3 package of vegan crumbles (my best guess is 1 to 1½ cups) <br />
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil <br />
1 tablespoon mustard seeds<br />
1 teaspoon cumin seeds<br />
1 tablespoon medium hot chili powder (Penzey's)<br />
1/4 teaspoon cardamom<br />
4 oz. tomatillos, coarsely chopped<br />
1 large onion, coarsely chopped<br />
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (I used button)<br />
1 carton (32 oz.) Imagine Organic No-Chicken Broth<br />
1 6-oz. can tomato paste<br />
2 chipolte peppers in adobe sauce, minced**<br />
<br />
Chop poblano pepper and add it to crock pot with black beans, corn, and vegan crumbles.<br />
<br />
Roast spices (mustard seeds through cardamom) in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 30 seconds to a minute (mine were popping all over, so I don't think I did this for even 30 seconds). Add tomatillos, onions, and mushrooms with 1/4 cup of water and saute/simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the mushrooms have released their water and the mixture is starting to dry. Add broth, tomato paste, and chipolte peppers. Cook another 5 minutes or so until the broth is heated through.<br />
<br />
Add broth mixture to crock pot. Cook on high 3 to 4 hours or on low for 5 or 6 hours. Serve with avocado slices, Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream, and Cholula Chipolte Hot Sauce.<br />
<br />
* Can use two (2) 15 ounce cans of black beans. If using canned, rinse beans well to remove excess sodium.<br />
** I froze the rest of the chipolte peppers in an ice cube tray. I put one pepper per ice cube portion and evenly distributed the remaining adobe sauce. After the peppers and sauce were frozen into cubes, I dumped them all into a ziploc bag and threw them back in the freezer. I had 10 portions left over.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JThZ4YLP_1KRAHkIh4nof1bT0GOjnI9fSI9oFqam74YBd9sB6QL3s_DlmLJrkxp6np2o2dT__0OkVA2_NSROjW-GjrjqbCtLpYeUwn_KxuWgPaalzGENkfMmT672XCPHJ2Z-PUByjy0j/s1600/100_1641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JThZ4YLP_1KRAHkIh4nof1bT0GOjnI9fSI9oFqam74YBd9sB6QL3s_DlmLJrkxp6np2o2dT__0OkVA2_NSROjW-GjrjqbCtLpYeUwn_KxuWgPaalzGENkfMmT672XCPHJ2Z-PUByjy0j/s320/100_1641.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Happy Halloween! Here are pictures of the girls in their Halloween costumes. Seeing as they are both named after great basketball players, what better costume could there be, but to have them wear the basketball jersey for their respective player. Kobe's jersey is left over from when my sons were young and my oldest first started loving Kobe Bryant. This is back in the day when Kobe Bryant wore #8. Jordan is in a Michael Jordan jersey, #23, his most famous number. Don't they both look thrilled?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTWx7xXpeV8XRw1B4aOLg0VhnuGHzaw4kykrb-qT2zPi27aC4DrvxJbi1f-kFjniy_h0VGLpFe1TMTzhgKQ_idWKuqPR9lzxvn6iFds6kMh0W-IG1Cvma1-ZNpJfMpw0nwGAnwiySzjLV/s1600/100_1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTWx7xXpeV8XRw1B4aOLg0VhnuGHzaw4kykrb-qT2zPi27aC4DrvxJbi1f-kFjniy_h0VGLpFe1TMTzhgKQ_idWKuqPR9lzxvn6iFds6kMh0W-IG1Cvma1-ZNpJfMpw0nwGAnwiySzjLV/s320/100_1639.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It's a really nice day here in Chicago. The girls are much happier looking out the back screen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrFbkUES3CVPlbA0VR4i7ADc_spB14OmTXxRbdUeDNmI28zGnIAu3SsEpQAly8mz9mLJoW9FYKsIwRVRHamOfvTnC0qHmZdtkwXWDlR4FLa6TbXyaDslOqGUHXBx9-HcmzT2eQpa8vfMJ/s1600/100_1628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrFbkUES3CVPlbA0VR4i7ADc_spB14OmTXxRbdUeDNmI28zGnIAu3SsEpQAly8mz9mLJoW9FYKsIwRVRHamOfvTnC0qHmZdtkwXWDlR4FLa6TbXyaDslOqGUHXBx9-HcmzT2eQpa8vfMJ/s320/100_1628.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-26461413944012895362011-10-15T14:00:00.002-05:002015-03-15T17:53:03.126-05:00Butter Chick'n and the CUTEST Apron!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO4qLzVvAbPdVVIe_TMa33Pt4vNVJ8UMOHNHHJESIQ53fKpMOZVIykFl3f0Uae91aRfX4N0CD7WpHg7iRsv6HL6AIdVUrdm9Ktuttpi_RPMgbt6nfKsQ1uewERa0Wn6Qt49ThXVJ1NdIV/s1600/100_1610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO4qLzVvAbPdVVIe_TMa33Pt4vNVJ8UMOHNHHJESIQ53fKpMOZVIykFl3f0Uae91aRfX4N0CD7WpHg7iRsv6HL6AIdVUrdm9Ktuttpi_RPMgbt6nfKsQ1uewERa0Wn6Qt49ThXVJ1NdIV/s320/100_1610.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I've been cooking the past few weeks, but not as much as I should have. Today, I decided to use my crock pot. I have MANY things I could be cooking in it, I just needed to pick a recipe and do it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyr4Pd1tLLddnSmKvnXArpYL8AaRf_RNcLPEgPL18-j2dbn95OtfH9M8bG406R94DB-HV0DTpuIRcNeSCUnvp_aAoswVTH1SWPofx09D-D0DZdOl_GcDf4WlZysqDTnIu2L4CF7bnwonqb/s1600/100_1601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyr4Pd1tLLddnSmKvnXArpYL8AaRf_RNcLPEgPL18-j2dbn95OtfH9M8bG406R94DB-HV0DTpuIRcNeSCUnvp_aAoswVTH1SWPofx09D-D0DZdOl_GcDf4WlZysqDTnIu2L4CF7bnwonqb/s320/100_1601.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I chose Butter Chick'n out of Kathy Hester's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Slow-Cooker-Intensely-Flavorful/dp/1592334644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318703478&sr=8-1">The Vegan Slow Cooker</a>. It's tofu (cubed) slow cooked in a curry sauce. I've seen recipes for Butter Chicken, but when I was a carnivore, I never tried it. Now, I want to try it. It's currently in my crock pot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURpWrbfteiA5sRvEtlzDksn6B2rQIuBDK9pDLUSFLeuzuyCIWtjq-WLcRAqr9afpXdq5ZreXBvwuIDH8l2McldmuWfCfNkuOjvlgO9vK6ZcJRc-7Ov1fRQ-gurZU_KXcbDnBqttgM1J7t/s1600/100_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURpWrbfteiA5sRvEtlzDksn6B2rQIuBDK9pDLUSFLeuzuyCIWtjq-WLcRAqr9afpXdq5ZreXBvwuIDH8l2McldmuWfCfNkuOjvlgO9vK6ZcJRc-7Ov1fRQ-gurZU_KXcbDnBqttgM1J7t/s320/100_1605.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I'll be having it over brown rice (mixed variety) and roasting some Brussels sprouts for my side dish. Can't wait until dinner! :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fg1uztaQXenVZbS2Bkn5iBpHOf7Jz5RqqXJV2CqeIln-bQWPzvFnYLHSFD_Rax7NaGauNaLWupXlaiKsMdBE3Fx2V4hfXoTZKMTYalPwSlaXwKb79AFBAK6LMAhNFF00gTVCMju-ExEY/s1600/100_1599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fg1uztaQXenVZbS2Bkn5iBpHOf7Jz5RqqXJV2CqeIln-bQWPzvFnYLHSFD_Rax7NaGauNaLWupXlaiKsMdBE3Fx2V4hfXoTZKMTYalPwSlaXwKb79AFBAK6LMAhNFF00gTVCMju-ExEY/s320/100_1599.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Also, I'd like to share a website with you. It's a mother/daughter business based in Iowa. They make aprons, and they are very CUTE aprons, if I say so myself. (I did!) The aprons are 100% USA made. It's called <a href="http://jandjinspirations.com/">J & J Inspirations - Fancy Aprons & Custom Creations</a>. I learned about this website from <a href="http://iowasue.blogspot.com/">The Iowa Housewife</a> blog (not a vegan blog, but still a great blog). It took me a month to order one and by the time I got around to it, the one I wanted, <a href="http://jandjinspirations.com/?page_id=126&category=1&product_id=29">For the Dogs</a>, was sold out. :::boo hoo!::: I emailed the site and Janelle immediately responded to me.<br />
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Needless to say (because you can see in my picture), Janelle and her Mom (who does all of the sewing) made more For the Dogs aprons and I got mine! This site has a lovely collection of aprons. I have my eye on <a href="http://jandjinspirations.com/?page_id=126&category=1&product_id=27">Turquoise Stripes and Flowers</a> (there's just something about that apron that speaks to me). :::smile::: So, if you are looking for a unique gift or just a cute apron for yourself so you don't splash ingredients on your favorite shirt (I swear, it only happens when I am cooking something with tomatoes in it), check out <a href="http://jandjinspirations.com/">J & J Inspirations</a>.<br />
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-52079094491943160472011-09-30T20:56:00.001-05:002011-09-30T21:12:30.129-05:00I'm backkkkk ... :)This is just a short note. I've been gone for about 2 1/2 weeks. I told you all earlier that my tried and true PC died (it's been a month ago at least), and I started using my son's old PC, which is actually faster than my PC. After I had used it for about 2 weeks, Jordan, my rottie/shepherd, knocked over my PC tower and (I thought) damaged the hard drive as it wouldn't boot up and asked for a bootable disk. (EEK!!!) It took me a week to get it to the computer expert that works on my PCs and it turns out, Jordan only knocked a plug loose. Whew! :) Now that I have a working PC again, I'll be blogging again.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDJ8hBqcOaNNAThnUZlZaDUZ3Euyoh7H5Fh3U_dKTDnIKnxf8UTxzcCy2OmIoAFJrpUtQSI28LZFw-kFiEs9x_OSSicgu1vxFdnd2jvpMZialBtCjVtu4u5aS_o8TuxRCfcCqINWgpmMA/s1600/100_1596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDJ8hBqcOaNNAThnUZlZaDUZ3Euyoh7H5Fh3U_dKTDnIKnxf8UTxzcCy2OmIoAFJrpUtQSI28LZFw-kFiEs9x_OSSicgu1vxFdnd2jvpMZialBtCjVtu4u5aS_o8TuxRCfcCqINWgpmMA/s320/100_1596.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sisters</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Hope you all had a wonderful summer and that fall has started out beautifully for you. It's been rainy in Chicago all week, but we're supposed to have a beautiful weekend and sunny weather this coming week with temperatures in the 70's. I can handle that! :)Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-49159284785001616282011-09-11T11:14:00.003-05:002011-09-12T20:46:31.635-05:00A Tribute to Skittles<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_maCqqlB0G0oBaPoegmRrbVW18zEUXYuupQovsG1RN2RAEodEpLD1JgEs24CiKU5W88eHNYj7xyoITO5Jfwl0uyGcse301Ew3751n5pL_WC__Hs2cJmJk-MprEHOITA1za6LEa0UtDtu/s1600/Skits+8.30.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_maCqqlB0G0oBaPoegmRrbVW18zEUXYuupQovsG1RN2RAEodEpLD1JgEs24CiKU5W88eHNYj7xyoITO5Jfwl0uyGcse301Ew3751n5pL_WC__Hs2cJmJk-MprEHOITA1za6LEa0UtDtu/s320/Skits+8.30.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skits, posing pretty after grooming.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This is a sad post for me. My 12 year old Yorkie, Skittles, passed away yesterday. I took her to the groomer three weeks ago. I remember when I was dropping her off that one of the dogs was coughing. About a week or so ago, Skits started coughing a bit, so I thought she caught something at the groomer's. But, she seemed to be OK and actually seemed to be getting better (eating and drinking), so I was just watching her. Then yesterday morning, she had what looked to be a huge seizure and became unresponsive. We wrapped her in a big towel and ran out of the house. She died on the way to the vet's office in my son's arms. The vet said he thought she had a heart attack and had a weak heart, which is strange to me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHhcbgRChFEBVzTfmSTf0sueJiCP2Ydl6cIQ5nC0P6lBPHEGKE_2nPgGGbbLUMSc8Os-ZJGwFYoKbcWgzdI1nigxRfODgAYZA28Pk-g6iI9c2tXB-rwiyuRJ8efvWOnqjz-88UoHH0B3r/s1600/Skits+11.21.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHhcbgRChFEBVzTfmSTf0sueJiCP2Ydl6cIQ5nC0P6lBPHEGKE_2nPgGGbbLUMSc8Os-ZJGwFYoKbcWgzdI1nigxRfODgAYZA28Pk-g6iI9c2tXB-rwiyuRJ8efvWOnqjz-88UoHH0B3r/s320/Skits+11.21.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skits enduring my son dressing her up, November 2010.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Two years ago when I brought Jordan home from the Animal Welfare League, I discovered she had Kennel Cough the day after I brought her home (that's when she started coughing). She gave it to Skittles. It hit Skits very hard and I took her to the vet probably 4 times in a 3-week period. She wasn't eating and I thought it was going to kill her. But, the vet told me that Skittles had a strong heart and was in great shape and that he thought she would pull through, which she did.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxsCkyyFbsbNJ_POY-dAd0gHXYtyqDz-gjcwnv2iLjt0Cz_6I2e0LQLAOWhtH1uUAkObALqK3GP-mg_vPI2IdxiYiz6KyqeKLic6ZXy0JI9Qana_sv7drAGE7JFbK8v4P4vM2U-4WhSyB/s1600/Skits+Scruffy+2.14.11A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxsCkyyFbsbNJ_POY-dAd0gHXYtyqDz-gjcwnv2iLjt0Cz_6I2e0LQLAOWhtH1uUAkObALqK3GP-mg_vPI2IdxiYiz6KyqeKLic6ZXy0JI9Qana_sv7drAGE7JFbK8v4P4vM2U-4WhSyB/s320/Skits+Scruffy+2.14.11A.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Scruffy" is what we called her when she needed to be groomed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Maybe the Kennel Cough weakened her heart or maybe her age just caught up with her. I have no clue, but I can say I wasn't ready for her to go, not like this. She had a wonderful life with our family. She was an excellent dog with a lot of spunk and personality. We will miss her deeply.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv2aXXPiVqYVQ3DiTElzIa8hmvGe35wxVpJx_hS2Bz4lxMCs1Pv0HELEwjq7GFHwxa3O8lZG893EE_7jnNW5dbYCZ0MrR9W4KKoWDY5PAXwRBhMROWFL1xnmSkbz5q-XcAKtbG9tAdxjj/s1600/Skits+8.30.09A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv2aXXPiVqYVQ3DiTElzIa8hmvGe35wxVpJx_hS2Bz4lxMCs1Pv0HELEwjq7GFHwxa3O8lZG893EE_7jnNW5dbYCZ0MrR9W4KKoWDY5PAXwRBhMROWFL1xnmSkbz5q-XcAKtbG9tAdxjj/s320/Skits+8.30.09A.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is how Skits looked ... inquisitive, ready to do anything.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NomP3AL70yps0qgQN28Q-PA__4EXubt7jBivXZAKjgDHkl35Pj6a26O9KuIuEQ1Kr3CnHtldX2UmR7k-Z5u5_8RDs2G1KE4ETgjCjXU4vTPtHJvAsNG2QImBLRxALTW7_p7-p36njOdf/s1600/Skits+2.28.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NomP3AL70yps0qgQN28Q-PA__4EXubt7jBivXZAKjgDHkl35Pj6a26O9KuIuEQ1Kr3CnHtldX2UmR7k-Z5u5_8RDs2G1KE4ETgjCjXU4vTPtHJvAsNG2QImBLRxALTW7_p7-p36njOdf/s320/Skits+2.28.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skits, knocked out in the "big" dog bed. She looked like a little toy in it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtk8JnihjnNmQS_yZwE2c2zHKrFtZoI4GwX467WYrMic5Uvnu7zsPG6srmmbm0iKgN9k_KmlSDSa0pYIrtaITm9mTmXtE-MdGdE0NKSbYouppGHIFXxaxhiYaF7icStmPgbwZTKPQn9G6/s1600/Skits+12.25.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtk8JnihjnNmQS_yZwE2c2zHKrFtZoI4GwX467WYrMic5Uvnu7zsPG6srmmbm0iKgN9k_KmlSDSa0pYIrtaITm9mTmXtE-MdGdE0NKSbYouppGHIFXxaxhiYaF7icStmPgbwZTKPQn9G6/s320/Skits+12.25.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skits on Christmas Day 2009, sitting by my Mom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLmYIKYnSikDy8pNeP8d53qRocPy20MTyggajD4NuI1tgV1x-q9PAxycguqpG4HFVo7BRXcpsMiLw5Len-MtjoRwv1PFPAe0RfQyJiCuMQwAsdnvZadKnmVxMJzcvpr2AKHLqtJdln_ct/s1600/Skits+Peeking+out+Christmas+2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLmYIKYnSikDy8pNeP8d53qRocPy20MTyggajD4NuI1tgV1x-q9PAxycguqpG4HFVo7BRXcpsMiLw5Len-MtjoRwv1PFPAe0RfQyJiCuMQwAsdnvZadKnmVxMJzcvpr2AKHLqtJdln_ct/s320/Skits+Peeking+out+Christmas+2009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skits, peeking out from behind my son's Snuggie, Christmas Day 2009.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimN4N41hAnmUGEIwhmzFhEfx7TqAwCQ12CN4Q7wb9WawEo7PBdPIo5aGLIeLrlrdSztacc7LZbm5F2k44neQes9Gs6ss6bj6VtgPwMPvwa4ez_Ur1dogeUR_FW5Ht2WF5YdB8FGb5_FZok/s1600/Skits+and+Jordan+3.30.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimN4N41hAnmUGEIwhmzFhEfx7TqAwCQ12CN4Q7wb9WawEo7PBdPIo5aGLIeLrlrdSztacc7LZbm5F2k44neQes9Gs6ss6bj6VtgPwMPvwa4ez_Ur1dogeUR_FW5Ht2WF5YdB8FGb5_FZok/s320/Skits+and+Jordan+3.30.10.jpg" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skits sitting with Jordan in the chair.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Skits never really liked Kobe, even though we got Kobe when she was 11 weeks old and was about the same size as Skittles. Skits would bark at Kobe so hard and so fast, she would end up sneezing at Kobe. They didn't fight, but it was a unique and interesting relationship. We got Jordan when she was 10 months old and 50 pounds. You'd think Skittles would hate her too, but she didn't. Skits actually liked Jordan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBZOaP8DYacpnMe235HH2srEMumSP2G9m9Xbo4yIpa-q2PzOQ8oXVsfb1xICYejv7q3YiwKLu00Y0oqVjIEh5SMqff0T6fiPtKtkLhYxDZE72apa0BCWUSvEIkI4gUYxwZ1_Q228nsgdy/s1600/2011+Blog_19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBZOaP8DYacpnMe235HH2srEMumSP2G9m9Xbo4yIpa-q2PzOQ8oXVsfb1xICYejv7q3YiwKLu00Y0oqVjIEh5SMqff0T6fiPtKtkLhYxDZE72apa0BCWUSvEIkI4gUYxwZ1_Q228nsgdy/s320/2011+Blog_19.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skits' last picture, September 4, 2011.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We love you, Skits Bits.Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-66754403362571739292011-09-04T22:48:00.000-05:002011-09-04T22:48:32.745-05:00Catching Up HereSoooo ... about a week ago, my older son told me that the PC wasn't working. He was right; it wasn't. When booting up the PC, we get a black screen with a blinking cursor. This is NOT good. Luckily, I have another PC tower. My younger son blew the motherboard in his PC, so I had it replaced and something else replaced (goodness, I can't remember what, only that it cost me $150). BUT, in the mean time, my younger son begged me to buy him a new "gaming" PC that would be better for gaming, so I did. He used his old PC for about a week before he received his new one. Then, it sat in my dining room until a week ago when my PC died. <br />
<br />
Did I back up my PCs? Well, yes, I did. Did I do it recently? Ummm ... no, I didn't. It's been a year. I'm afraid my hard drive is corrupt, but I'll still take it somewhere to try and get the pictures and documents off of the hard drive. :::sigh::: In the meantime, I'm trying to get my son's old PC up to speed with the programs I need. It's actually a faster PC, with 4 gig of RAM. My old PC only had 1 gig. I finally installed the picture software I need so I can blog again. :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEnDgRwjgvqWwuQsT2HkAEZ10nX-yknlJxyGp_yZ2ysLjcIYRg409c4K48azXUSdnlpeNnlLly2TROxHR_Vk_yXLBFHFhthTccaza2kn5lEmTHgzN1z8NfPn7osDvk4l5B18NIsWe2Z5a/s1600/2011+Blog_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEnDgRwjgvqWwuQsT2HkAEZ10nX-yknlJxyGp_yZ2ysLjcIYRg409c4K48azXUSdnlpeNnlLly2TROxHR_Vk_yXLBFHFhthTccaza2kn5lEmTHgzN1z8NfPn7osDvk4l5B18NIsWe2Z5a/s320/2011+Blog_06.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This holiday weekend, I was determined to be productive, and I have been. Today, I did some laundry and cleaned out my pantry. I dug deep to the back of the shelves and threw out all of the old canned goods, sauce mixes, etc. that were in the pantry. It's amazing how much space there is when I threw out the old/expired stuff. After that was done, I made a vegan apple crisp. It's quite tasty, too! I converted a recipe that I got from my ex-mother-in-law. Here it is.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnj27fF1mNICNj0ey3H3NPGe_a_HBoqZ-3cjBak4MpJmpLRN5TId0gPVoLhuWS45i4GYYWBa9qlggabw4zmM1-re0wEsMki-Ee_5JBAC67z-JvdY6YYH8MoG5Fb4b84tZGXwj8L8LbowXT/s1600/2011+Blog_12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnj27fF1mNICNj0ey3H3NPGe_a_HBoqZ-3cjBak4MpJmpLRN5TId0gPVoLhuWS45i4GYYWBa9qlggabw4zmM1-re0wEsMki-Ee_5JBAC67z-JvdY6YYH8MoG5Fb4b84tZGXwj8L8LbowXT/s320/2011+Blog_12.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Apple Crisp<br />
<br />
4 to 5 apples, pared and sliced thin (I used Fuji)<br />
3/4 cup oatmeal (quick or old fashioned)<br />
3/4 cup brown sugar<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/2 cup Earth Balance (I used 1 stick cut in 1/2" squares)<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350º. Put apple slices in ceramic baking dish. (I didn't grease, but you can.) Combine oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, and Earth Balance in a food processor. Pulse until crumbled. Spread over apples. Bake for 40 minutes. Enjoy warm plain or with vegan vanilla ice cream.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlSL9ykVV3ajTtGboqo6kBlDjS7QnbdZDqrmPbIKDlTqXk-ljQ1cgikCO0BjkrGLKu6x61JXfqVU98zn9RFs1N4e_45biSoMntWRdNy4JD9G24tieGuvYH-jc8Lf24ouYiqR0YhkLsGxT/s1600/2011+Blog_15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlSL9ykVV3ajTtGboqo6kBlDjS7QnbdZDqrmPbIKDlTqXk-ljQ1cgikCO0BjkrGLKu6x61JXfqVU98zn9RFs1N4e_45biSoMntWRdNy4JD9G24tieGuvYH-jc8Lf24ouYiqR0YhkLsGxT/s320/2011+Blog_15.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> After the Apple Crisp was done baking, I got really serious about dinner. I peeled some potatoes for mashed potatoes made with unsweetened Almond Breeze. I served those with some Tofurky gravy. It's my first time having Tofurky gravy and it was pretty good. I also threw 6 ears of corn into the oven to roast at 350º for about 30 minutes. I used the instructions that I found on Susan Voisin's blog for <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2009/05/oven-roasted-corn-on-cob.html">Oven-Roasted Corn-on-the-Cob</a>, but really, it's just literally throwing the corn in the oven. I pan fried some vegan Chicken Scallopini to go with it. Finally, I threw some rolls into the oven to warm. The entire meal was very tasty! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgmRk5q4mWKJWzJpxezL5H25gf8M2wMEs5i7uj0y8WrAylB0yJHHoBr3O-21lmMyvxfPU3zHEdRMxOb4tuAHkVCwqjMRVk0rSEuI57MP6l0k9ZFTcap2znkwND4mryiTJs9V7-3IEN1Zn/s1600/2011+Blog_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgmRk5q4mWKJWzJpxezL5H25gf8M2wMEs5i7uj0y8WrAylB0yJHHoBr3O-21lmMyvxfPU3zHEdRMxOb4tuAHkVCwqjMRVk0rSEuI57MP6l0k9ZFTcap2znkwND4mryiTJs9V7-3IEN1Zn/s320/2011+Blog_04.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Earlier this week, I made a vegan veggie pizza. First, I cleaned and sliced some baby bella mushrooms and sauteed them. Next, I cut a yellow bell pepper into strips and some black olives in halves. I used half of a container of whole grain pizza dough I had bought at Whole Foods. I rolled it out very thin. I drained a jar of the Bruschetta in a Jar that I canned a couple of weeks ago and put it on the pizza. I followed that with some fresh spinach leaves, the mushrooms, yellow bell peppers, black olives, and the Zuma Grape Tomatoes that I had roasted and frozen a month ago. I let it bake at 400º for about 20 minutes. It was mighty tasty!<br />
<br />
Tomorrow, I think I will cut the seedless watermelon into cubes and made Watermelon Sorbet with half of it. I really enjoyed that. It is quite the refreshing frozen dessert. <br />
<br />
Since I may have lost all of my pictures from last September until now (yes, it's been a year since I backed up my PC ... I've learned my lesson!), I thought I'd take some more pictures of the girls, but from their level.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8qNXc-hjcm4nccVFKuaCY25auWsI98di-lYciC7uFN-JOGd2oUXAkDSaU67vDPnZTdWvO6Kod-Qi8zpucfZEyE7lXdi3VYSl_CHhixIwG3HdicLrDpBbjD6Ci-VP__8dfDXKcldbzzfo/s1600/2011+Blog_16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8qNXc-hjcm4nccVFKuaCY25auWsI98di-lYciC7uFN-JOGd2oUXAkDSaU67vDPnZTdWvO6Kod-Qi8zpucfZEyE7lXdi3VYSl_CHhixIwG3HdicLrDpBbjD6Ci-VP__8dfDXKcldbzzfo/s320/2011+Blog_16.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordan, trying to ignore me</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>First I took Jordan, and she wasn't really happy about it. She really <u><b>HATES</b></u> getting her picture taken. :) But she posed pretty and looks so regal, that the picture is a winner!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHvHWfQs_AFuh6L9stB229_L8zq_oR9KgNoOpLdvIESrNv8n80qrte1s_-DbiZYz2diazJW-_oaaoJD4KMm_KH_2M_6jZQyu-5EuQet_OjQuho1ipPpovwwxFNnm9r2YDrYmSAypCotjl/s1600/2011+Blog_17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHvHWfQs_AFuh6L9stB229_L8zq_oR9KgNoOpLdvIESrNv8n80qrte1s_-DbiZYz2diazJW-_oaaoJD4KMm_KH_2M_6jZQyu-5EuQet_OjQuho1ipPpovwwxFNnm9r2YDrYmSAypCotjl/s320/2011+Blog_17.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kobe, trying to ignore me because she was licking her paws.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kobe usually doesn't mind getting her picture taken, but she was upset with me, so she wouldn't look at me. After Kobe's anterior crucial ligament surgery, she was still limping a bit and the vet put her on DuraMaxx to control the pain. DuraMaxx has some less desirable side effects. One is depression or restlessness. I believe Kobe has that and licks her paws to relieve some of it. I think she's been licking them until they are raw. I had been fussing at her to stop licking her paws right before I snapped the photo. <br />
<br />
I've taken her off of the medication for now and will keep her off of it for a few days (she only takes 1/4 pill, so she's on the minimum dosage). She didn't have this problem until she was on this medication for such a long period. If it stops the problem, I will ask the vet to change her medication to something else. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pIS5QHdP_BqTiun_AsgeRI7C-hVaVi8X06myVFLsKh0Ii2AVlCf8-7Wh2Tfm4qLKaZzXZIDELVKyVKYlJc8fIPRqpTjKDyBPIYBbedxN5zcVCv5ACnMF_v7Kj1Ta5UuKG1021NMH7BLD/s1600/2011+Blog_18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pIS5QHdP_BqTiun_AsgeRI7C-hVaVi8X06myVFLsKh0Ii2AVlCf8-7Wh2Tfm4qLKaZzXZIDELVKyVKYlJc8fIPRqpTjKDyBPIYBbedxN5zcVCv5ACnMF_v7Kj1Ta5UuKG1021NMH7BLD/s320/2011+Blog_18.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordan trying to back up on Kobe, while Kobe pays no attention and licks her paw.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here's a classic picture. One, Kobe is licking her paw ... ugh! But the reason this is a classic is that Jordan is always backing up on Kobe and putting her behind in Kobe's face. I swear it's an act to try to establish dominance. Jordan is a nut!<br />
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I hope I can recover all my pictures from the last year. bah! PC problems! They drive me nuts! :) <br />
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-40673542550836735192011-08-22T22:14:00.000-05:002011-08-22T22:14:04.334-05:00A Truckload of Roasted Veggies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2G3h4fpTHg1sdB7fGcBaGK0YgPsGBZ0gT2cvZ6Wzh_HvJh9NpS5ECSPOx9nsL3Bn1AJXgYLWMUIY-DtF4JVdouZv7IEx10R05jhBckLHhDdBn3gmMt8IRwXHBJvV-4fYCCmZhsoDrXmLw/s1600/2011+Blog_3155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2G3h4fpTHg1sdB7fGcBaGK0YgPsGBZ0gT2cvZ6Wzh_HvJh9NpS5ECSPOx9nsL3Bn1AJXgYLWMUIY-DtF4JVdouZv7IEx10R05jhBckLHhDdBn3gmMt8IRwXHBJvV-4fYCCmZhsoDrXmLw/s320/2011+Blog_3155.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I've had a weird diet today. I've been using up veggies from my CSA boxes. For lunch, I had a spinach salad with diced zucchini, cucumber, kohlrabi, purple bell pepper, and a tomato. It was a huge salad, so I saved half of it for tomorrow. Tonight, I decided it was time to roast some veggies.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQSyY7CSyx6lh7McopoBrWgrbZHgaEMWYStn3bpg7F-7j9aketwm3-ZxGM9sk37eNpFaPLskumAfgxcTcaHBSowXKm5XynPHXJ7TyWzGnSmusIYmT7e-1U0K0m-KJO6DLqwU7SiKPIHuG/s1600/2011+Blog_3158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQSyY7CSyx6lh7McopoBrWgrbZHgaEMWYStn3bpg7F-7j9aketwm3-ZxGM9sk37eNpFaPLskumAfgxcTcaHBSowXKm5XynPHXJ7TyWzGnSmusIYmT7e-1U0K0m-KJO6DLqwU7SiKPIHuG/s320/2011+Blog_3158.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I cut up probably a dozen small gold beets, a head of cauliflower, a big sweet potato, and 2 medium sized white potatoes. I tossed them in a mixture of 3 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. hot curry powder, 1/2 tsp. Spike seasoning, and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. I roasted them for 30 minutes at 400º. They weren't done, which didn't surprise me because I had so many veggies in the pan. I stirred them and put them in to roast for 20 more minutes. They still weren't done to my liking, but they were drying out and sticking to the pan. ACK! I drizzled a little bit more olive oil on them and sprinkled them with red cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. I gave them a good stir, turned the oven temp down to 350º and cooked them for 20 more minutes. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_miSxpiRLALkLQ8v1HBtcnWti0pWBLiZC2ZnAQ_y50tcYNJTYZWUDBA2CmLqHwxewBSYCYIoXZ-ZAbjEVdMzHgRSuYhOHn0b1RTLcGzirtzXSUzdDdFCrbYriIkxm3HL1e66OQnl_oKN7/s1600/2011+Blog_3156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_miSxpiRLALkLQ8v1HBtcnWti0pWBLiZC2ZnAQ_y50tcYNJTYZWUDBA2CmLqHwxewBSYCYIoXZ-ZAbjEVdMzHgRSuYhOHn0b1RTLcGzirtzXSUzdDdFCrbYriIkxm3HL1e66OQnl_oKN7/s320/2011+Blog_3156.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Finally, the veggies were done to my satisfaction. They have just a hint of a "kick." These are very tasty. I'm glad I got a significant portion of my veggies on hand either eaten, ready to eat, or roasted. I will be eating these roasted veggies over the next day or two. I think I'll have some of them in a wrap for my supper tomorrow for a little variety.<br />
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-47531036355839421382011-08-21T11:53:00.003-05:002011-08-21T12:01:29.336-05:00BBQ Tofu, Bruschetta in a Jar, and a Stupid Move<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLcgpxikG0d5zUHK-7P5WcMyc0wkdnfucZkn64ywVId13aOEqP883r0mqQARd7vfMHqTbGV0dSwX-_YvDDdKOIqMg9bgAsnwakPjoY3YsXCBtWAzJw1VyNb9qzPNx8yImFgQ9FKvT7JUk/s1600/2011+Blog_3143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLcgpxikG0d5zUHK-7P5WcMyc0wkdnfucZkn64ywVId13aOEqP883r0mqQARd7vfMHqTbGV0dSwX-_YvDDdKOIqMg9bgAsnwakPjoY3YsXCBtWAzJw1VyNb9qzPNx8yImFgQ9FKvT7JUk/s320/2011+Blog_3143.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Lemon Peppers in the lower left corner and Tabasco Peppers in the right half of the picture</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>My pepper plants are still producing. Actually, I haven't picked any of the Tabasco peppers yet. I have harvested some of the hot lemon peppers and two habanero peppers. I've been waiting for the rest of the habanero peppers to turn a deep orange, but it's slow going. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3mPk7vyOLr4-EvYnVAIKmrqYWrcsr4lqEDmDm_shki7m6uqGh0bWVWhHlCjbNGXNGjCvf7Mjd-WMpVLV8R6CFI9UXHhyphenhypheneO2q0zlHKtGUJIuopTzJyjtaZPCANintby9n83xZyNNFrcz5/s1600/2011+Blog_3141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3mPk7vyOLr4-EvYnVAIKmrqYWrcsr4lqEDmDm_shki7m6uqGh0bWVWhHlCjbNGXNGjCvf7Mjd-WMpVLV8R6CFI9UXHhyphenhypheneO2q0zlHKtGUJIuopTzJyjtaZPCANintby9n83xZyNNFrcz5/s320/2011+Blog_3141.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Habanero Peppers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This week, I made a great dish. I made <a href="http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7427.0">BBQ Tofu Cubes </a>from VegWeb.com. The tofu was absolutely fantastic! I ate part of it the night I made it. I put it on a high fiber (12 gr.) tomato basil tortilla with some romaine lettuce. Wow! I took the rest of it to work to have on another tortilla for lunch. I definitely recommend this recipe if you like BBQ.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcInuyZvfWYPH2NiuD1mPo7n907anBW1oNigW9cZNA7eY4F8jSRyX8e9Bv2EU8wPvvCEbQir2JL4of2i1BSkeZDYqBquga2OJrLQrLafboJ5u_yFa3dQmGHuJhxQmVsCFx0lrFCaAh0aqd/s1600/2011+Blog_3133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcInuyZvfWYPH2NiuD1mPo7n907anBW1oNigW9cZNA7eY4F8jSRyX8e9Bv2EU8wPvvCEbQir2JL4of2i1BSkeZDYqBquga2OJrLQrLafboJ5u_yFa3dQmGHuJhxQmVsCFx0lrFCaAh0aqd/s320/2011+Blog_3133.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Later in the week, I had a meatloaf burger from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592334768/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thibehthesun-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399381&creativeASIN=1592334768">The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet</a> by Joni Marie Newman. I made the burgers earlier this summer and threw a couple in my freezer. I put some of my <a href="http://lifeontheveganedge.blogspot.com/2011/08/cooking-and-canning.html">Bread and Butter Jalapenos</a> on the burger and MAN OH MAN! It was one good burger. I think my Bread and Butter Jalapenos are a complete success. Thank you, Darlene!!! (My canning mentor!) They are a bit spicy, but not too hot and oh so yummy! I'll be making these every year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuk3K7NBtkV-vjhj2JVIP7QsndhorM1aB0o6MQE6709i-VgkEGhhuWQJhuZ7NNSUWMXgylUaNKKzEwLkzelEzZ8ux29tc8_HBUNPlqnMsj17cLPazsyDt4cX7epFKebi5sDSz1S1m7h2m/s1600/2011+Blog_3131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuk3K7NBtkV-vjhj2JVIP7QsndhorM1aB0o6MQE6709i-VgkEGhhuWQJhuZ7NNSUWMXgylUaNKKzEwLkzelEzZ8ux29tc8_HBUNPlqnMsj17cLPazsyDt4cX7epFKebi5sDSz1S1m7h2m/s320/2011+Blog_3131.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I finally ventured over to the Homewood Farmer's Market yesterday in the POURING rain. I'm so glad I did, too, as I found many delightful veggies. I bought 4 pounds of tomatoes, 3 heads of garlic, a red onion, cauliflower, and some mushrooms. I already had 2½ pounds of Roma tomatoes from my CSA box, but I needed a bit more to make some <a href="http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39863">Bruschetta in a Jar</a>. The link is to the basic recipe, but the directions I followed (via Darlene, of course) are a bit different. Just before I made this, another poster in our Yahoo! canning group said that one of her jars broke in the hot water bath. Darlene thought it was because she didn't use hot tomatoes, but packed the jars with room temperature tomatoes. Needless to say, I followed Darlene's recipe.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDG9RPEzoXEELsBAtL6GSJQ8wV1uNf-CFulx22oz31Apb0PqBSX6bGxKHn82cJimxGeuQU6mXMe-eUkk3b2-_2j9rrREph78mJVoIOhxeJFBhZHdIEv4XrX_GA0MBDrFZ3V7tSQsxe5FX/s1600/2011+Blog_3152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDG9RPEzoXEELsBAtL6GSJQ8wV1uNf-CFulx22oz31Apb0PqBSX6bGxKHn82cJimxGeuQU6mXMe-eUkk3b2-_2j9rrREph78mJVoIOhxeJFBhZHdIEv4XrX_GA0MBDrFZ3V7tSQsxe5FX/s320/2011+Blog_3152.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span id="cleanprint_content">Bruschetta in a Jar </span><br />
<span id="cleanprint_content"><br />
Makes about 7 half pint jars (8 ounces)</span><br />
<span id="cleanprint_content"> <br />
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped <br />
1 cup dry white wine <br />
1 cup white wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)<br />
1/2 cup water <br />
2 tbsp granulated sugar <br />
2 tbsp dried basil (I used about 1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped)<br />
2 tbsp dried oregano (I used 2 tbsp fresh oregano chopped, and 1 tbsp dried oregano)<br />
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar <br />
9 cups chopped cored plum tomatoes </span><br />
<br />
<span id="cleanprint_content">Combine all ingredients, except tomatoes, in a non reactive pan. Bring to a boil. Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.</span><br />
<span id="cleanprint_content"> </span><br />
<span id="cleanprint_content">Using a slotted spoon, pack tomatoes into hot jars leaving a generous 3/4 inch headspace. Ladle hot vinegar mixture into jar to cover tomatoes, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot liquid. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down tightly until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Process 20 minutes in a BWB. </span><br />
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<span id="cleanprint_content">I got exactly 7 half pint jars from my batch. </span><br />
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<span id="cleanprint_content"></span><span id="cleanprint_content">So are you wondering what my stupid move was this week? I inadvertently deleted my blog. :::gasp::: I was trying to consolidate a Google account, since I had to make one for my android phone. I deleted an old account not realizing that it controlled my blog. So, when I deleted my Google account, I deleted my blog. I think I did that on Thursday, maybe Wednesday. I discovered it yesterday. Yes, it did send me into a panic, but luckily, I was able to restore both my account and my blog. :::whew!!!::: Needless to say, I'll be a bit more careful in the future. :::shakin' mah head:::</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBffzhLKKLDr_3NFEM9h7CYtXsr1YMJYQwOExkiuCF2yexTM9sN_lCapeAb8end2GBbEE47WorDfeSsZPrOnK7T8j-TUzQaByfHjkQL5_4GTlChLzBX1TpHuSXT9KzWheNlto9huo_BWjP/s1600/2011+Blog_3151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBffzhLKKLDr_3NFEM9h7CYtXsr1YMJYQwOExkiuCF2yexTM9sN_lCapeAb8end2GBbEE47WorDfeSsZPrOnK7T8j-TUzQaByfHjkQL5_4GTlChLzBX1TpHuSXT9KzWheNlto9huo_BWjP/s320/2011+Blog_3151.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kobe, looking disgusted but tolerant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My oldest son loves to torment the big girls. He picks up their 70 pound behinds, twirls them around, and then sets them back down. I got pictures of their faces as proof that they do NOT enjoy this exercise. HA!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnVBweKa4WCsqOVHJyl0ti45Yq3AoAu-okot72lMSxQeMo6tXOn2x46M5HCC0WxE0JCP4uSWzvBl57ogD3KNSLJ_2t_GHI7lFw-l4YLwz4uJX7ceSPY4_2PIe3MqIZKaSjUB_x_t92kAe/s1600/2011+Blog_3149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnVBweKa4WCsqOVHJyl0ti45Yq3AoAu-okot72lMSxQeMo6tXOn2x46M5HCC0WxE0JCP4uSWzvBl57ogD3KNSLJ_2t_GHI7lFw-l4YLwz4uJX7ceSPY4_2PIe3MqIZKaSjUB_x_t92kAe/s320/2011+Blog_3149.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordan, equally distressed, but also tolerant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Finally, I don't think I've posted many pictures of Skittles. So, I'm posting one of her, too. She was just groomed yesterday and thinks she is quite pretty. Skits will be 13 on Halloween this year. She's the matriarch of the brood. :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20ZK60E5AA07BBu0cGHC5hxliTqxW6jh3TJfmNxJisRWzbTONvOgZ1W4hsix67X_grJmIi2-YCh72h7yiZy-SbQ04amLEE2j2AoBTkHxCGRaY4QFk84F9pmtIAnhdgXcf6NoR9txfdm0M/s1600/2011+Blog_3147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20ZK60E5AA07BBu0cGHC5hxliTqxW6jh3TJfmNxJisRWzbTONvOgZ1W4hsix67X_grJmIi2-YCh72h7yiZy-SbQ04amLEE2j2AoBTkHxCGRaY4QFk84F9pmtIAnhdgXcf6NoR9txfdm0M/s320/2011+Blog_3147.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-84427759032763385102011-08-14T17:55:00.006-05:002011-08-14T22:04:27.771-05:00Sunday Cooking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQsRmz3sa5ip8EpyixDuugwvz-WZfLB_c_QEkeG4T6aOwnu-4VBBKxlNHK7xytf4BOPeYCU8RfrhwmQxvLMnSFcZc-wan9ZIrn1okX8sOMzEbewCRVPJmoL0eZWRHNW_kebZp6yXzu6Jl/s1600/2011+Blog_3099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQsRmz3sa5ip8EpyixDuugwvz-WZfLB_c_QEkeG4T6aOwnu-4VBBKxlNHK7xytf4BOPeYCU8RfrhwmQxvLMnSFcZc-wan9ZIrn1okX8sOMzEbewCRVPJmoL0eZWRHNW_kebZp6yXzu6Jl/s320/2011+Blog_3099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I thought I'd show you the finished product for my Peach Butter. It is excellent. The blend of spices was perfect for the white peaches and made a lovely butter. I've had it on bread and an English muffin so far. It definitely is a repeat recipe.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f0aX3FqrqRx-mnL0QrkXtZzmlCGLvzlkKv25rMC2sZEzURpfLIpDo2QX0qANWUKBpYmYhouys9TNJJm0n8eGPG4QXgrpOzGFBM7DVuSLT32JYbzV5_EB4nt8Z_3TeyBGbdBBN0GIlIzi/s1600/2011+Blog_3111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f0aX3FqrqRx-mnL0QrkXtZzmlCGLvzlkKv25rMC2sZEzURpfLIpDo2QX0qANWUKBpYmYhouys9TNJJm0n8eGPG4QXgrpOzGFBM7DVuSLT32JYbzV5_EB4nt8Z_3TeyBGbdBBN0GIlIzi/s320/2011+Blog_3111.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>My deck container garden is coming along nicely. A ripe Hot Lemon Pepper is above, and below are a few of the Habanero Peppers, not quite ripe yet, but some are starting to turn a nice orange.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhz5a3wmwT1zeSfdN76X3uDJyKJSdehBWvM9wkuN8W-SkKmzG1nU4jjZPcvxPE8z6C3bAhVK19Io81hAkGb_vnz_KywxsH4irzvRKY3-4QsQ1ks18fNZ23g6whIcl9l6MxELiS_OUN0wP/s1600/2011+Blog_3110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhz5a3wmwT1zeSfdN76X3uDJyKJSdehBWvM9wkuN8W-SkKmzG1nU4jjZPcvxPE8z6C3bAhVK19Io81hAkGb_vnz_KywxsH4irzvRKY3-4QsQ1ks18fNZ23g6whIcl9l6MxELiS_OUN0wP/s320/2011+Blog_3110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Below are my Big Boy tomatoes. I wouldn't say I got the biggest crop off of the plant, but it is rewarding to eat something I've actually grown.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEXCNj0w2Huady8c988pOm9X6VstEPyHSK-iHky6dOG6PqqpZlsEpD4nNLVO7Srl0_vRhMrVX_2jLa1xY-MS8ek7T9GtnoE_pdau3NvGnbv7RK5hwd3MNzamOH2Ehr9Hd6kibKYAKYO_Z/s1600/2011+Blog_3113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEXCNj0w2Huady8c988pOm9X6VstEPyHSK-iHky6dOG6PqqpZlsEpD4nNLVO7Srl0_vRhMrVX_2jLa1xY-MS8ek7T9GtnoE_pdau3NvGnbv7RK5hwd3MNzamOH2Ehr9Hd6kibKYAKYO_Z/s320/2011+Blog_3113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I've since harvested those tomatoes and have a few more growing. It's not enough to even make 1 pint of tomatoes, but it's enough to add to a meal or salad.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5hKQ67YLskXzw5ca76P7MO4dAIZ77u_ilU1d0uM_TwMarrwxyyEVfaIIeHnuleD4Idvz-j7cPGgcU9EHHLG8aoXLkc5zz0Up0I1gxfAE7PYC1gpFLLj9yYM7UkDLp-RYanYa00gphltQ/s1600/2011+Blog_3115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5hKQ67YLskXzw5ca76P7MO4dAIZ77u_ilU1d0uM_TwMarrwxyyEVfaIIeHnuleD4Idvz-j7cPGgcU9EHHLG8aoXLkc5zz0Up0I1gxfAE7PYC1gpFLLj9yYM7UkDLp-RYanYa00gphltQ/s320/2011+Blog_3115.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I used the last of my garbanzo beans a couple of weeks ago. Last week, I resorted to buying one can of garbanzo beans so I could have some in my salad. Today, I cooked 3 cups of dry beans, making 6 to 7 cups of cooked beans. As you can see, I spread them out in a single layer on a jelly roll pan and freeze them for 45 minutes before transferring them to a ziplock bag. I love the flavor of freshly cooked garbanzo beans. I use no seasonings in the pressure cooker when cooking them. That gives me a lot of room for using them in different dishes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCelSQz3RQiD7zL_WuUPeiffzkTmNAXN3UHyzsUHijk99FY6tjQncjKkCQ_NAsP6CR5eFey2pal0a7_GpVEQYN_epRJceEzoGX8X8uSupDbJrsOYIDNn5KmI0qriQCwy2mU4zy0auY1Fz/s1600/2011+Blog_3117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCelSQz3RQiD7zL_WuUPeiffzkTmNAXN3UHyzsUHijk99FY6tjQncjKkCQ_NAsP6CR5eFey2pal0a7_GpVEQYN_epRJceEzoGX8X8uSupDbJrsOYIDNn5KmI0qriQCwy2mU4zy0auY1Fz/s320/2011+Blog_3117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Here is the last of Thursday's CSA box. I still have to cook the gold beets, but that will be later in the week. I will fix the corn for tonight's supper. I found a recipe for <a href="http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=14457.0">Kohlrabi and Carrots</a> fixed in a similar fashion to mashed potatoes. I'm going to try that tonight as well. And, I'll be making <a href="http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7427.0">BBQ Tofu</a>. I found both recipes on <a href="http://vegweb.com/">VegWeb.com</a> and they look very good.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9nKpORO4EsAxvEQMVVwnMv16JLeELOk9OzVRz2Glxnu6WYqOMKGDQoIFFLVUQ_DHeFCWT6savUv-jBgjGDuzUT0pJfOv-__eaxSAoOGeKHERNmyJzrPcps8PbrM_IOMWLEhqjI9tSIyW/s1600/2011+Blog_3118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9nKpORO4EsAxvEQMVVwnMv16JLeELOk9OzVRz2Glxnu6WYqOMKGDQoIFFLVUQ_DHeFCWT6savUv-jBgjGDuzUT0pJfOv-__eaxSAoOGeKHERNmyJzrPcps8PbrM_IOMWLEhqjI9tSIyW/s320/2011+Blog_3118.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I roasted a (huge) bag of cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots (it took 2 pans to roast it all). I added a red onion and half dozen or so of garlic cloves. I'm making a creamy roasted soup. I've made the soup before with cauliflower and sweet potatoes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vADGXx-3kd_61F-Sd2R5R4FbXX9_lm-cKWilTpJZYQG_ljgHnQKbY3baKonh8wdFVWCQrycyP0cwA7laUYx4BrUtWNyV16z8b1Jt1Rm2lmA5w0UTm-bW5htFp3Va9N2ZNQilKt58p1S_/s1600/2011+Blog_3124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vADGXx-3kd_61F-Sd2R5R4FbXX9_lm-cKWilTpJZYQG_ljgHnQKbY3baKonh8wdFVWCQrycyP0cwA7laUYx4BrUtWNyV16z8b1Jt1Rm2lmA5w0UTm-bW5htFp3Va9N2ZNQilKt58p1S_/s320/2011+Blog_3124.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I cut 4 or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme from the plant on my deck, added a bay leaf, a quart of organic mushroom broth, 1 no-chicken bouillon cube, 2 1/4 cup water, and 3/4 cup of sauvignon blanc wine. I let it simmer for 20 minutes or so, then I used an immersion blender on it to make it smooth and added 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (at a mere 40 calories per cup). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9Vo9Uy6C72CAZMbN9bN1iBgABcXJdLUlEH8Mntk72MT6fA4tRWwIRoUVBzD6CdBmuZ7XKQO3zl7nhn9hx-Uk85aqziA6aBWyQsIQiA5vxPoMVpY-D596FXZRdm50T2WHJouEhrAutJ-P/s1600/2011+Blog_3125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9Vo9Uy6C72CAZMbN9bN1iBgABcXJdLUlEH8Mntk72MT6fA4tRWwIRoUVBzD6CdBmuZ7XKQO3zl7nhn9hx-Uk85aqziA6aBWyQsIQiA5vxPoMVpY-D596FXZRdm50T2WHJouEhrAutJ-P/s320/2011+Blog_3125.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I did a taste test. Nope, the soup wasn't doing it for me. It was missing something. It was savory, but not quite the right flavor. Sooooo ... I added about a teaspoon of mild curry powder, maybe a tad more. VOILA! That was the flavor I was looking for. I'm a curry lover and this soup will now become one of my favorites. The only thing missing is some big toasted croutons or a slice of crusty bread to dunk in it.<br />
<br />
It's been a heavy cooking day. I started the day by making my son pancakes for breakfast. :) But, Sunday is a good day to cook and make a few things that I can eat during the week.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMR4WsNKWSHxVE0SukbVC9dsuTbTb2u2a_ITwEMiQDUKxF8fozXVDhaxJ0WjpcESB-bihHJjEkYN4Gh03wAfOhkiy7aSnmjL1srzxwlD9XjWakapqh-R8MXSjT3WyVZIJpCkma6wd8Jz2/s1600/2011+Blog_3121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMR4WsNKWSHxVE0SukbVC9dsuTbTb2u2a_ITwEMiQDUKxF8fozXVDhaxJ0WjpcESB-bihHJjEkYN4Gh03wAfOhkiy7aSnmjL1srzxwlD9XjWakapqh-R8MXSjT3WyVZIJpCkma6wd8Jz2/s320/2011+Blog_3121.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordan on the stairs looking for trouble out of the front door.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The weather is beautiful today. The sun is out and it's a very comfortable 73º outside. The windows are open and the entire family is enjoying the day. Kobe begged me to stay outside in the backyard with her for a bit today. So, I weeded around my flowers and hosta plants while Kobe chilled.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeUZZbajn4kFqGJ9HWtlXpr_51KUYVYpHb1OmECsrLPfmxlkiAqLtwa1gpmdAYS5kih1CxWhBgiSZIWFV8CrNAdNlc5Vu5MbihEdbwi2sPRYJZpxOf3hR7hmJfrXxdFTjyGXJRs4wzhDC/s1600/2011+Blog_3102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeUZZbajn4kFqGJ9HWtlXpr_51KUYVYpHb1OmECsrLPfmxlkiAqLtwa1gpmdAYS5kih1CxWhBgiSZIWFV8CrNAdNlc5Vu5MbihEdbwi2sPRYJZpxOf3hR7hmJfrXxdFTjyGXJRs4wzhDC/s320/2011+Blog_3102.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kobe chilling in the back yard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is what Summer is all about.</div>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-7123083824586682872011-08-07T14:43:00.003-05:002011-08-14T17:56:10.078-05:00Cooking and CanningIt's been a month since I blogged. WOW! And that month has gone by quickly. I took a vacation in Wisconsin for a week and have been tending to my deck garden. OK, that's not exactly true. My oldest son has been tending to my deck garden. And he has done an excellent job! My hot lemon peppers are turning yellow, my habanero peppers are turning orange, my Big Boy tomatoes are ripening, and I harvested a bunch of jalapeno peppers and the lone yellow bell pepper that my plant produced. <br />
<br />
While on vacation, I made stuffed peppers. I'm not a stuffed pepper fan. I don't ever make them at home. But, I did on vacation. They turned out quite tasty, too. Although, I'm not going to start making them all of the time. Here's what I did.<br />
<br />
Stuffed Bell Peppers<br />
<br />
4 good sized green (or whatever color you prefer) bell peppers that will stand up<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil <br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
1 8oz. package of baby bella mushrooms, chopped (can use sliced)<br />
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipolte flavor<br />
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb flavor<br />
1/2 teaspoon pepper <br />
1/2 of a package of vegan crumbles<br />
2 cups of your favorite marinara or other pasta sauce<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350º F.<br />
<br />
Slice tops (approximately 1/2") off of the bell peppers. Chop up the tops of the bell peppers. Put olive oil in a large skillet. Warm and then add chopped bell pepper tops, onion, and mushrooms. Saute until onions and peppers have softened and the mushrooms have released their water. Add seasonings and vegan crumbles. Saute until vegan crumbles are warm and have dried a bit. Add marinara sauce; stir to blend. Can top with shredded vegan cheese or Parmesan cheese.<br />
<br />
Stuff each bell pepper and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet or cake pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEZ4ZAzWtY5pHTOX-q5qzxAGIGUHMG2xRjfY8Frr5BE8cfNUXYd4IQCtoY119ftUzIG9RxBUPRh_dp_jpQK0m0OibpWQfNU-vAAMbK8x7ezFFZFeCxK9r7VoeJFRCWFX98remsWJR6k7t/s1600/2011+Blog_3095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEZ4ZAzWtY5pHTOX-q5qzxAGIGUHMG2xRjfY8Frr5BE8cfNUXYd4IQCtoY119ftUzIG9RxBUPRh_dp_jpQK0m0OibpWQfNU-vAAMbK8x7ezFFZFeCxK9r7VoeJFRCWFX98remsWJR6k7t/s320/2011+Blog_3095.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Besides making peppers, I had a serious craving for soup. I had a package of Yves Veggie Chorizo that I either needed to use or toss, so of course, I went looking to use. I stumbled across <a href="http://stacyeats.com/2010/12/vegan-sausage-and-kale-soup/">Vegan Sausage and Kale Soup </a>on <a href="http://stacyeats.com/">Stacy Eats</a>. I actually had kale in the house as I've been getting it in my CSA boxes. I didn't take the big stem out, which is one thing I would do if I use it for soup again. Plus, I'd saute it longer so it was more tender.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPlRtV4nEdJIxcQNznaZ1H_VAMxEkH1yoJixIM7p9WmW4OyHsEyPnjy5lr6huOm2-kI7tXKvLhpotR_BqMQFZBUnca_GZagyM2ST8P56DtxDQlS7MS7DyzKUMtdPxx_aDIoxRLVcIdNEk/s1600/2011+Blog_3090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPlRtV4nEdJIxcQNznaZ1H_VAMxEkH1yoJixIM7p9WmW4OyHsEyPnjy5lr6huOm2-kI7tXKvLhpotR_BqMQFZBUnca_GZagyM2ST8P56DtxDQlS7MS7DyzKUMtdPxx_aDIoxRLVcIdNEk/s320/2011+Blog_3090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The recipe is very simple and has a relatively short list of ingredients. I used No-Chicken broth versus veggie broth and butter beans instead of Great Northern. It was quite tasty and I ate it for a few days until the very last of it was gone. I do confess to adding some fresh picante sauce to it and a couple of good shakes of my favorite taco sauce to kick up the spiciness. It's a soup I'll make again, but next time, I'll probably use spinach. I don't usually keep kale in the house.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9xsOATQQs-Uyrk0WU5MHh-a61z3Mw9PtSQrcwD3o2Cveo99Fo7uyB9MeiY4ksfOw5EybemAKhiQdnkCeiC3UyP75rLEe7Kh_-24Yhp3u7mzbiLvZvp-2pAmjOQVFuAG0UxmGN_-gLIhT/s1600/2011+Blog_3079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9xsOATQQs-Uyrk0WU5MHh-a61z3Mw9PtSQrcwD3o2Cveo99Fo7uyB9MeiY4ksfOw5EybemAKhiQdnkCeiC3UyP75rLEe7Kh_-24Yhp3u7mzbiLvZvp-2pAmjOQVFuAG0UxmGN_-gLIhT/s320/2011+Blog_3079.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The absolute BIGGEST pot I've ever owned. It's HUGE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Last weekend, I made Bread and Butter Jalapeno Pepper Slices and Patty Pan Squash pickles. I've not made either of these before, so I'm be anxious to see how they turned out. I say I'm anxious as the Bread and Butter Jalapeno Pepper Slices have to sit for a month before I can open them. I'm not sure how long the Patty Pan Squash are supposed to sit, so I'm letting them sit for at least a couple of weeks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdCiqmSdi2gsVPf3jY79t-jarspLt2iLd1ip4sucugufTsfIMlfV-giECwheTtcs-UDqxPyhylkxqiRmiK2r5Y_jDJQ-4pDZol2-Mxti3uo9lqDK9GZpHV5ciicxhIIFDb1Xw8rTmxCgP/s1600/2011+Blog_3083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdCiqmSdi2gsVPf3jY79t-jarspLt2iLd1ip4sucugufTsfIMlfV-giECwheTtcs-UDqxPyhylkxqiRmiK2r5Y_jDJQ-4pDZol2-Mxti3uo9lqDK9GZpHV5ciicxhIIFDb1Xw8rTmxCgP/s320/2011+Blog_3083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I got the recipe for the Bread and Butter Jalapeno Pepper Slices from Darlene, the ULTIMATE canning person, in my humble opinion. Darlene is AH-MAZE-ZING! :::smile::: She can answer virtually any question <span style="font-family: inherit;">about canning or dehydrating. Here is Darlene's recipe for Bread and Butter Jalapenos. If you like canning and dehydrating or want to start canning or dehydrating food, please join the Yahoo! Group, <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/">Food Preservation, Drying, Canning, and More</a>. Hands down, this is the friendliest group that I belong to. The people there are completely supportive and helpful.</span><br />
<pre style="font-family: inherit;">Bread and Butter Jalapenos</pre><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><pre style="font-family: inherit;">Yield: about 7 Pints
This makes a very tasty and spicy addition to almost any meal. For those that
are daring substitute the jalapenos for habanera peppers but BEWARE these are
HOT. Use gloves handling any peppers!!!
4 lbs jalapeno peppers
2 lbs onions
3 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp mustard seed
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp ginger powder
Wash and cut jalapenos and onions into thin slices and cold pack into jars.
Place remaining ingredients in large saucepot and bring to a boil.
Pour hot mixture into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.
Adjust headspace if needed by adding more hot mixture. Wipe rims. Adjust caps.
Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.
NOTE: Best after letting sit for 1 month but can be used after 2 weeks.
</pre><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyQv4VSvh_5I5Sko677tysZHT12li-5RASfGKozIOpcO1c6THPsBQAQ9pq17zPvsYIgBUVZtOTdEGkQxsBosA591uj3PXaO_iladr2sQ7pGK_3D5XbHUgz01jEOeYOSLqpXmdlhscysyk/s1600/2011+Blog_3082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyQv4VSvh_5I5Sko677tysZHT12li-5RASfGKozIOpcO1c6THPsBQAQ9pq17zPvsYIgBUVZtOTdEGkQxsBosA591uj3PXaO_iladr2sQ7pGK_3D5XbHUgz01jEOeYOSLqpXmdlhscysyk/s320/2011+Blog_3082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>While I have only made the jalapeno variety, I have a TON of habanero, tabasco, and hot lemon peppers starting to ripen on my deck. I may try this with a combination of the three peppers. That same Sunday, I threw some Roma tomatoes in the oven to slow roast at 200º overnight. The recipe for <a href="http://www.foodinjars.com/2010/09/slow-oven-roasted-roma-tomatoes/">Slow Oven-Roasted Roma Tomatoes </a>stated they should cook 10 to 12 hours. I left mine in about 11 hours and they were WAY overcooked. :::sigh::: I'll try it again, but I'll do it during the day so I can check on them. I've also thought about just throwing them into the dehydrator instead of the oven. That may work as well.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVrGWdbBel3idsZfZJdaoBJZ_LNctpgMTX4uXYxjW46xhcwffDt0BT9hmB2NX-YEt3Pxm4YzD-QVnnivwzpZHt8I8B-7la11x5D_-ybx5s5hPoO6GIwOT3EnRtYhP22G8s_PPvle6Tf2qL/s1600/2011+Blog_3087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVrGWdbBel3idsZfZJdaoBJZ_LNctpgMTX4uXYxjW46xhcwffDt0BT9hmB2NX-YEt3Pxm4YzD-QVnnivwzpZHt8I8B-7la11x5D_-ybx5s5hPoO6GIwOT3EnRtYhP22G8s_PPvle6Tf2qL/s320/2011+Blog_3087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>On Wednesday, I decided to make <a href="http://www.foodinjars.com/2010/06/june-can-jam-slow-cooker-blueberry-butter/">Blueberry Butter</a>. The recipe states it should take 6 hours or so to cook. Well, MINE took a whopping 23 hours to cook. I can't believe it took that long, but my crock pot is 40 years old and cooks at a very low temperature on the Low setting. I only used about 3 1/4 cups of sugar and I doubled the spices. I used an immersion blender to smooth out the butter just before I ladled it into half pint jars.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjin12Tf4e62gQ931geK7eN6iiNJJwYiuw6gYL2H7CAlh-TjHMnmc-zi3Z2g1_BIzumkJ4wmAFcv16m2agMgFzrxRAVM7TSckaTPjtkp7-Om-iJEbKv4JUJiusWb0AF7g6rfbWbXaUXNI_Z/s1600/2011+Blog_3078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjin12Tf4e62gQ931geK7eN6iiNJJwYiuw6gYL2H7CAlh-TjHMnmc-zi3Z2g1_BIzumkJ4wmAFcv16m2agMgFzrxRAVM7TSckaTPjtkp7-Om-iJEbKv4JUJiusWb0AF7g6rfbWbXaUXNI_Z/s320/2011+Blog_3078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The Blueberry Butter turned out great. It's thick and smooth and spreads like a dream. It's a tad on the tart side, so it's not over-the-top sweet. I'll make it again, only next time, I'll use the High setting on the crock pot to cut the cook time in half.<br />
<br />
I discovered I like a vegetable I have hated since I was a kid. That vegetable is beets. OK, I can't say I like the red variety, as those are the ones I have hated since childhood, but I can say I have tried gold beets and I like those. I got some in my CSA box on Thursday. I scrubbed them, cut them in 1" chunks, and then tossed them with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. I roasted them at 350º for about an hour. They taste a little like sweet corn to me. It's an odd flavor and one I don't quite trust, but they are really quite good. I'll be ordering them again this week. My CSA also offers red beets, but I'm just not ready to try those yet ... maybe one day.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmz3czQa_YCiC99LZbAxi7FItwi7-0Tekgx_FMrHdyz0ycfv97b3-AaGsSLOe4WmteKraGqt-RS7GTP2cX-powGtbhKZWxvvr2BBt6z-p84lqCYzx-SEhPJZIXG-5v1BLmZVHQc_wxSFx_/s1600/2011+Blog_3076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmz3czQa_YCiC99LZbAxi7FItwi7-0Tekgx_FMrHdyz0ycfv97b3-AaGsSLOe4WmteKraGqt-RS7GTP2cX-powGtbhKZWxvvr2BBt6z-p84lqCYzx-SEhPJZIXG-5v1BLmZVHQc_wxSFx_/s320/2011+Blog_3076.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Soooo ... that brings us to today. Today, I am making Peach Butter. I am loosely following a recipe from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving and a recipe for preserves posted by Darlene in the Yahoo! Group. I took the skin off of about 3 1/2 pounds of peaches (submerge them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then in ice water for 2 minutes and the skins slip off). Then, I chopped the peaches and threw them in my crock pot. I added 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 cups of sugar, 1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon (or a bit more) of freshly grated nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons of homemade vanilla. It's cooking on HIGH heat :::chuckle::: and I'm hoping it will be done sometime TODAY! :) I'll let you know on that.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6udlSghDF4UaLQOmytwDuX_NgkpeSV2IinmTLZCKTSYkzGN9eHSpXZqJIphrqAUmm-c1FVXVtiOJgk5rSBxlfuSAK5Vn2HWL6ZPgXqp4KsKxaqdt3xYOSdhWC2aQ52gZ_HeocdIKE9jr/s1600/2011+Blog_3075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6udlSghDF4UaLQOmytwDuX_NgkpeSV2IinmTLZCKTSYkzGN9eHSpXZqJIphrqAUmm-c1FVXVtiOJgk5rSBxlfuSAK5Vn2HWL6ZPgXqp4KsKxaqdt3xYOSdhWC2aQ52gZ_HeocdIKE9jr/s320/2011+Blog_3075.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Finally, I am roasting some Zuma Grape Tomatoes. These grape tomatoes are orange in color and very tasty. They are sweet, a touch sweeter than red, and I love eating them like cherries. However, there were way too many for me to eat before they spoiled. So, I decided to roast them at 275º for 2 hours. I washed them, cut them in half, and tossed them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a sprinkle of both fine sea salt and pepper. Once done, I'll throw them into a ziplock baggie and put them in the freezer. I'm going to use them for pasta dishes, pizza, garlic bread, etc. Nothing better than having slow roasted tomatoes ready for consumption.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpseU_oYFKUF5xq1Wy02EuUKPdHxERVbR1c4CEtErUsugv2clYZIYMluY5s4bTLl3lLy3HmdTnG-SLX-b50ZNRCMxgMCR1G5frD7jZYUqJMnW2K9bl906HoLohboOtbna8oUR1KvUYSbjZ/s1600/2011+Blog_3088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpseU_oYFKUF5xq1Wy02EuUKPdHxERVbR1c4CEtErUsugv2clYZIYMluY5s4bTLl3lLy3HmdTnG-SLX-b50ZNRCMxgMCR1G5frD7jZYUqJMnW2K9bl906HoLohboOtbna8oUR1KvUYSbjZ/s320/2011+Blog_3088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I bought the girls a new bed last weekend. I'm leaving you with a picture of Kobe thoroughly enjoying the new bed. All three of my dogs sleep in it on a regular basis. Nice to see that they all like it so much. Hope you are having a great summer!Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-50249866994292854702011-07-06T21:25:00.000-05:002011-07-06T21:25:13.535-05:00Stuffed Mushrooms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMZxBBy67VqjERfPoKlExNDG-JkvEx3EUXiAFWBYh5J3iWehUiOga2bqHzK3P0V7aS-15arTeavi5YFx3qunGXUXGUjLihaNcTElXh3P4huGAbSJvlZe89tJ-4SoSSih8MzEWJxseS6Ef/s1600/2011+Blog_3007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMZxBBy67VqjERfPoKlExNDG-JkvEx3EUXiAFWBYh5J3iWehUiOga2bqHzK3P0V7aS-15arTeavi5YFx3qunGXUXGUjLihaNcTElXh3P4huGAbSJvlZe89tJ-4SoSSih8MzEWJxseS6Ef/s320/2011+Blog_3007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I had a few mushrooms left from my visit to the Farmer's Market on Sunday. I had spied a recipe for <a href="http://seitanicveganheathen.blogspot.com/2011/05/stuffed-mushrooms.html">Stuffed Mushrooms</a> on the <a href="http://seitanicveganheathen.blogspot.com/">Seitanic Vegan Heathen</a> blog. I thought it looked pretty good and pretty simple. I decided that tonight, I'd be making these mushrooms.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSn2t48jZ2bv7lVMzvf-TnjIiT2tMDb3uatRU5Bv_PqnwsUcN2wjCzUOr5_lMDFVjjb89hyphenhyphenAjPrU5x8dqXQIth5McJrFvlWmxS0i2PBBWV2A8YK69-UxwiLaeIRKKOZDDKAIyY952UxoAq/s1600/2011+Blog_3014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSn2t48jZ2bv7lVMzvf-TnjIiT2tMDb3uatRU5Bv_PqnwsUcN2wjCzUOr5_lMDFVjjb89hyphenhyphenAjPrU5x8dqXQIth5McJrFvlWmxS0i2PBBWV2A8YK69-UxwiLaeIRKKOZDDKAIyY952UxoAq/s320/2011+Blog_3014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I removed the stems and chopped them up and added them to the TVP mixture. I added more spice than was in the recipe on Seitanic Vegan Heathen's blog, so I'm going to list what I did. Mine have a bit of ZIP from the spices.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pi23w5heW_mcKeCPS77dEonVNB0ss-ccnNIlA6wNS8s11xW9Spk1X9qF4-TrhOoU9kpt49-BrlZju5b0XpwSqGOxzRXGAC0XUDOxHDLzpWMdWeIjRRb69Ba_iD6Ijmt9pBtJ8GFB3nwO/s1600/2011+Blog_3012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pi23w5heW_mcKeCPS77dEonVNB0ss-ccnNIlA6wNS8s11xW9Spk1X9qF4-TrhOoU9kpt49-BrlZju5b0XpwSqGOxzRXGAC0XUDOxHDLzpWMdWeIjRRb69Ba_iD6Ijmt9pBtJ8GFB3nwO/s320/2011+Blog_3012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Here's what I put in mine:<br />
<br />
3/4 cup TVP<br />
3/4 cup boiling water<br />
2 teaspoons or so of Pasta Sprinkle (Penzey's - just a blend of oregano, basil, thyme, and garlic)<br />
1 teaspoon or so of Penzey's dried garlic cubes<br />
1 tablespoon minced dry onion<br />
2 2/3 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast<br />
minced stems from mushrooms<br />
couple of shakes of Liquid smoke<br />
couple of shakes of smoked paprika<br />
couple of shakes of pepper<br />
1 shake of salt<br />
<br />
I let the stuffing mixture sit for 10 or 15 minutes so the TVP was fully re-hydrated before I stuffed the mushrooms. I put them in a ceramic baking dish and covered it with foil. They baked for 20 minutes. Then I removed them from the oven and put some vegan nozzarella on it. I like Follow Your Heart, but many people like Daiya. I don't care for Daiya at all, so really, use what you like best.<br />
<br />
Overall, these were good. I think the mushrooms dried out too much. I'm not sure why that was. I did end up putting about 1/4 cup of veggie broth in the dish and cooking them a bit longer to see if that helped. It did. If I make any kind of stuffed mushrooms again, I'll roast the mushrooms first before adding the stuffing, which really just needs to be heated through. Personally, stuffed mushrooms aren't my favorite way to eat mushrooms, but it is good for a change.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLunyZqSyl7UmV3xfCRdi8SpVCkEIDFstt9T4iWH0_5yLcMn4H395TQmJmZKBuX2pnKXLndbWSa5pCjZ1cetWRT56hGDWs5dxU-XXF5NlGTCI_Y2TjVC3eqnnPPnSBYlDFzd6gJal3wj6/s320/2011+Blog_3017.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kobe Bean</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here's my girl, Kobe Bean. She's playing it cool, trying to look disinterested even though she's laying smack in the middle of the floor right in my way. I suspect she's waiting for a tasty morsel to drop. No such luck tonight!Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-15713150591012077122011-07-04T20:01:00.000-05:002011-07-04T20:01:17.286-05:00BBQ Seitan Ribz and Mushroom Chicken Burgers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyOaFKHHoW4j2eQ3i0ZSMOVcE37FxHUhHFq5jX8wPscsCC8tEu2sV2zw3vMRPMFr38rOkZ_GJvcc974D6zg8vIlyPe6BmC2twRWDqGTCdmHb4XfalHmxpiF8mx466PzhhMKiiUz6zwoBB/s1600/2011+Blog_2983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyOaFKHHoW4j2eQ3i0ZSMOVcE37FxHUhHFq5jX8wPscsCC8tEu2sV2zw3vMRPMFr38rOkZ_GJvcc974D6zg8vIlyPe6BmC2twRWDqGTCdmHb4XfalHmxpiF8mx466PzhhMKiiUz6zwoBB/s320/2011+Blog_2983.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Today, I made two more BBQ items. I made Susan Voisin's <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/05/barbecued-seitan-ribz.html">Barbecued Seitan Ribz</a> from her <a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/">FatFree Vegan Kitchen</a> blog. I also made another burger from Joni Marie Newman's cookbook, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Veggie-Burgers-Planet-Creations/dp/1592334768">The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet</a>. Today, I made Mushroom Chicken Burgers on page 96.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyR_k5Rhm8b4j06WK51_o3DWVm5vZlbPkD9l1ka3gJVqVW7Lfh-HpUQT1QtfaQ0wBm-T6sLkkZnw6iGKn92l-fgrpXd6gWB6dIfBgj4Lf0fNGPOuPY-ClXiV7jIjHxJRcUbDZVR3QqLRat/s1600/2011+Blog_2992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyR_k5Rhm8b4j06WK51_o3DWVm5vZlbPkD9l1ka3gJVqVW7Lfh-HpUQT1QtfaQ0wBm-T6sLkkZnw6iGKn92l-fgrpXd6gWB6dIfBgj4Lf0fNGPOuPY-ClXiV7jIjHxJRcUbDZVR3QqLRat/s320/2011+Blog_2992.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The ribz were definitely the easier of the two to make. Basically, I mixed the ingredients together, kneaded it for a minute and a half to two minutes, and then baked it. After that, it was smothered in BBQ sauce and put on the grill. You can see one of the Mushroom Chicken Burgers next to the "ribz" wrapped in foil.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpx6-yJQslpRn3CA-IKihY-mB3nKUm9cQjADL76WdWuUfmuJcmD7JxcI6SzI0rnDJ6rGFhL9DQTtxG5q0Q4d-edrzMnh00xdUsoh5agTp5yaGH1QWjFjm8b9cNZRqIvtZb2rS9r7dIRE-/s1600/Ribz+and+Mushroom+Chicken+Burgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpx6-yJQslpRn3CA-IKihY-mB3nKUm9cQjADL76WdWuUfmuJcmD7JxcI6SzI0rnDJ6rGFhL9DQTtxG5q0Q4d-edrzMnh00xdUsoh5agTp5yaGH1QWjFjm8b9cNZRqIvtZb2rS9r7dIRE-/s320/Ribz+and+Mushroom+Chicken+Burgers.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The Mushroom Chicken Burgers were a multi-phase item. I only had whole flax seeds, so the first order of business was to grind them in my food processor attachment that came with my immersion blender. I don't know why, but I hate grinding flax seeds. It's really unreasonable as it's so incredibly easy to grind them. I ended up grinding all of the rest of the flax seeds I have and put the majority of them into the freezer.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I had to reconstitute the TVP in veggie broth, chop mushrooms (baby bella mushrooms that I got at the Farmer's Marker yesterday) and garlic, and then saute the mixture. I crumbled the tempeh (which I had to use before next week sometime) and added it to the mushroom mix and sauted it for an additional 5 minutes, then added all of the ingredients together. I will say, I did NOT like the way these came together. I will also say that my cooking method is probably to blame in part.<br />
<br />
I didn't want to add a bunch of oil to the mushrooms, garlic, and then tempeh when it was added. I initially started with maybe 1 tablespoon to 1½ tablespoons of olive oil to saute the mushrooms. But when I added the garlic, I didn't want to use more oil, so I added a splash of veggie broth. Once I added the tempeh, I added more broth. I don't think I let it cook long enough to cook off all of the broth. I should have sauteed it a couple of minutes longer to dry it out.<br />
<br />
When adding all of the ingredients together, it wouldn't come together. The dough was too moist. I kneaded it for a few minutes (good grief, it was like glue on my fingers), but it still didn't want to come together. I ended up adding 1/4 cup of wheat gluten. I tried 1/8 cup first, but that did nothing. So, I added another 1/8 cup. It still didn't seem like it did much, but I figured if I added more, it would change the integrity of the burgers. SO, I used a paper towel to coat my trusty tupperware hamburger press with olive oil, grabbed a spoon, and began making burgers.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSt3lrA89xoiZhKxsckfnAmZBO6EKdYQpQ2rYvti_-oG0eXih3vVnG8cn7FaF2opazTzSvsYoXTIAut8LkCsATphUuwDoTUa3MJ61hCQV1_5vuHpXHRs13j7Zi3cMvo_sGMuApe2fGxsg/s1600/2011+Blog_2988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSt3lrA89xoiZhKxsckfnAmZBO6EKdYQpQ2rYvti_-oG0eXih3vVnG8cn7FaF2opazTzSvsYoXTIAut8LkCsATphUuwDoTUa3MJ61hCQV1_5vuHpXHRs13j7Zi3cMvo_sGMuApe2fGxsg/s320/2011+Blog_2988.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Surprisingly, the burgers held together OK (with minimal handling) once I put them in the press and formed the burger. I wrapped each burger loosely in foil so I could steam them on the Weber grill. The burgers really didn't stick to the hamburger press, which I thought was a good sign.<br />
<br />
The Mushroom Chicken Burgers are a moister burger. They did well in the foil method on the grill. These burgers would not hold up being put directly on the grill, in my opinion. I enjoyed the flavor, which is definitely on the "chicken" side, but not really like chicken. I had mine with mustard. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA24_JpLzC5vNlSQNNpLpaN0L48dRJTzOoM2P-djFLCgoA5OMHWusGsSctjoAzM4_oJ-uW_unci0CMYAo6tNLi8iL5t5WvDqraodjF38wlmEAys-PtrRqbz5BUkW5kxGr911LbpFgaoq3U/s1600/2011+Blog_2984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA24_JpLzC5vNlSQNNpLpaN0L48dRJTzOoM2P-djFLCgoA5OMHWusGsSctjoAzM4_oJ-uW_unci0CMYAo6tNLi8iL5t5WvDqraodjF38wlmEAys-PtrRqbz5BUkW5kxGr911LbpFgaoq3U/s320/2011+Blog_2984.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Overall, my grilling experiences with vegan burgers and ribz was a good one. I will make both of the burgers from this weekend again. I'll definitely make the ribz again. It was nice to cook my food on the grill along with my sons' food so we could all have BBQ for the holiday weekend.Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3976012851620870211.post-80472356191918208482011-07-03T16:08:00.002-05:002011-07-04T08:25:39.831-05:00Bacon Cheeseburgers and Roasted Potatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhv1jiRuh92GxX5O2X_PUm5hNFywNzUXFVya8zojTimH4_fTUEoelfAhpszrF6Dh6IP4CvqPGqp_mmc35JMzHJx41uLoZ78Ujon1Gk1rIUs_IUzdfC5K4LClxr1Ka2jqdINbapkQGCfW6/s1600/2011+Blog_2954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhv1jiRuh92GxX5O2X_PUm5hNFywNzUXFVya8zojTimH4_fTUEoelfAhpszrF6Dh6IP4CvqPGqp_mmc35JMzHJx41uLoZ78Ujon1Gk1rIUs_IUzdfC5K4LClxr1Ka2jqdINbapkQGCfW6/s320/2011+Blog_2954.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It's the 4th of July weekend. I cooked out on the grill yesterday. I made some food for my sons (courtesy of my youngest leaving the door ajar to my deep freezer), some food only for me, and potatoes for both of us. I've been searching my vegan cookbooks for two weeks looking at all of the burger recipes. I wanted to make a new type of burgers. I finally chose <a href="http://justthefood.blogspot.com/2011/05/viva-la-revolucion-cookbook-t-shirt.html">Bacon Cheeseburgers</a> on page 89 of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592334768/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img">The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet</a>, and BOY-OH-BOY, I'm glad I did. Thanks to Joni for putting the recipe on her blog, so I can share the <a href="http://justthefood.blogspot.com/2011/05/viva-la-revolucion-cookbook-t-shirt.html">link </a>to it with all of you. :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae1gQ66yhcIximrEO5rAbUCXqf5IXzZ-iBkb5F5MKlKotfeu3Q-Yy79C4YvbeaDmDvt54a2nvKrrzoVjc9o64cpZGRaRuuKGRWfsQFHso1uk15hfYvrkDwjFbGBmigmwbK7If3wDEi6nv/s1600/2011+Blog_2962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae1gQ66yhcIximrEO5rAbUCXqf5IXzZ-iBkb5F5MKlKotfeu3Q-Yy79C4YvbeaDmDvt54a2nvKrrzoVjc9o64cpZGRaRuuKGRWfsQFHso1uk15hfYvrkDwjFbGBmigmwbK7If3wDEi6nv/s320/2011+Blog_2962.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The first step I took was to make <a href="http://justthefood.blogspot.com/2011/05/viva-la-revolucion-cookbook-t-shirt.html">Imitation Bacon Bits </a>on page 185. I've not made imitation bacon bits before, and the recipe for this was very easy. I just boiled some water and Liquid Smoke (I used half hickory flavor and have mesquite flavor), marinated TVP in it for 10 minutes, and then cooked the TVP until it dried out. The recipe called for red food coloring, which I didn't have, but I didn't miss that. I was a little apprehensive on how the finished product would taste, but it was good. It doesn't taste quite like bacon, but it does have a "smoky" flavor that is vaguely reminiscent of bacon. I think it is a decent substitute.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSYd-g74rxWuSlzp2C4Kv81rhhAE4cUKAQDuXpjcop_0qeH-ZEWFoZRfpYH9Zx1hxFNcWfgltJP7AbFejOvDO8KNuqWGNnf2woZRmA5ijU_sNvyol3qDAQ4AC7tyHo7K0ncyx2ECrkigA/s1600/2011+Blog_2961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSYd-g74rxWuSlzp2C4Kv81rhhAE4cUKAQDuXpjcop_0qeH-ZEWFoZRfpYH9Zx1hxFNcWfgltJP7AbFejOvDO8KNuqWGNnf2woZRmA5ijU_sNvyol3qDAQ4AC7tyHo7K0ncyx2ECrkigA/s320/2011+Blog_2961.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I compiled all of the ingredients for the burgers. If it looks like a lot, it is. I made a double batch of burgers. My intention was to freeze a good number of burgers so I can take some to my brother and sis-in-law later this month when I see them at a family gathering. (I will be making another type of burger in the next week so I can take them a couple of different types of burgers.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhth6QhLhBPUVhjL_EU9Pz5T4DL2hEqpGdcQOzSgJogri6zZ7ZyPwlULlErOMjjwgmfv788XkuQiqEweXD49lywvXiRXgBLs9gAwgg-AUVg7QLQ_S7VXw3ILQQ66mqktPiqdzJPYPKtgemy/s1600/2011+Blog_2959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhth6QhLhBPUVhjL_EU9Pz5T4DL2hEqpGdcQOzSgJogri6zZ7ZyPwlULlErOMjjwgmfv788XkuQiqEweXD49lywvXiRXgBLs9gAwgg-AUVg7QLQ_S7VXw3ILQQ66mqktPiqdzJPYPKtgemy/s320/2011+Blog_2959.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I have to say, I didn't know how well the burger dough would come together with the peanut butter, maple syrup, and BBQ sauce in it, given that I had to use my hands to mix it up. The recipe said to knead it for 5 minutes. I can't stand that part and I'm ALWAYS watching the clock for the time to be over, and that's when I only have to knead for 3 minutes. When I made these, I figured since I had to knead a couple of extra minutes, I'd set the timer when I began and not look at the clock. The time went by quicker than I thought it would. However, one of these times, I'm going to get my stand mixer out and the dough hooks and see if that works as well as hand mixing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVVdrChS8d0AHLpXfdRo2X0auAZHMl3CUuIyW4OfAUHP_2UUuRGCQEYqGDMPdLjqHOecse5Q9UuzTSEw6pQlkN_kxN9luAdWlKS-YV036Yf-Tv7VLCdOuDdhW79k_hyouZHXPA0oulvHP/s1600/2011+Blog_2951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVVdrChS8d0AHLpXfdRo2X0auAZHMl3CUuIyW4OfAUHP_2UUuRGCQEYqGDMPdLjqHOecse5Q9UuzTSEw6pQlkN_kxN9luAdWlKS-YV036Yf-Tv7VLCdOuDdhW79k_hyouZHXPA0oulvHP/s320/2011+Blog_2951.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I always use my trusty Tupperware hamburger press to make my burgers. They come out so uniformly shaped. Note the bottom right burger looks thicker than some of the other burgers. That's because the recipe states that it makes only 4 burgers, so I thought I'd get 8 burgers. I divided the dough in half and then divided one of the halves in fourths. I quickly realized that the burgers were going to be GINORMOUS. So, I cut some of the burger away from the original three that I made and made smaller burgers. The recipe will easily make 6 burgers (about the size of a quarter pounder). I ended up making 10 burgers, but easily, I could have made a dozen with the double batch.<br />
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As for the taste, you ask? These burgers have a BBQ flavor that is mellowed a bit by the nutritional yeast. I absolutely love these burgers. They held up exceptionally well on the Weber grill. I wasn't sure they would because they weren't steamed or cooked in any manner before I slapped them on the grill. I coated the burgers with BBQ sauce and let them sit on the grill for another couple of minutes before removing them. I made 3 burgers and froze the remaining 7 burgers. I will DEFINITELY be making these again! They ROCKED!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoc50mNWvCTAdYPdueWaaFywS_fxjvXxWwqjkZHKF1p_teX92BNI7BkNfkr2aIuKeYnGPU0MPa9cMBMLnAkB-Vqz7KkaSdXWfjteIZ1DNt4aucg3haKss5nhVBtQmFfk0OPXWEpjcTXv1/s1600/2011+Blog_2981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoc50mNWvCTAdYPdueWaaFywS_fxjvXxWwqjkZHKF1p_teX92BNI7BkNfkr2aIuKeYnGPU0MPa9cMBMLnAkB-Vqz7KkaSdXWfjteIZ1DNt4aucg3haKss5nhVBtQmFfk0OPXWEpjcTXv1/s320/2011+Blog_2981.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>As the side, I cut up four Yukon gold potatoes in 1" chunks. I drizzled 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the potatoes and added 1 teaspoon of Northwoods seasoning (Penzey's) and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. I also minced 1 sprig of fresh rosemary and 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (cut a minute beforehand from the plants on my deck) and added that to the potatoes. I sealed the potatoes, herbs, and spices in tinfoil, and put it on the grill to cook for about 45 minutes. It made a very tasty side dish.Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550795101401249738noreply@blogger.com0