Pierogies Done Fast

 I used to LOVE pierogies when I was a teenager.  My brother, sister and I would make a whole box and just eat that for dinner on any given night, especially when we were in a hurry.  I wanted to make a vegan version for my own family, but all the recipes that I saw were a bit...ummm....complicated.  Ain't nobody got time for that!  So I mulled this one over and decided that if I could just make the dough, then I could fill the pierogies with instant mashed potatoes and then boil them.  This was very effective and turned out to be pretty quick and easy.  Here is the dough recipe that I used followed by my own assembly instructions: 
Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting the work surface
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1 cup water
• Box of instant mashed potatoes
• Optional: Diced onions, nutritional yeast

Preparation:

1. Combine flour, salt, oil and water in large bowl, and mix until dough forms a ball. If dough is dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until moist. If dough is sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it's smooth.
2. On a floured work surface, knead dough 3 or 4 minutes or until elastic. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
3. Make a pot of instant mashed potatoes, maybe about 4 servings.  You can dice up onions and add them if you want.  You could even mix in a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.  Let the potatoes cool before using.
4. Roll out the dough flat and cut into circles that are maybe 8 inches in diameter.  It depends on how big you want them.  I will leave that up to you.  Put a dollop of potatoes in the middle of each circle and fold the edges around the potatoes so that it looks like a semi-circle.  Pinch the edges together so they stick.  Once you have finished making the pierogies, put them in a pot to boil for about 3 minutes.  When they float they are done, but be careful because they don't always float.  That might be a myth even, I am not convinced.
5. You can serve them with vegan sour cream or even salsa or marinara.  Get creative, they are good with pretty much anything.  Some people fry them in oil once they are cooked through.  Before you fry them, you can actually freeze them and they keep for 3-6 months. 

Get the kids to help, it'd be hard to mess this one up!

Hello, Cupcake!

A few years ago I met Isa Chandra Moscowitz at the D.C. VegFest.  She was amazing...she did a demonstration and shared vegan gumbo with everyone.  I love Isa and I love her cooking!  Which is why I love Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.  This is her book that is devoted entirely to cupcakes and cupcake icing.  I actually brought my personal copy to the VegFest and she signed it for me!  Anyhow, I have made her recipes over and over again, with my favorite being the golden vanilla cupcakes with classic buttercream frosting.  They are fantastic and not difficult to make.  My family and friends ask for them all the time.  If you have to have this book, you can get it at most major bookstores, or yo can order it from Isa's website, Post Punk Kitchen.  Yeah, the photo below is not stock footage....I made those babies and they ROCK!!

Apple Dumplings

 My husband's grandmother has always lived on a farm.  Her cooking is simple but filling.  I have posted her pot pie recipe before.  Last winter she shared a recipe with us that I am in LOVE with!  It is very easy to veganize.  Pillsbury crescent rolls are vegan already (check the label!), but I buy the store brand.  Then of course I substitute regular butter with Earth Balance vegan butter, which is available most places, even WalMart.  It is mouth-watering and was a great addition to my holiday table!

It's Tofurkey Time!

Just a quick reminder to pick up your Tofurkey as soon as you can!  Of course, you do not have to eat  tofurkey roast, but I have noticed that they go quickly at small stores.  At my grocery store, there is now an entire freezer case of single roasts and the Tofurkey Feasts!  I am getting excited about the holidays, I cannot wait to start cooking!  And, another reminder, if you live in the NOVA area, Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, MD is having their Thanksgiving with the Turkeys this weekend, November 17th.  It is the biggest vegan potluck I have ever been to, and my kids have a super time every year.  I have linked to it on the sidebar!

Read Your Labels!

I am a busy mom and a full-time teacher...I love to cook and do it regularly, but it absolutely thrills me when I find a product that is yummy and makes me proud to serve it to my family.  That's why I read labels!  It's like a treasure hunt at the grocery store, and I typically find what I am looking for.  For example, recently I started craving cinnamon rolls.  Made a batch from scratch...took forever.  I felt good about it but I cannot do that frequently, I just do not have time.  So I kept thinking that there MUST be something at the grocery store...I was right!  After reading the labels for several different brands of easy bake cinnamon rolls, I found that the store brand was exactly what I was looking for.  You see, many of the everyday products that people eat are, in fact, vegan and they do not even realize it.  Potato chips, oreos, pastas, you name it.  So I read a LOT of labels, and it does take time.  But that's OK, because finding those products that are quick and easy but good for my ethics saves me time in the long run.  I love it when I can whip up a hot and wholesome meal...after working all day, picking up the kids from swim training, and squeaking home around 5:30 pm.  Just be careful, when you are reading those labels, there are a few key words you want to avoid that a lot of people do not usually recognize: sugar, rennet, lard, sodium, bha, caffeine, caramel, carrageenan, calcium disodium, lactic acid, maltol dextrin, modified food starch, mono-and diglycercides, monosodium glutamate(msg), nitrites, polysorbate, propyl gallate, red dye 40, saccharin, aspartame, & GUMS-arabic,cellulose,xanthan gums.

Pesto!

We have been lazily enjoying our summer vacation here in Northern Virginia...wait...no, that must be some family from some other house because I have been "losing my mind" busy!  I have increased my tutoring hours trying to make a little extra dough, especially since those fine folks at the student loan institution insist on having their money.  Go figure.  We decided not to go on a big vacation, so that means lots of little trips here and there.  All is not lost for my adventures in the kitchen, though, because there is always time for pesto!  Man, this stuff is really easy to make and we will eat it on anything from Italian bread to plain old pasta.  Here is my quickie recipe, even quicker if you are growing your own basil like we are.
Quickie Pesto
What you need:
About a cup or two of fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Salt
Walnut halves (Pine nuts...I am currently walnuts because, well, read the student loan line above)
Fresh garlic cloves...maybe 2-4, depending on how much you like garlic
What you do:
Get out your blender.  The best thing for a quickie recipe is a "Magic Bullet", but a blender works fine.  Crush your garlic into the blender.  Pour in about a quarter cup of olive oil and about a half cup of walnuts or pine nuts.  Throw in a half teaspoon of salt, less if you want less salt.  Blend for 10-15 seconds.  Put in all the basil, and pour another half cup of olive oil on top of that.  If using a blender instead of a magic bullet, you will want to use a wooden spoon to mash everything down before blending for about 20-30 seconds more.  Mix it up, add more oil to give it a syrup-like consistency.  Notice that this recipe is not terribly accurate...go with how it looks.  Taste as you go...that's the best part of cooking.  If it is too lumpy, add a little more oil and blend a little more.  Leave out the salt if you want.  Make it your own, and enjoy it right away, super-fresh!

VegNews Peppermint Bark

I found this great recipe in the November/December issue of VegNews magazine...it is amazing and addictive!  Peppermint bark chocolatey and minty at the same time, what a combination.  It is pretty easy to make too, so I am happy to share the recipe.  I was able to whip up a batch while doing about thirty other things at the same time (as any parent/teacher/busy person knows well).  I would like to add that Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips make this bark really, truly gourmet.  My kids and my coworkers gave it two thumbs up!

 Peppermint Bark

You need: 12 candy canes, 4 cups chocolate chips, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Do this: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Crush the candy canes in a plastic bag with a rolling pin (this is super fun for the kids!). In a double boiler over medium heat, melt the chocolate chips (i don't have a double boiler, so I used a glass bowl set on top of a sauce pan that had a couple inches of water in it). Remove from heat and add peppermint extract and 1/2 cup of the crushed candy. On the baking sheet, pour out the mixture and spread as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the remaining candy on top, pressing the larger pieces into the chocolate. Place in the fridge for like an hour or so. Remove from baking sheet and break into pieces. Store in the fridge until you use it! Enjoy!

Vegan French Toast

Here's a great fall recipe that is perfect for Saturday morning!

Tofu French Toast 1/2 lb. of soft tofu 1/4 cup of soy milk or rice milk 1 tsp. of vanilla 1 tsp. of cinnamon and nutmeg 1/4 cup of water soy margarine Four slices of bread...thick slices of sourdough are DELISH Maple syrup Mix tofu, soy or rice milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and water in a blender until you get the consistency of two beaten eggs. Dip pieces of bread into mixture and place in a treated skillet (with margarine) until golden brown. When all pieces are done, top with fresh fruit and maple syrup.  Great with ground tofu sausage (GimmeLean) and coffee!

A Taste of the South

This summer I wanted to try some new recipes that I had never tried before.  One of them was a fantastic vegan key lime cheesecake.  I had no idea what to expect, but I knew what I wanted it to taste like!  A few months ago we went to The Vegetable Garden restaurant in Rockville, MD and I had a slice of their recipe.  It was so good, I knew it was going to be at the top of my list of new things to try.  So I made a similar version and it was...amazing!!!  I tested it out when we had a dinner with some vegans and omnis, and everyone raved about it.  Since it is more like a cheesecake than a typical pie, it is very, very rich.  A little goes a long way.  Here is the recipe if you want to give it a go:

Ingredients:

2 containers vegan cream cheese (Tofutti brand is best)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup lime or key lime juice
2 tsp lime zest
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 9-inch pre-made vegan graham cracker pie crust
fresh fruit for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or food processor, combine the vegan cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lime juice and zest, and cornstarch. Process until smooth and creamy. Pour into pie crust.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until cheesecake is lightly golden brown on top. Allow to cool, then chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
(Recipe discovered at : About.com)