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. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Furry Fun-Fun...

This weekend contained plenty of wildlife and fur. 

We visited our friend who housed the raccoon babies in her bathroom.  (Note for anyone tempted to do such a thing... some raccoons consider shower curtains to be the equivalent to mammal rope swings.)

Now that they are no longer bottle fed, they've been released and are doing great. When she goes outside and hollers "Babies!" They come running. A fountain keeps them entertained and they love dog food and applesauce. Oh, and shiny objects. And biting. Fortunately, I wasn't in the nipping zone, but & got a few little chomps. Ha. Ha. No broken skin, and she's up-to-date on her rabies. :  )

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Some Bits From Our Trip...And

This doesn't need a caption, right?

pretty. that's all.

Uhhh. It was H O T.

cool rusty thing

 

cool rocks in a rock.

Enter the mosquitoes. 

the 4th on the lake.

Only firework photo that turned out due to the frantic mosquito flailing dances.

a leech. shudder.

So cute. Made out of silverware!

Nice fence.

Cool building remodel. I love it when people reclaim history and make it beautiful.

But it was nice to get back home....and to see these cuties.

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.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Farm Days and Back From Vacay...

Last week was beastly hot. We didn't have the farm experience because we were headed up north for the fourth. And given the 100 temps that were reported to me, I'm not complaining about our choice. 

However, we did miss the produce. Rumor has it the first tomatoes were given to the CSA members. 

Yesterday, the temperature was perfect. Absolutely, perfect. A wee bit warm. But in July we gotta have some serious warm, otherwise it wouldn't even feel like summer, ya know.

The most interesting topic of conversation was bugs. Now, I'm sure most of you are very aware that GMO and pesticide laden produce are not the best items to consume. However, organic has a certain ick factor you just don't see a lot in a grocery store setting. We sat in the sun and partially shucked ears of corn, looking for some ick. And we found some. Corn Borers had visited every other ear. Most were at the top and a simple whack with a butcher knife took care of the problem. Others were buried deep. The farmer summed it up like this. "Let's consider that the occasional creature or evidence of them is like the canary in the mine. Absolute proof that all is well." Meaning that if you see a bug in your CSA box, proof positive that the produce has not been sprayed with poison. And, well, pick your poison. I choose the creepy crawlie poison. I can at least do a Mexican hat dance on them and chop of the evidence of their existence. Pesticides are doing damage within me that I can't see but may have to deal with the evidence of later. 
 

Our farm box contained:

Kohlrabi. (Delicious, snappy and almost the texture of raw potatoes or jicama.)  Sweet corn and TOMATOES. Dinner was pomodoro (tomatoes, garlic, basil) over pasta and with a glorious side of sweet corn. Yummo.

(and not so yummo, other organic product of the bug variety)

And the bunnies. Well. They are stinking cute. See. 

By the way. The stay at the cabin was heavenly. The lake breeze took the edge off the higher than normal temperatures. Other than the 4th of July fireworks mosquito attack, it was fabulous. In Minnesota, mosquitoes are wicked big, band together in swarms, relentless, and come out as the sun goes sets. Bodies pelted us as we tried to get a gander of the fireworks over the water. Note to self: Take a beekeeper suit or mosquito netting to the lake if I want to be out after dark.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Have a Good Day...

My brother and his friends (one of which is 2, and pretty stinking cute, but I digress) came over to have a bunny bonding session. 

Amazing how I've seen my friends and family so often of late. Note: If you are lonely, have a batch of bunnies, it's really a boost in the popularity department. 

But, I digress, again. One of the bunnies decided to take a little nap in my brother's hand. 

He tried nudging it out, he tried tipping his hand a bit. The bunny was not budging. So since we were kind of stuck, we began talking about it. 

We decided that there are far worse things to have happen than being held captive by a sleeping baby bunny. And, there are those folks who have worry stones or stress balls. Wouldn't a bunny in your hand be the ultimate stress reliever?

How could you have a bad day with a soft, warm, sleepy bunny in your hand?

bonus shot.  taken by the cute 2 year old. Ha. Ha.

My bro said, "Boss calls you into his office. He ends up firing you after chewing you out for something you didn't even do. But it's all good. Cuz you got a bunny in your hand."

Here's hoping that your day is so good it's like a bunny in each hand. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions Reviewed...

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions: Veganize It! Foolproof Methods for Transforming Any Dish into a Delicious New Vegan Favorite

Celine Steen , Joni Marie Newman

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Fair Winds Press (December 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592334415


Description:

Veganize Any Recipe with Confidence!

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions is your secret weapon to turning any recipe imaginable into a deliciously “veganized” success—no guesswork or hard labor involved. And no more kitchen failures or recipe flops either. Simply look up whatever non-vegan ingredient you want to sub out, and expert author team Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman will explain exactly what substitution is best to use and how to make it without compromising taste or flavor, so you’ll create dishes that are not only better than the “real” thing, but healthier, too.

With more than 200 recipes and substitutions that show the swaps in action, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for replacing everything from butter and bacon to gelatin and gouda. You’ll also find healthy substitutions for replacing things like gluten, sugar, and fat, so you can fine-tune any recipe to your dietary needs.

Stunning photography and easy-to-follow charts appear in every chapter, making it a cinch to dip in and out whenever you need a quick reference or recipe.

If you’ve always wanted to turn your aunt’s famous mac and cheese into a veganized taste sensation, or your grandma’s buttermilk pie into a rousing, “reinvented” success, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions is the solution you’ve been looking for!

My Thoughts:

This is a terrific resource for a person who is exploring plant-based or Vegan cooking or a more seasoned cook who is looking to cut back on buying the processed Vegan friendly items. This is also a good resource for someone who's looking to transition out of meat and dairy products and wants to trade out traditional pantry/refrigerator items with plant-based substitutions.

I'll admit I purchased this complete guide because of the darling illustrations along with the implied promise that I could figure out this whole new way of cooking without animal products. And I have not been disappointed with my decision. I like the compact size of the book, as well.

Once I received my copy of The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions I glanced through it but didn't embrace it as a go-to cookbook. It was more of a resource for me. But after having it awhile I've begun to cook out of it and mark more recipes I'd like to make.

The book is broken down differently than a standard cookbook. Instead of appetizer, main, sides, salads, desserts type of format, the divisions are topical.

Section One has loads of recipes and is called "Let the Cows Some Home! Foolproof Substitutions for Dairy". It is further broken down by a milk sub and cheese sub chapter. Included are recipes for making nut cheeses, dairy free sour cream, milks and even chocolate bars. Each section has a chart that explains what an item does for a recipe and the items that you can use to replace it. (Most have more than one substitution and quite a few have a gluten free or soy free version that will work.)

There are a total of six sections: substitutions for Dairy, Eggs, Meat, Animal Products, one that encompasses Gluten, Soy, Sugar and Fat substitutions and finally a complete chart of subs. Note: the sugar and fat substitutions are not fat and sugar free, i.e. the authors use of agave or maple syrup or brown rice syrup instead of standard sugar.

Some of the recipes are quick and easy, and some rely on processed Vegan friendly foods. Example Cookie Cookies (cookies made with crushed sandwich cookies...hence the name, I'd guess) . Recipes will call for purchased patties and or meat subs. But there are recipes for make your own seitan, boiled and baked versions. And they include recipes on making your own "bacon" bits, hot dogs, "pepperoni" subs and even baby back ribs and fish sticks.

Several recipes are stack recipes, ones that call for another recipe to be made prior to making the end result. For example the Savory Artichoke Pie includes the  Roasted Squash Lentil Spread.

Recipe measurements are in weight and volume which is nice. And some of the unique recipes they provide include unusual items like Vegan marzipan, graham cracker crust, "ham", make your own gluten free baking mix, cheese fondue and a non-fermented dairy free yogurt. 

Ingredients like miso, nutritional yeast, agar flakes, vital wheat gluten and TVP are maybe unfamiliar to brand new Vegans but can be found on-line or in health food stores or sections.

I personally have prepared the Baked Seitan Cutlets and the Speculoos Cookies and can recommend both as worth the price of the book and of the shelf space.