Serials and Scenarios ~ Tea for Two...Well...Guests

I completed another whirlwind trip to Minnesota. Michelle and I were invited to a tea party as guests. (I love this word...guests...it means we didn't have to do anything but show up! PERK!) 

The tea was worth the drive.

Michelle has been before and the ladies are big fans of hers. They welcomed me with open arms.

First. The food.

Unbelievable amounts of deliciousness. Most items came in dairy free options as well gluten free and everything was delicious. I mean really delicious.

They gave us our choice in hatwear and tea cups. Many, many choices. They have acquired unique head coverings and tea cups through the years of building this special book club. 

And then we talked about books. Not just ours though many of them shared bits of Out of the Frying Pan that were their favorites. And they are eager for book two to come out soon. Hmmmm motivation to write...

I was shocked two hours after lunch when Michelle announced it was time to go. The stories those ladies told. Whoeee there is some serious fiction fodder there. No, actually, if we tried to write up the stories as fiction people would say they were way too unbelievable. True story.

We ended our time together by opening their gift to us. Each of us received a small frying pan filled with hand made artisan gifts. Apple butter, lotion, soap, lip balm, knit scrub pads and dish cloths. Goodness. The gift smelled delicious and the topper was a bouquet made from scavenged silk flowers. Ha. Ha. They literally came from a dumpster. Well, one of the gals used to work at a book store and they were rescued from the fate of the dumpster. She's had them for years and just knew that this was the occasion with which to part with them. 

These flowers and frying pans will show up at our author's table this weekend you can be sure of that!  The dumpster diving sparked a lively conversation. I was able to talk about my grandma's years in a condo that bordered an apartment complex. She was a regular visitor to the dumpster when people moved out. She was always horrified at the things people threw out. I probably still have some items she scavenged and offered to me. 

Did I mention the stories were hilariously stranger than fiction? 

A good time was had by all. Especially me! 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Good Idea, Nearly Delish Fail...

Tasty idea that almost, almost made it to a top ten list. 

I need to work on the crust of this bad boy. But. I'll share the idea. If you love smores, you might want to work on your own crust. 

You could use the whole crushed graham crackers, a little bit of Earth Balance, pressed into a 9 x 13 pan. Or cookie dough of your choice baked until done. 

Then dump 1 1/2 or 2  cups of chocolate chips over the crust and allow them to soften from the heat of the crust. (If you don't bake the crust, you might want to melt the chips with a TBSP of coconut oil or peanut butter and pour over the crust. Use a bag of Dandies marshmallows. Cut each one in half (I used the standard sized bag and the large size of marshmallows if they come in other sizes...) 

Toss the marshmallows onto the chocolate and press down. Stick under the broiler and toast them until they turn golden and start to melt. 

Cool for ten minutes or so. Then cut into bars.  

Scrambles and Scribbles ~ Vegan 101. Meet the "Meats" Part 1

"You don't eat meat!?! That's Okay. I fix lamb."  uh, no. Thanks. 

Meat. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that your first experience with a meat substitute will rock your world and replace meat in your heart forever. If you are committed to getting meat out of your life, you need also to commit to allowing your tastebuds a chance to change and grow. And they will. Some of the meat subs we've tried have tasted as good to meat eaters as they do to us, others have been utter fails to all. But the key is to keep trying and growing. I'll post links to some of my favorite recipes (mine or others) the next time in Part 2. But for now, he's something to chew on.

This is where the omnivores (meat and veggie eaters) in your life really notice the "Vegan thing."  It's pretty difficult to fake steak and pot roast, turkey and ham. However, you can get the sensation of a meaty feel or flavor. And you can usually satisfy the meat itch. My favorite go to cookbooks for meat replacements are by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Vegan with a Vengeance has the best Seitan recipe. (more about Seitan in a moment). And Veganomicon brings us the Chickpea cutlet. These recipes are worth the purchase price of the cookbooks and as a bonus she has lots of other great recipes in them as well. If you buy fake meat at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's you're making an investment. With some fairly inexpensive ingredients and a little time you can make your own and you control what goes into the end product. But fake meat that's packaged and ready to go is wonderful for convenience. We love the Gardein, Fieldroast and Upton products we've tried. Trader Joe's has an inexpensive meatless strip that has fooled a few omnivores.
Seitan is wheat meat also known as gluten. You buy gluten flour either packaged or in bulk. Most recipes call for anywhere from a 1/2 cup to 2 cups depending on what you are making and how many you need to feed. Average price that I pay is about three bucks a pound and a pound makes several servings. The Vegan with a Vengeance recipe is very close to the same taste as found in the processed seitans. Machine made seitan texture is hard to replicate, but I've made seitan rolls and sliced it pretty thin and frozen it and it's a satisfying meat replacement. The chickpea cutlet recipe I mentioned above contains gluten as well as chickpeas and they make a really filling and delicious chicken breast substitute. But. People with wheat allergies can't do gluten.
Tofu and tempeh are other meat substitutes. Tempeh is a step beyond tofu, basically tofu that has fermented and may contain grains.  Both of these are an aquired taste. Tofu, unless it's breaded and fried or blended into something like "scrambled eggs" is pretty tasteless and the texture will not fool anyone. And tofu is the classic Vegan staple from the seventies. Tofu will develop a chewier texture if you freeze it to help dry it out. Tofu bacon is really tasty and easy. Tofu is pressed (to push out water) marinated in soy sauce (some add liquid smoke and maple syrup) and then sliced and pan fried. I will marinate, slice and freeze it. Otherwise, my tofu usually ends up as scrambled eggs...how to:. saute the veggies you want, dump your pressed tofu (to get the water out, put it between two plates on a few paper towels set something heavy on top plate for a half hour or so) into the pan. Toss in some spices like salt, garlic powder...and tumeric. Tumeric gives it the yellow you need to fool yourself into thinking you are eating scrambled eggs. Cook until the tofu is broken up and yellow and you have what resembles scrambled eggs and veggies. Isa Chandra Moskowitz has a Vegan Brunch cookbook that has several "egg" dishes. Google vegan scrambled eggs and you'll find a lot of recipes. A local Asian restaurant serves peanut butter tofu which is on my list to recreate at home.
Tempeh is a smokier, nuttier taste and is firmer and smaller than tofu. It can be sliced, marinated, breaded, crumbled. It can work as bacon, in dishes to replace chicken or beef. I've not found a must go to recipe with tempeh. But I keep trying.
Beans, nuts, grains and vegetables can stand in for meat. Meaty vegetables are eggplant, mushrooms and cauliflower. Cauliflower has become a new favorite. I haven't done what some have, slab it like steak, but have discovered breaded cauliflower wings and that alone makes me sing it's praises. Portabella mushrooms are another favorite meatlike vegetable, we love them grilled or roasted. And we love then sliced and sauteed with pepper and onions. We have come to the point we are not seeking to have a "meat" with each meal. Instead we are trying to find foods that makes us feel alive and nourished. If that's three piles of different styles of veggies, then that's what it is.
Binders like eggs are limited in cooking. Ground flax seed and liquid (1 TBSP flax to 3 TBSP liquid)  works in something like "meatloaf." As I mentioned with scrambled eggs, tofu is a usual substitute. I've even seen tofu used as egg salad. I haven't tried it, don't know if I want to. Ya know?
Chicken and tuna salads are all over the internet. I've seen seitan, tempeh, tofu and chickpea versions. I've made one that almost scratches the itch for us. But we were never big chicken salad fans. Tuna, I haven't even tried, though sea vegetables add the fish to the "tuna". I think the key is to add similar spices and bits. For tuna salad I'd need to add sweet pickles and mustard because that's what my mom's recipe included.
The following websites have some great meaty type meal ideas and recipes.

Fat Free Vegan
Peas and Thank You
PPK
Happy, Healthy Life
Oh She Glows

The following cookbooks have great recipes. Each of these has multiple vegan recipes I've made and love, Peas and Thank you (check out her blog for a feel) is a go to book with traditional recipes tweaked and some new creative ideas. I've already mentioned Vegan with a Vengeance and Vegiminicon. Both of these have traditional and ethnic recipes. (The authors blog at PPK so you can check out some of their recipes there.)

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Why Vegan # 1

So I've learned a few things since starting the Vegan journey almost two years ago. 

I've waxed not so eloquently about some of these details but maybe have not covered enough to make my journey clear to my readers. 

The big question I would've and did ask when starting this trip is "How to go Vegan and what have been the best helps along the way?"

And since January is right around the corner, and January is the month when humanity generally decides to make healthier choices, I think the timing is right to share our personal Vegan 101 path. 

Are you considering going meatless? Once a week? Cutting back? Do you want to live a greener life and reduce your carbon footprint? Are you motivated by health? Animal protection? A combination of both?

In this season of overindulgence, while considering your future health and choices, here are some details that may build a map of the route we are on. 

The following information is fluid rather than concrete because I haven’t read all or cooked from all Vegan cookbooks and websites. However, the resources I’m supplying have been helpful to me on my journey. And they have been well worth the cost of trying the recipes and buying the books.

The first three are recipe books that have a decent amount of teaching on the whos, whats, whys and hows of Veganism. If you are concerned about the environment, your health and furry (or not so furry) little (or not so little) critters you would choose well to check out Thrive Foods, The Kind Diet and Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook. Each of these contain loads of details and help on how and what to do. Each of them also contains some tasty recipes. Some of the ingredients are likely odd for the newbie Vegan or wannabe Vegan, especially in Thrive Foods and The Kind Diet. Thrive Foods really does a great job explaining why to consume the unusual items he suggests. 

Not using/consuming animal products makes a huge difference in our environment. Again, Thrive foods goes into loads of detail about the impact of animal farming. Recycling, walking or riding a bike everywhere, buying local…these things all add up, but avoiding the use of animal products knocks it out of the park. 

If words like Miso (just opened my first bag ever), Tempeh (started dabbling a year ago) and the idea of eating sea vegetables (gag) makes you feel overwhelmed, you can breeze past those ingredients and revisit them as you feel more comfortable. Thrive has smoothie recipes and raw meal ideas. Skinny Bitch has a vegan cookie that will fool anyone. And The Kind Diet has a couple of recipes that have become go-to for me. 

Documentaries are also a great source of information on health and environment. (Food Matters, Food, Inc. Forks over Knives, King Corn, Vegucated, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead)Do note that if you are sensitive about animal suffering, you may struggle with many details. And documentaries always have a bent.   

Inform yourself to make the decision that is best for you and one you can live with. And no matter what decision you make, you will discover nay-sayers and critics. What you choose to put in your body is a lot like your spiritual beliefs. What I believe spiritually is truth. But that truth, no matter how real it is, feels, is shared with others, documented by ancient writings etc. etc. is a personal decision. I believe and base my life on truth, many others do not. And beliefs can be passionate and polar opposites. Veganism, food, diet and nutrition contains those same camps and sometimes they are light years away from each other.

Another cookbook that is of value for newbies or explorers is Supermarket Vegan, especially if you live in an area without Trader Joes, Whole Foods, co-ops or Farmer’s Markets. Supermarket Vegan is a good resource. Heavy on salads and sides, light on desserts, but lots of recipes where you can find ingredients in your local grocery store.

One of my most valuable basic books is The Complete Guide to Vegan Substitutions. It contains charts and details, recipes for just about every substitution you might need to find. It shows how to veganize your favorite recipes. It’s a basic building block. The handful of recipes I’ve tried will be ones I’ll tweak the next time I make them, though, because they were a bit bland. It offers a basic foundation to build on rather than the perfect book for the recipe you will serve to your next gathering of omnivores (meat and dairy eaters...). Vegan on the Cheap is another good resource. I like (and so does my budget and body) using whole foods to make my own meals. These both help me to do that.

Next Topic: 

Basic Cooking Trials and Tribulations. Transition from Traditional to Vegan. One step at a time.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Sinai Chop Salad

Sinai Chop Salad

Ingredients are cut into bite sized pieces so every bite has a little of everything.

One can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (If you have dried around, make your own. A can = about 1 and 2/3 cup cooked beans.)

Three heads of Romaine lettuce washed and chopped

Two cucumbers. Remove most of the skin but leave just a bit for color and chop into bite sized pieces.

Four small dill pickles (chopped)

Purple onion ½ to a whole onion, depending on size and your preference (small chopped)

Four to six tomatoes (chopped)

Dressing: (Make this at least the day before so all the flavors marry)

2 TBSP tahini (Sesame seed paste with a very distinct flavor should be in internal section of the store.) (If this scares you, or you don't want a jar of tahini in your fridge you can use hummus)

4 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar (may need more or some water to get to consistency you'd like)

1 teaspoons oregano (dried) or equivalent in fresh

1 teaspoon dill (dried) or equivalent in fresh

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt.

Toss all the salad ingredients into a big bowl.

Drizzle dressing over salad. Serve with pitas. Feel free to toss chunked falafels into the mix, too.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Banana-Cranberry Bread. Vegan, of course.

 I've made this recipe twice and I'm calling it a keeper. Tonight I added dried cranberries and walnuts to one loaf, chocolate chips and walnuts to the other. Both are tasty.

I love that the ingredients include whole grain, bananas, applesauce and flax.  
 
Banana Cranberry Bread

4 Cups flour
1 Cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 Cup coconut oil
1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 ripe bananas
1/2 Cup non dairy milk
2 TBSP ground flax seed
1 1/2 Cup applesauce
4 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 Cups crushed walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 Cups dried cranberries or chocolate chips
 
 Combine non dairy milk and flax and let gel in a small bowl. Mix coconut oil, sugar, bananas and applesauce together. Add vanilla and stir. Add spices, salt, soda and baking powder and mix well. Stir in flax/milk mixture until all incorporated. Add flour and oatmeal until mixed. Toss in nuts and cranberries or chocolate chips.

Grease two loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean or almost clean.

Next time I'm going to add white chocolate chips and some orange zest with the cranberry version. I'm thinking it will be delicious. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Recipes Under Construction Kinda

Random recipes tried, tasty and not photographed. 

Vegan Banana Bread French Toast with Peanut Butter Maple Syrup

Coming soon. 



Butternut Squash Baked Macaroni and No Cheese

2 Cups cooked butternut squash
1/2  onion
3/4 Cup vegetable juice
4 TBSP nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
 1/2 teaspoon salt

 
4 Cups cooked pasta.

Combine all but pasta in food processor and process until smooth. 

Grease casserole pan. Mix pasta in with squash mix. Put in casserole, cover with Vegan Parmesan recipe below and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Vegan Parmesan 

3 TBSP almonds
4 TBSP nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt


Rosemary Two Potato Soup

7 Medium Potatoes
1 Medium Sweet Potato
1 Small onion
6 Cups vegetable broth
1 TBSP Earth Balance
1 tsp finely chopped/ground dried rosemary
1 tsp ground smoked salt (adjust if using salty veggie broth)

Chop potatoes and onions small dice. Saute in Vegan margarine until browned. Combine with vegetable broth, rosemary and salt and simmer until potatoes and onions are tender.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Pumpkin Caramel Pecan Bundt Cake Vegan MoFo #20

Pumpkin Caramel Pecan Bundt Cake 
(Breakfast or dessert or both) It's a plate licker.


Batter:

1 Cup pumpkin puree (room temperature)
1/2 Cup non-dairy milk
2 tsp vinegar
1 1/4 Cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Cup coconut oil (room temperature)
1/2 Cup applesauce (room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2 Cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 grease and flour bundt pan. Place milk and vinegar together and allow to curdle. Leave 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin, sugar, spices, applesauce oil and blend well and until thoroughly mixed. Add flour and incorporate.

Pour half the batter in the pan. Set aside remaining batter.

Maple Caramel Sauce:

1/2 Cup brown sugar
6 TBSP coconut oil

4 TBSP non-dairy milk

1/2 Cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 shakes of salt

 Melt coconut oil, add brown sugar and maple syrup. Combine until the mixture melts and begins to bubble. Add milk and stir until all is incorporated and the sauce comes to a simmer. Simmer for about a minute. Remove from heat. Add the cinnamon and salt and stir and vanilla and stir.
Add cooled sauce to food processor and then add

1 Cup pecans
1 Cup dates
 
Blend until finely combined and sticky.

Layer the caramel over the pumpkin cake batter in the cake pan. Cover the pecan mixture with the rest of the batter. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

Let the bundt cake cool. Then turn over onto a plate. 


Glaze:

3 TBSP non-dairy cream cheese
1 TBSP maple syrup
1/2 Cup powdered sugar

Mix together. Add a TBSP or so of non-dairy milk if the glaze is too thick. You want it thicker than glaze but wet enough to run down the sides of the cake. When the cake is completely cool cover the cake with icing and the maple sugar pecans. 

Maple Sugar Pecans:

Toss 1 Cup pecans in a pan. When fragrant toss in
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
1 1/2 TBSP maple syrup
pinch of salt

Coat pecans and toss until the sugar begins to melt and the glaze sticks to the nuts. Remove from heat and cool. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Muffaletta Stroganoff

Warning do not let the color put you off. It's tasty stuff, this, and if you use mushrooms you won't even have to suffer the scornful looks and furrowed brows like I did. Rob forewarned me that he couldn't eat it. I asked him to please try it. And then he did and he said that it was delicious.

Muffaletta Stroganoff

Serves 4-6

Zucchini noodles or pasta of choice. (if you are uninitiated in zucchini noodles here's the scoop. Use a spiralizer a julienne blade or veggie peeler and cut zucchini into pasta-ish strips. Sprinkle the zucchini with salt and let sit for several minutes if you plan to use it raw. If you want it heated pour boiling water over it, cover and steep for several minutes then drain.)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 medium onion (small dice)

2 cups mushrooms or corn smut (mexican truffles) (chopped)

1 TBSP Earth Balance

3 TBSP flour

1 tsp powdered vegetable broth or bouillon

1/4 cup kalamata olives (diced)

1/4 cup green olives (diced)

2 cups non dairy unsweetened milk

1/2 TBSP lemon juice

1 tsp spicy mustard

1/2 tsp salt (heavy)

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Sauté onions and garlic in the Earth Balance. Add mushrooms when onions are translucent. When veggies soften and brown add flour and stir until veggies are pasty. Add milk stir until the sauce begins to thicken and bubble. Add the remaining ingredients . Serve over noodles when sauce reaches the consistency you want.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Peanut Butter Melt in Your Mouth Cookies...

Why on earth would I fire up the oven on a hot Monday afternoon.....at the peak of the heat curve? Why? 

Maybe because I saw a cookie recipe on a website. And that cookie recipe was NOTHING even CLOSE to what I ended up making. But somehow it inspired the need to heat up the kitchen. 

It was worth the sweat. 

These totally melt in your mouth. Crispy, delicate, crumbly they need to sit on the cookie pan while they cool a bit and will store best in the fridge. I can't quite place the taste. Maybe a cookie version of the inside of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, or a soft chewy version of a Butterfinger. A little hint of those chewy butterscotch Rice Krispie bars that are covered in chocolate and make you sick because they are so stinking sweet. How about I just call these darn tasty. 

Peanut Butter Melt In Your Mouth Cookies

1/2 Cup peanut butter

1/2 Cup coconut oil

1 1/3 Cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Cup flour

1 1/2 Cup oatmeal

1 Cup chocolate chips

Mix coconut oil, peanut butter and brown sugar together until blended. Add vanilla, stir, salt and baking powder and mix well. Stir in flour until incorporated. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips. 

The dough is grainy and crumbly. Roll into small balls and press into disks and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Let sit until cool then store in the fridge. Makes 24ish cookies.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Weekend Lessons Learned...

This weekend I learned a few lessons.

Sad, Scalloped Thumb Buddy...

A) When you have one of those really, really sweet mandoline slicers. The ones that have the protective guard to hold your fruits and veggies and come with warnings to use them....yeah. That neat little razor sharp gadget. Even if you need to slice a bunch of potatoes and onions for dinner and have very little time to throw dinner together because you have to go to a jewelry party at which you are the demonstrator...DO NOT slice potatoes and onions or anything else without the guard. Unless, that is, you want to slice an unexpected non-veggie, such as your thumb. 

I've taken on the burden of pain to bring you this Public Service Announcement (PSA) about mandoline safety. Ms. Thumb is indeed sad. She bled on my pink sweater, payback, passive aggressive little twerp. Ms thumb will survive. Next time she might not be so lucky. So let's just say she learned a lesson, and indeed, what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger, proven. We will never, never, never misuse my mandoline again. Repeat after me. What I just said.

Lesson B) Bunnies are tricky and sneaky. Of course we know that based on the sheer number of bunnies who live with us. However, the little surprise bunny, Fanny, is proving to be very advanced in her trickiness, last night, while I was distracted she jumped out of the cage. I grabbed her right away, but it was a surprise. Rotten little thing.  

Lesson C) Recipe creating, tweaking, retweaking and fails are getting fun. I feel like I kind of have a basic understanding, finally, of Vegan cooking and baking. I've found some go-to recipes and am beginning to really enjoy layering, messing with, adding and subtracting to create new. 

almond bisYummy

I've decided to do a project for Vegan Month of Food (Vegan Mofo) for October this year. I'll be sharing a bunch of recipes then. But I'm trying, tweaking and creating them now, so we can test them out. Last weekend I scored two wins. And Friday and Saturday I messed with three more (two need a few tweaks but are nearly there, one, needs some rethinking). Sunday evening was another experiment that included a recipe for almond biscotti that was stellar. Fortunately, I made enough of a batch that it could be sampled instead of all earmarked for the other recipe. This little beauty in the picture was slated for scarfing. And scarfed it was.  And since this is just one component of a dessert that should be off the charts, I think I can go ahead and share the recipe soon. So come back tomorrow for the recipe. Toad-boy, a kind of a biscotti snob, crunched through one and called it the best biscotti he's ever eaten.

Hope you had a good weekend.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Fresh, Farm Art...

Nothing crazy happened at the farm. No creepie-crawlie, shuddery encounters. 

The vegetables were picked and ready to pack. The day was beautiful, almost autumn-like. And after weeks of heat, heat, heat, so welcome. The hundred degree dry wave has taken a toll on the veggies. The tomatoes are beginning to rebound from the heat and will probably continue as there are lots of sets and plenty of time for ripening. With the cooler temperatures there should be some decent picks left. The lettuces will be appearing again, soon. The potatoes are a different story. After some research, the farmer has decided that the uppermost potatoes were nearly cooked in the ground so they were quick to rot. They pulled out a decent yield. Just decent, though, and barely equivalent to what they planted. Then, over the following days potatoes began to turn. The yield shrunk to nominal. But. There hasn't been hail like last year.

The pack was quick and full of delicious items like eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, kale and basil.

Picmonkey helped me turn the pictures of the fabulous piles of eggplant into art. Something about the well-used plastic table and the harsh daylight shining on the eggplant, though beautiful, was a little bit stark. 

And, yes, I'm enjoying Picmonkey experimentation. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Farming, Farming, Look at That Nasty Thing...

The weather cooperated enough that we were able to harvest sweet corn on Farm day. Yay. The tomatoes have gone slightly dormant with the heat. And for literally two minutes we got a rain storm. A two minute downpour that soaked the parking lots and teased everything else desperate for rain.

But those are just the little details. Here's the big adventure we had at the farm. While checking the organically grown, you know it's organically grown if there is evidence of pests having nibbled, but I digress, corn, & found something.

When I say she found something, I don't mean something innocent, or cute, or ordinary. I mean she found SOMETHING. As you have already correctly judged from the pictures she found something nasty ugly. I've seen this stuff call corn smut. And I've shunned it like the plague that it appears to be. I believe my childhood dreams were haunted by this corn monstrosity many, many nights.

But, get this, the farmer begins educating us on what corn smut is, and actually tells us she's eaten it before and it's tasty. Okay. I'm a major mushroom fan and this kind of piqued my interest. It's edible? Oh, yes, it's a delicacy in many parts of the world. She pulled one off the corn and showed us that it indeed looked like a mushroom under the black, oozy looking covering. So. I tasted it. I took a bite right out of it. And it's good. Tasty, mushroomy. And I am able to, 36 hours later, type this without hallucinating or stumbling around any more than usual in my words. I looked it up on wikepedia...why do I always go there? Anyhoo, I did. And here's the link to Mexican Truffles i.e. corn smut.

I wouldn't try this with non-organically grown corn. But, hey, how often do you get a chance to break off a hunk of ugliness and take a big bite? You only go around once.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Garden Bounty and Bunny Update ~

We picked one half of our grape harvest tonight. The green ones. Delicious, and enough to make a jar or two of jam. 

Our pumpkin in the trees are turning orange. And are still hanging there, doing their thing. Sorry for the blur. 

Tomatoes are going to be a huge harvest. Our plants are loaded. And we've got some eggplant and peppers close to picking.

The teen bunnies are growing and eating and eating. They might be getting cuter. Two of the three go to their new home on Sunday. And just in time, too. To be continued.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Raspberry Sugared Pecan Spinach Salad Recipe

Raspberry Sugared Pecan Spinach Salad

Serves 4-8 depending on whether side or meal and how hungry folks are. 

Spinach leaves dusted with finely chopped red onions, sugared pecans and whole raspberries.

To sugar pecans toss about a cup of pecan pieces in a skillet. Heat them until they begin to warm and become fragrant. Toss in 2-3 TBSP of sugar and stir, shake or toss until the sugar coats the pecans. Take off heat and let cool. 

Salad:

4-5 handfuls spinach leaves

1/2 a purple onion fine dice

1 Cup sugared pecans

1 Cup raspberries

Dressing (This is bright, brilliant pink) Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Store leftovers in the fridge.

1 and ½ cups raspberries (frozen or smooshed ones work great!)

1/8 to ¼ cup of lemon juice (to taste)

1 tsp spicy mustard (or to taste)

2 tsp agave syrup (or to taste if you want sweeter, add more)

Whir the dressing ingredients in high speed blender (or food processor) until all incorporated and smooth. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Bits From the Homestead

You haven't seen bunny pictures in awhile. So here's a picture of Edward Screwy-ears. One ear droops the other does not. How cute is that? The first couple of days it flopped he walked with a tilt.

 On my way out to the car the other morning I noticed a squawking mama bird and a rustling in the weeds (I'd say grass, but I must be honest, Creeping Charlie is not considered grass). A nestling was hopping it's way to the safety of the bushes.

My folks have a burbling fountain that apparently has another purpose, as a bird bath.

& poses with her first potato harvest. More coming in a week or two.

Our compost pile contained many squash guts and pumpkin seeds. Something took root and took over a 6 x 8 garden section. I don't know that you can see the really, really high squash/pumpkin hanging 6 feet up in the yew bushes. This should be an interesting process as it unfolds.

A closer view of another "fruit" of the vine that is a bit closer to the ground. Only four feet up in the bushes. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Let's Hear it For the Girls ~

On this upcoming Sunday night, July 22nd, & and I are going to have a little party.

KitchenAid is sponsoring a fundraising event for breast cancer called 1,000 Cooks for the Cure. From July 20th through the 29th they are hoping for 1,000 people to sponsor some sort of food related event. 

The guests can donate to finding a cure for breast cancer, the hosts provide whatever food they chose to provide, and if $50.00 of donations come in from that party, KitchenAid also plans to keep on giving. Each qualifying party host will receive a special plate. When that plate is loaded and passed on to someone else, who then goes online to register the plate, KitchenAid will donate another $5.00 each time the plate is passed. Cool idea.

We can designate the local chapter or nationwide breast cancer organizations with our donations as well.

If you live in my metro area Omaha (or will be out and about traveling through my neighborhood) come on over at 6:45. (You might want to email me for my address, unless, of course you already know it, or are a creeper, then I won't give it out. )

Did I mention all the treats will be Vegan? Oh, let me mention that. Why? Well, & and I think Vegan is a great way to lessen the chances of getting breast cancer. And these particular treats are darn tasty. Did you notice the works of culinary art in process pictured above?  The lemon bars. OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Just saying. And they need just a tweak or two more before utter perfection is achieved.

The cookies are in the final trial and one tweak away from utter mouth bliss. And the stuff in the jar, a crazy idea that came to me last night that is brilliantly easy and tasty. The chocolate/mint combo needs to be smoothed out, but the texture is amazing.

If you can't attend, well, feel free to donate. Our party is #13. Or feel free to sign up for a party of your own.

We plan to do a game or two, a craft should those in attendance care to make something to take home, eat, of course, and have some fun conversations. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ "Creamed Mock Tuna" On Toast ...

Back in the day... a long time ago...one of our favorite comfort food meals was creamed tuna on toast. 

Now. I'll admit, on several different levels, that's just gross. 

Not pretty. That's why it's a teeny picture.

But. Oddly, I had a hankering for something creamy and chunky over toast. 

Here's what I came up with. And though it's not "pretty" it tasted good. Especially if you like dill. 

Ditto that. Ha. Ha.

"Creamed Tuna " On Toast

2 TBSP Earth Balance 

3 TBSP Flour 

2 Cups Veggie Broth

1 Can Garbanzo Beans
2 TBSP Lemon Juice
3 TBSP  Nutritional Yeast
1 TBSP Mustard

1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Dried Dill
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 to 2 chopped Dill Pickles

Smash garbanzo beans in a bowl (chunky as you want them) add lemon juice mustard, nutritional yeast, salt, dill, garlic and chopped pickles (again chunky or small as you want).  Let sit and marinate while you make the white sauce. 

White Sauce.

Melt Earth Balance, add flour and make a paste. Add vegetable juice and simmer until it thickens. 

Add the garbanzo bean mix. Stir. 

Serve over toast. It's juicy. But it's supposed to be. The dill is a strong taste so if you want a bit less dilliness, either cut down on the pickles or the dried dill.  And if you aren't a mustard fan, you can cut back a bit there, too.

I think I'll tweak it and make tuna salad. Swap out the dill pickles for sweet, the white sauce for Vegan mayo or a thicker white sauce. Maybe add some crunchy onion bits. Could be the perfect spread. I'll be back with that if it tastes as good as I think it might.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Veggie Drawer Mix and Match

Our bounty from the farm gives up plenty of guilt if we don't use it. And plenty of creativity when we need to use it... to avoid the guilt. 

We have discovered that a mix or mish-mash of veggies, a few seeds or nuts, and a few splashes of vinegar make for some very satisfying stir fry meals. 

Garden Veggie Medley

Serves 3 or 4

Chop the veggies you have on hand. 

Night one we used 

five going soft potatoes.

A handful of mushrooms

1/2 an onion (I'm actually humming 12 Days of Christmas as I type this. Just thought I should share that.)

1 Clove of garlic

1 small beet

Five leaves of swiss chard

a handful of peas

2 teaspoons of sesame oil

2TBSP rice vinegar

2 TBSP sesame seeds

Chop all the veggies

Heat up the oil. When the pan is nice and hot, toss in the garlic, onion and potatoes. Get em nice and crispy. Then add the mushrooms, broccoli and cook til tender to your taste buds. Toss in 2 TBSP of vinegar and the swiss chard bits. Finally add the sesame seeds and serve it up.

Veggie Drawer Serendipity

A golden turnip

1/2 a head of cauliflower

The rest of the peas, shelled

1/2 cup of chopped almonds

And broccoli

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 TBSP rice vinegar

2 TBSP sesame seeds

Follow the same instructions. Caramelize the turnips and cauliflower, then add the rest and heat til the veggies are the tenderness level you want. 

Good eats.