Veganlious Martini

Happy 50th Birthday Goods!!

Goods turned 50 this year...he is now exactly 50 years and 10 days old....I'm a little late on the birthday post.  BUT I HAVE AN EXCUSE....I was busy using my knowledge I have obtained in my beverage class - BIRTHDAY MARTINIS.....with a little side of fish.

This is how the class instructor taught us how to make these puppies....You can be only 14 steps away from your own PERFECT MARTINI.

1. Take you glass -  
2. Put a couple drops of vermouth in it.
3. Add some ice
4. Swirl the ice & droplets of vermouth around. (try not to make a mess)
5. Set glass aside.
6. Take a stainless steel mixing glass & fill with ice
7. Add 3 oz of your favorite vodka (Skyy for me please)
8. Swirl it around to make the vodka super duper cold
9. Take your glass - dump out the ice (into a sink - that would be tidy of you)
10. Strain the vodka into the glass
11. Stab some olives with a plastic sword
12. Garnish accordingly
13. Take picture of perfect martini
14. Drink and Enjoy

Here is some drinking trivia ...you know the jigger...not that I am a fan of it - why do you need to measure you booze after all????

Okay- trivia question....
What do you call the small side of the jigger??
The 1.5 oz is actually called the jigger.
The other side is usually a mear 1 oz  (why even bother???)
.
.

Answer...Ready??
.
.
A pony!

So I guess if I would have bought Goods a Jigger for his birthday - he would have gotten a PONY TOO! What kid doesn't want a pony for his birthday??

What I did get him was a new flavor vodka (we are on a flavored vodka kick right now...and a mission to quit adding Diet Coke to our vodka....because as you know, Diet Coke is bad for you)

Three Olives Pomegranate Vodka....an excellent choice may I say.

'Tis done with this post....geez louise - 2 post in one week....
I spoil you so!

Super Vegan Appetizers

Well the Super Bowl was not so super for me...but our snacks were!  Allow me to share with you...first off.....

Pizza Dip!  Before...

After.....

I served with tortilla chips to maintain a gluten free status...but this would be excellent with some soft and gooshie breadsticks....just saying.

The recipe is linked above....I of course veganized it by the following:
Ingredients:
- 1 8oz Tofutti cream cheese, softened
- 1 14oz jar of pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 1/2 cup black olives, chopped
- 5 ounces VEGAN pepperoni, finely chopped***
- 2 cups shredded Vegan mozzarella cheese

***I make my own pepperoni....but you can use the store bought kind.  My pepperoni goes as follows:
I use the spices from the Fat Free Vegan Blog here then I use the gluten "dough" from Vegan Vittles the Seiten Salami, Pepperoni, & Pastrami Recipe. You might be able to find the recipe on line but I'm not about to be illegal and post her recipe....I value my freedom and my clean criminal record.
But you ask...Why do you use a combo of the two recipes....well I will be happy to answer that...I like the spiciness of FFV, and the VV "meat" seems to be moister after baking it.

On to one of my creations....BEAN CIGARS!

VEGAN! GLUTEN FREE! And YUMMY!

Served with homemade salsa and canned jalapenos!

So all  you need to create these BEAN CIGARS yourself is....

- corn tortillas

- a can of refried beans

- jalapenos - sliced

- seasonings: cumin & chili pepper

- vegan cheese

First- toast the corn tortillas lightly- you just want them cooked enough to make the rollable... here is an action shot.....I do them on my gas burners.....

But be very very careful NOT to burn or set them on fire....Not that I've ever done that before.

Next gently spread a layer of refried beans on the tortilla - okay, I usually just slap it on the tortilla.  Add a few slices of jalapenos...

I do usually preseason the beans with some cumin & chili powder....for kicks and giggles.
Add some cheese to the middle of the tortilla (middle is best for less melty mess when cooking).

Then start at one end and roll them to look like this.....

Dust them with a little cumin & chili powder....I might have used some garlic too - be wild- be creative.

Bake them at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes....you want them with just a tinge of toastiness going on.

Then a repeat favorite....roasted garlic toasties....I talked about them before but they are worth mentioning again.

All you do is..... 

1. Take some roasted garlic and mix it into a container of toffuti cream cheese
2. Slice some baguette bread and lightly butter one side.
3. Put the butter side of the bread onto a prepared cookie sheet.
4. Spread the garlic cream cheese mixture on each one.
5. Top with some vegan mozzarella cheese.
6. And Sprinkle with some green stuff - truly...I'm not sure what that is....I'm thinking maybe parsley?  The crazy sh*t I do...
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 ish minutes.

So easy and yummy - Goods requested these...so of course I abided!

So it was sad that the Steelers lost but at least we made it to the Super Bowl - ENJOY!

Tempeh Served on a VEGAN TABLE

Or I guess I should say Tempeh from The Vegan Table.....

I love this cookbook.  Actually someone bought me it, along with 2 other great ones The Kind Life and 30 Minute Vegan . My friends bought me copies along with ones they bought for themselves. Sadly, I don't think they have made anything out of them (& it's been over a year) - but I have- They are pretty much my go to books when I'm looking for something easy and good!....and here is one of the recipes from The Vegan Table....Cornmeal-Crusted Tempeh with Orange Ginger Sauce.

 The tempeh in the photo is smothered in the sauce....but trust me - it was the yummiest tempeh - I totally dug it without the sauce the next day....right from the fridge.  But I am a total tempeh freak....love love love it.  I served it with baked sweet potatoes and Goods grilled some asparagus.   Wish I could share the recipe with you but since I did have Business Law last semester (acing it BTW) I don't want to take my chances and get thrown in the slammer.  But I suggest you go buy this book, you won't be sorry!!

Now you ask....How are classes going this semester?  What are you taking???  Well...if you can tell from the above photo - I am learning to do plate presentation - stack the food- build it vertically.  I am in Culinary Techniques, which involves a kitchen lab where we learn and make different foods.  Yes, it is a bit of a struggle for me since it is not a vegan class, but my chef instructor and my classmates are very respective of my vegan ways....and curious too!  So all is good...except for the chicken breast I had to butterfly last Friday - I had gloves on for obvious reasons, but I haven't touch chicken in over 11 years - but I manned up and did it.

So.....some of my posts will be of food we prepared in kitchen lab....but I will veganize it - sounds fun huh?

Another class I have is Beverage Service....seriously??? I get a grade and credit for learning about and making cocktails???  A "I died and went to heaven" moment.  But I'll post more on that class later - I will spread the knowledge!

So winter....I can't stand winter....so we are going to play a game.  How many animals do you see in the photo?  Please note how well I train my squirrels....synchronize squirrels...but there is a hawk in the photo too....

So now onto the much needed....LIQUID SUNSHINE...

I couldn't decide what photo to use so you got both.  These little puppies are Oprah's Lemon Drop Martinis, not that I am a fan of Oprah....but I am a fan of these.  I put some food coloring in the sugar for some extra prettiness.

And if you can't beat winter....join it....well good for them. 

I just included this because I thought it was pretty.....it's down at the lake (Lake St. Clair) in our subdivision.  But right after I took the photo, that little boy fell and smacked his face on the ice- guess you can say winter was beating him. (He was okay- little drama, but boys can be like that)

Cheers!

I am the last to know.....

I have a story....a sad sad story.

Last weekend I was making a huge arsh vat of chili.  Everyone, including animal eating people love my chili....sorry...the recipe is a secret, and that would be mainly because I wing it each time.  Anyway....back to my story.   So I have all the ingredients in the vat, the last thing to add was the "fake burger".  I get my packages of Morning Star Farms Crumbles out....seeeeee

When I was taking the packages out of the freezer, I laid them with the backside upon the counter to ...and what do I see -  "Contains: MILK & EGGS"   WTF???
I was flippin mad!  I've been buying Morning Star for years....never thinking I had to RECHECK the ingredients!  Yes, they use to be VEGAN...then they changed the formula in 2009!

So just a warning if anyone out there didn't know there was a change...they are a bunch of weiners!!  I will be buying Boca from now on.  I use to buy which ever one was on sale.

But now Goods has a big honkin' vat of chili all to himself, thank goodness it freezes just dandy.

Family Game Night Featuring.......... Vegan Jello Shots

I love to play games....Goods, not so much.  But you add some Vodka to a game...Goods is good to go! My BFF plays games too...and lookie what she got me for Christmas.....

That is right ladies and gents.....Shots and Ladders!  She knows me so well!!  But look at the shot glasses that come with it.... each player picks a glass....

Potentially confusing, don't you think- especially after you had a few??  The colors are so similar with the pattern being the same.  We, BFF & myself, played it safe and picked the glasses with only 2 colors on it.

So you ask....what did you use as shots????  VEGAN JELLO SHOTS of course! (recipe to follow)

So here we are...trying to figure out the directions.  Please note that we had backup booze too along with our vegan jello shots.

Action shot....see, we put the jello in our shot glass...we are classy like that.

 An amazing feat...we all lined up on one row.....

 Now, this wasn't just a drinking game....there were squares that if you landed on them you had a choice between "truth or dare" ....BFF Boy landing on sans square and took the dare...

 Well I thought it was funny and really that is all that counts.
After one game of Shots & Ladders...we are responsible like that...we moved on with the game Operation.  We took the opportunity to incorporate the rest of the jello shots into this game.  If you got "buzzed" by the game....you had to get "buzzed" by a shot.

Goods in action....

And then shockingly...we were able to still play around of "HI-HOO-Cherrios"

Fun time had by all!  We did all drink & eat responsibly.  So....what you have been waiting for...the Vegan Jello Shot recipe so you can run out and make them tonight....
First...I used this jello...in orange flavor and cherry

Vegan Jello Shots

1 Package of Vegan Jello

1 Cup of Boiling Water

1 Cup of Booze of Choice (room temp)

Put powdered jello in bowl or measuring cup.  Add Boiling water & room temp booze- and stir stir stir.  I already had little 2 oz dixie cups on hand (because I use to make jello shots galore- pre vegan)

It sets up pretty quickly too, so after the jello dissolves, don't pussy foot around getting the jello poured into your containers.

You ask what booze did I use????  For the orange, I used peach schnapps - which was the group favorite.  I had it laying around for years and wanted to get rid of it.  The cherry - Skyy Vodka...yummy.  

And for those who are cringing because I used plastic dixie cup containers....I saved what I could, saved all the lids, washed them for future use.  But you wonder how I got them all dried???  This is genius I say....I put them in a delectable net bag you use in your washing machine...threw it into the dryer on air- and waa-laaa... dry.

I did have food - like my favorite nacho cheese dip  and a roasted garlic cream cheese toasted on baguettes. [easy recipe: roast garlic, add to cream cheese, spread on little toasty breads and pop into toaster oven till melty- oh, I think I sprinkled son Diaya mozzarella cheese on top of each too, but again not difficult]

Well I start classes again this afternoon---I'll be doing some interesting post with my cooking class that I have to touch meat and stuff....ick.  

I've been College Binge Drinking....

Not really....been colleging though.  I have 5 finals starting this afternoon running till Weds. night...Then I will be back will some exciting posts--okay with some posts, posts in one hand, cocktail in the other.

See you on the other side....matie....

Halloween 2010, no we normally don't dress like this.

Halloween Treats...Popcorn & Freeze Pops.  My treat is on the left side!

Hallows-eve...

And who said you aren't suppose to play with sharp objects when you have having cocktails...SEE MOM NO BLOOD.....

 But there may be blood on the football field tonight - Penn State vs Michigan...Guess who I'm for.  I already got boo-ed today at the market for wearing my Penn State Gear.  My parents paid a lot of money for me to wear PSU gear with pride.  Michigan people can be sooo mean.

Here is a bloody shot of last years costumes....Zombie bride & groom - Goods killed me on my wedding day because of my little boyfriend who you can barely see in the bottom right corner.

More pics to come of this years festivities....until then......boooooooooooo

2 weeks then BOOOOO

Be SCARED!!!

 And Fluffy wants nothing to do with fake kitty...she turns her back to Fake Kitty....and to Fluffy's defense...it is a bad fake kitty....

People Suck...

...not you of course, just some.
but now I really really can't forgive Michael Vick...

I show Goods this Link and then he precedes to ask me why I do this to myself (shockingly I was crying as I showed him)...but really the question is- how can ANYONE do this to an innocent animal- seriously???? I've been asking God to help me try and forgive Michael Vick, he did his time in jail, blah blah blah, but God hasn't given me the strength to do it....so I'm going to take that as a sign that I'm fine despising him and cheering on the Eagles to lose.  I did tell Goods that if Vick would turn Vegan, I would seriously consider taking the Eagles back as one of my favorite teams.  I say that is fair.  How do you feel, my vegan friends...do you and can you forgive Vick?
Vick is a dick, but I'm Googy for Oogy.
And with that, my cocktail is empty. cheers

Gluten Free Vegan Broccoli Quiche

 ...and it was totally kickass.  Sorry for the language, but it had to be said.
Looky how pretty and kickass it looks....

 The recipe for the "guts" was from Isa  (we are on 1st name basis) "Vegan Brunch" Cookbook, but you can find the recipe HERE on her website. Now, as usual, I did not follow the recipe to the TEE- I didn't want a pastry crust, so I got the BRILLIANT idea to make a potato crust.  So I boiled a couple of potatoes and made thick mashed potatoes.......

See.....  you can see the thickness it should be.

 You may ask yourself- why does it have a yellowish color to it???
Well the secret ingredient is......NOOCH!  yes, add some NOOCH.(nutritional yeast for the newbies)
Guess it's no so much a secret anymore.....
I smashed it into a lightly sprayed-pie pan, smashed up the sides and smashed it to the bottom

Then I baked it, uncovered @ 350 degrees until lightly brown....

(approx 37 minutes- give or take)

I baked it in the toaster oven -
worked out perfect....didn't heat up the house.
Then I put the guts into the potato crust, pretty much followed the directions from here...until the last 13 minutes of the baking times.
And this is what it looked like..........

SO what did I do during the last 13 minutes of the baking????  I added DAIYA cheddar cheese and grape tomatoes from our garden.  Daiya cheese is my new crack...not that I ever had old crack.  I didn't think I missed cheese until I had this melty gooey goodness in my mouth.

(NOTE:  I boiled 2 russet potatoes to make the mashed potatoes, I ended only using 1/2 of the mixture so I threw the other 1/2 into the freezer and used to make another crust a couple of weeks later - it was perfect)

Sorry about this post layout - I think the new blogger layout is on crack.  I don't have time to make it all pretty....so please live with it until I have a moment between my homework, studying and of course drinking to figure it out.

But....go make this right now....It's totally kickass.

24 more days...then BOO!

I HAVE to get busy decorating...I should already have it done by now!  But busy as a bee for school.  This was a gift from my non-vegan sister & bro-in-law.  Cool isn't it.  And this one won't rot all over our floor....so it's a GIRL pumpkin.

Back to the books.....boobye!

28 days till Boo-Day

This is the first decoration I put out this year....well really it's the only one so far, unless you count a pumpkin.  We picked this spooky guy up last time we were in Altoona, PA visiting my parental units.  I think my Grandma made it.  I guess if I moved the candles that I have in front of it...you could see the whole thing....but in my defense...I took this photo when I was having a few vodkas last night so I'm pretty much impressed I even got the ghost in the frame.

Rock on.  Or as I like to say it - on the rocks.

Halloween Countdown #1

Yeap - it's that time again.....Goods favorite time of the year - the time to scare the neighborhood kiddies. So....only 29 more days to Boo-Day. I am going to feature some of out halloween cheer with you this year. First off....THE PUMPKIN. Well it didn't make it to it's 3rd Halloween....look at the guts spewing out onto the floor...

It was a sad day...and a stinky one too. It was so close to celebrating with us his 3rd halloween...but it just couldn't hang on. So you ask me how I know it was a BOY pumpkin....well ask yourself...would a GIRL make a mess all over my kitchen floor??? No, I think not.

So you are wondering where this halloween feature is that I talked about....well here it is...Fluffy is modeling it for you....She's shy...well really she was afraid of the flash...and me. Hey, her Daddy held her while I put it on...bad Daddy. Here is a closer look.

Oh - and yes I made it....I can be crafty at times...oh and it's reversible....just in case the eyes bug you.

I didn't really make it for Fluffy...I'm making a couple for some doggies that come to visit on their walks. I love them...

So...I know you all have been wondering why I didn't have my Lily Lou as the model...

It's still sooooo hard to talk about it, she was the love of my life (sorry Goods) and we had to send her to kitty heaven with Guido. As I sit here typing I'm bawling...I miss her with every piece of my being........ we sent her to heaven July 12th...the suckiest day of my life.

She was 15 1/2 years young...

Lily Lou...you were the best Kitty in the whole wide world...you were my best friend.

Now - I must go drown my sorrows with some vodka....yes, and Lily would have approved.

Guess what these are.....

....yeah, go ahead and guess......

Affordable Gluten Free Pretzels - and they are EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!

Oh how I missed you pretzels- Your crunchy goodness that didn't taste like cardboard (like other Gluten Free Pretzels do)

I am high as a kite! Well...that might be from the vodka...but I am sooooo happy Snyder's of Hanover made these pretzels for me! Guess they have been out for a while - Since April, but sometimes I am known to be slow. Better slow then never.

And to BOOT- I paid only $2.39 for the 8 oz bag of crunchy goodness! And for the other boot- they are vegan!

Have a fantastic weekend! Cheers

Colossal Accident!

So one day I was going to the store (KROGERS)- asked Goods if he wanted anything....he responded back - HE ACTUALLY LISTEN TO ME THIS TIME - AMAZING...back to the story...so his response was..."just a single desserty-breakfast thingy" And this is what I came back with....

Why such a big thingy??? Because....IT WAS VEGAN! No, not gluten free...BUT VEGAN and only $3.99. It was one thingy but it was HUGE - 12 inches in diameter - thin but that allowed it to be less gluten! I'm not a big sweet eater- but when I do eat sweets like they them gaggy sweet and NO chocolate please.

I read the ingredients 3 times before I bought it. No animal laden products in it! Not exactly good for you- very very processed ingredients and a few chemicals thrown in there for flavor - but VEGAN! Goods cut it up and threw a lot of it in the freezer. A couple bites of it is all you need to get your fill of VEGAN gaggy sugary goodness. It was actually totally kick ass too.

So I thought I would start posting things that were accidentally vegan- because I am soooo cool that way.

Yummy yummy bacon....

of course...tempeh bacon for VLTs - Veganbacon Lettuce & Tomato....

Just look at that tomato (the lettuce didn't make it to the sandwich yet! It has been a glorious year for our tomotoes - HOT & HUMID making extremely yummy and plentiful!!.

I am soooo proud of Goods! He has made the switch to tempeh bacon from the dead animal version...and he says he doesn't miss it with the "facon" I make...this is what I do....

[actually initially I used Vegan Vittles recipe for bacon but I changed to my liking - well OUR liking now!!]

Facon Tempeh Bacon.

1 package of tempeh sliced width wise very thin (like 1/8" or so)

Spray a 9 x 11 baking pan and arrange tempeh (soon to be bacon)

in a single layer

mix together in a small bowl:

1/3 c. water

1/3 c. tamari

3 Tbs of dark brown sugar

2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp garlic granules

Pour liquid mixture over tempeh - coating every single peice

Now this is where I get crazy-

I take seasoning and sprinkle all over the top of the tempeh (soon to be bacon)

such as:

MORE garlic of course

onion granules

paprika

cayenne

fresh ground pepper

and what ever gives me kicks and giggles.

I let marinate for 3 cocktails....or in real time - do as long as you please, but for at least 1 hour.

Spray lightly, after marinating is complete, with oil or Pam like substance.

Then throw into the oven @350 degrees

Bake until all the liquid is dried up and now THE BACON is lightly toasty (ie - don't burn it).

Baking time is usually - like 1 cocktail - or in real time 20-30 minutes.

And there you have it - Slap the bacon onto a sandwich with some Veganaise and enjoy. I usually make a VLT salad for myself, but Goods gorges himself on 3-4 sandwiches! Oh how does he make room for more cocktails.

Until next time- Cheers

Affordable Gluten Free Cereal!

.....And about freakin time.

Bought this 2 lb 8 oz box at Costco for $ 6.79! Along with a 12 pack box of soymilk for $ 11.49!!! Gluten Free breakfast forever for under 20 bucks! The cereal is package in 2 bags - one corn and one rice. I might even get wild and mix the two!! Thank you General Mills!

OH BUT LOOK AT THIS RECIPE ON THEIR SITE......Fruit Sushi....OY - GROSS!

Well a lot has happened since the last time I have posted....something I really not ready to chat about yet - BUT.....I do want to chat about a couple of recipes I've tried out on Goods....and both worthy of a post!

Oven baked vegan, of course, ONION RINGS! from Post Punk Kitchen

The recipe calls for store bought whole wheat bread crumbs...and for the life of me, I just couldn't find them in ANY store in Michigan. In fact I couldn't find breadcrumbs without dairy and egg in the - WTF???? oh...so I made my own...and they turned out dandy! They were light and crispy....and actually not hard to make at all!! We ate them with cocktail sauce and tarter sauce.

Our garden is over flowing with cucumbers. We've given them to neighbors and friends, I eat at least a cuke a day and I used them to make this....from a vegetarian time email I received....

White Gazpacho (Recipe here)

This was totally awesome perfect for a hot summer day - cukes, toasted almonds, GRAPES, and arugula - to name just a few ingredients. But one problems...I still have cucumbers coming out the kazoo.

And to end with a funny....I took this photo through our kitchen door......

Get your pretty little heads out of the gutter....the gray "baby" squirrel was grooming the other one - just like monkeys do.

Today Goods and I are celebrating our 1st Wedding Anniversary today - and look we've lasted...because the first 13 years of being together didn't count. We are going great restaurant tonight Mon Jin Lau. They have tons of vegan options- and they make pretty garsh darn good cocktails too.

I'll be back real soon....I have one more week of classes and then starting Thursday - I'll be off for THREE WHOLE WEEKS!!! except for my prereading I'll be doing for my fall classes - because I'm a geek that way.

Have a lovely weekend! Stay cool!