Book Giveaway Chance. And Who's the Inspiration

Hum Chicago's You're the Inspiration while reading the last part of the post title. 

http://amzn.to/2ndM0qv

Okay. Now go to Elaine Stock's blog to hear Michelle's take on how she fleshed out her characters. Including Wifi the Wonder Dog. 

You don't know Fifi? Well, then you might want to go to the link under the book cover, buy a copy and meet her. 

Finally. If you like easy throw together meals, especially Meatless Monday ones, go to Zu-Fer and give Zula's Minestrone a try. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Orange Maple Tempeh

I had to take a meatless dish to Easter dinner. The omnivores in the crowd were going to be chowing down on ham with a sweet mustardy sauce, and though that doesn't tempt me I wanted to offer something with some bite and some similarities. 

Enter tempeh, Now, this shouldn't really appeal to omni's. Tempeh is fermented grains and tofu, after all. I mean, no omni is going to order this off a menu if they could have meat instead. 

But. Can I tell you that omni's gave this a try, and two thumbs ups? I just did. Scout's honor. 

Make this the night before (or at least an hour so the marinade can soak into the tempeh.) 

Orange Maple Tempeh

2 packages tempeh (I used TJ's)
3 cloves chopped garlic
3 - 4 carrots cut into sticks
1/2 to 3/4 Nuts (optional)

Glaze
2/3 Cup orange marmalade (I used Trader Joe's)
1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 Cup maple syrup
Mix together and set aside until ready. 

Cut tempeh into chunks, squares, triangles, rectangles, strips. Place in a steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes. Tempeh should be double the thickness. 

Oil a 9 x 13 pan. 

Toss garlic chunks, tempeh pieces, carrot sticks and nuts if using into the pan/dish.

Scoop marinade/glaze over the tempeh pieces and drizzling over the dish. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.  When ready, heat the oven to 350 and bake for 25 or so minutes. You want the carrots tender and the marinade to caramelize. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Marigold Cheesecake Bars

I suggest making this the full day before to let the flavors marry fully and to make the cake the perfect serving texture. This recipe will serve 12 in bar form or 20 in the cupcake version (I suggest silicone cupcake liners. I’m guessing paper will stand up just fine, too, but I didn’t try that scenario out.)  I’m also suggesting possible add-in’s just for the fun of it.

Marigold Cheesecake

10 Golden Oreos (complete) or Vanilla Jo-Jos

10 Golden Oreos or Jo-Jo outside cookies (for a total of 20 outside cookie disks)  (Scrape the middles into a bowl for the filling).

1 TBSP Earth Balance or coconut oil

In a food processor whir the 10 whole cookies, twenty cookie shells and 1 TBSP of butter or coconut oil.

Press the mixture into a 8 x 11 pan.

Or to go even easier. Place one cookie shell on the bottom of a cupcake liner. Fill 20 cupcake liners. Scrape the middles into a bowl for the next step. In this scenario you only need 10 total cookies.

Filling:

Move the bowl of the cookie middles to front and center. To them add:

8 ounces cream cheese (I use TJ's Not Cream Cheese)

1 TBSP orange marmalade

Zest and juice from 1/2 an orange (you could also replace this with 2 more TBSP of orange marmalade)

1/4 Cup powdered sugar

Whip with mixer or food processor.

Fold in:

2 Cups whipped coconut cream. (1 can full fat coconut without water) (-- if you don't know how to do this it's simple. Get a can of full fat coconut milk (I love Trader Joe's - put in fridge for at least 2 days if using another brand.) Open and scrape out the solid, leaving the water behind for another purpose (smoothies, Thai cooking) Whip into creaminess with your mixer. Toss in a few TBSP of powdered sugar and a dash of vanilla if you desire. That's it.

Spoon over crust in pan or cookie half in cupcake liner  and refrigerate until set. Several hours or overnight is even better.

Additions and Wows: 

Stir in additional broken cookie bits if desired. Or add craisins, or both.  Switch out the crust for chocolate sandwich cookies and add mini chocolate chips to the filling. Make a drizzle out of melted chocolate chips and marmalade or raspberry seedless jam,  2 TBSP chips melted with 1 TBSP jam/marmalade. Place in a zipper bag and cut the corner off and squeeze over the bars/cupcakes.