A Dickensian Tale and 2013 Pie

We were going to do a Kickstarter campaign to get some funding for Veganville, which is how the above video began. We couldn't figure out a mission statement, and then we realized our mission was just to stay out of the Mission. Let's get real here, our real mission is to keep Larry out of the poky so we need money for that. Yeah, so our mission is to raise money...um for us. When you think about it what else could be more altruistic than giving money to our cause. Remember you can save your tax dollars by keeping us on the outside, and  you'll be giving to a worthy vegan cause- US. 
Please give what you can, and if your can't right now, please keep coming back to this blog, because it's never too late to donate to US. Thank you. 

Below please find  last year's Thanksgiving pie, called "Home Sweet Home Spelt Pie." I made this with the hope that it would not be our last home cooked meal.

This is not a baking mistake or a burnt crust from my baking. My "Home Sweet Home Spelt Pie" looked really good out of the oven. Unfortunately it got singed when Larry lit the house on fire. Still it manages to look festive, Right?

The recipe can be found in babycakes. It's a wonderful book, but Erin couldn't think of calling this anything other than "Apple Pie."  Hmmmph.

In the meantime...we've got these people to thank.

Video
Written and Directed: GiGi
DP/Director all cinematography except interview: Jeremy Fukunaga
DP and Post Production film editors, Directors:
Jake Gomez
Rick Lee Rahn

Director Interview: Tim Mull

Order of Appearance:
Fletcher Brooke: Brooke Fletcher
Skutch Sandalman: Tim Mull
Larry: Larry Tasse
GiGi: GiGi 
Zombie 1: Molly McCormick
Zombie 2: Noreen Poli
Zombie 3: Brooke Fletcher
Zombie 4: Tim Mull


Coming Soon:
Our Gargantuan Donation Button!!!
and some cookies.

Thank you for reading and viewing.

xxx
GiGi

You Can't Beet That! It's Virtual Vegan Potluck Day!

    Welcome  Vegan Virtual Potluckers of the Global Blogosphere and Virtual Potluck Readers. Thank you to Ann of An Unrefined Vegan and all the Organizers of this exciting event. This year's secret ingredient "the Beet!!!"

Vegan misconception # 246. All vegans love all vegetables. If you follow my blog you would know that I have a gag reflex when it comes to cooked celery, and raw zucchini. Maybe I shouldn't have started this post off with "gag reflex" since I really want to entice you with culinary greatness.
Anyway,when it comes to root veggies, and beets in particular, I have a theory. I believe that there are two types of people in this world yeah just two, the Beet haters and the Beet lovers. 
Growing up, my dad always kept a bottle of borshdt in the frig. My sister Heidi has had an ongoing affair, (all her relationships should last this long) with beets since she was a kid. Back in our bad ass HS days we would come home late squinty and red eyed, and starving. 
The house would be dark and we would creep into the kitchen and pull everything from the refrigerator and place it on my mom's kitchen table. We would prepare a stoner honor roll student feast. While most kids were munching out on Mr. Nutter Butters, Heidi would concoct three beet sandwiches with whipped butter on pumpernickel, while I shoveled kosher pickles and my mom's coleslaw into my mouth. 

To prove my beet hater/ beet lover theory, I took to the streets to document the divide.

Roasted Yellow and Red Beets with Sweet Potato and Apple Doused with Creme Fraiche 

Pre- oven lovelies

4 medium sized red beets
1 large yellow beet 
1 sweet potato
1 pippin apple
canola spray
sea salt 
baked bread,or a pastry dough of your choice for a tarte, or pie, which was in my original plan but I was racing the clock
2T tofutti creme cheeze

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking pan with foil and spray.
2. Dice vegetables.
3. Spread vegetables and apple on pan according to a color scheme you enjoy.
4. Roast for 10 minutes on one side. Toss, make sure that you toss the red beets last so you don't get the red on the lighter colored veggies or apple. Remove from oven.

5.Bake bread, baguettes for 5 minutes at same temp. Spread bread bottoms with 1 T of vegan creme cheeze and return to oven for 2 minutes.

Roasted Hazelnuts (optional) for sprinkling on top

1/4  hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place hazelnuts on unlined cooking sheet. cook for about 7 minutes. Roll in clean kitchen towel to remove skins. Chop.


Quicky Creme Fraiche
3/4  vegan sour creme
1 T vegan creme cheese
2 T plain unsweetened soy milk
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
sea salt to taste


Add everything to small hand blender and blend for about a minute.

Click on the titles of the wonderful blogs before and after me. Before Yum For My Tum
and after me Lindsay is Vegan.

And hey, thanx for breaking bread with me today and enjoy the rest of the party.

Mofo 2013 Case File # 11 Mayberry RFD Investigates and Easy as Apple Pie

Opie: Hey Pa, maybe GiGi the missing blogger is down by the fishing hole.
Andy Taylor: Why that's a darn good guess son, but I don't think that is where she'd be hiding.
Opie:Why? Ain't she got a pole, Pa?
Barney Fife: No pole, Opie. She doesn't catch fish cuz she is from Yankee country and then she moved clear across the map to Cal-ie-forni-I-A. But we don't know where she is now.
Aunt Bee: Poor thing. Wonder where she could be. She could probably use some of my fried chicken.
Andy Taylor: Wherever she is Aunt Bee, she won't be partaking in any of your fine fried chicken either.
Barney Fife: The heartache, the heartache! She won't have any buttermilk coated dinners either. She's a Yankee vegan!
Andy Taylor: Now don't go making that GiGi blogger any of your kerosene pickles Aunt Bee. 
Opie: That sure won't entice her back.
Andy Taylor: Sure won't.
Aunt Bee: Oh Andy! I won't. I will bake up some good ole apple something.
Barney Fife: Love your Apple Pie Aunt Bee. We sure have to nip this case in the bud!
Aunt Bee: If only finding GiGi was as easy as apple pie.

Gluten Free Apple Spice Muffins With Easy as Pie Ice Creme

Aunt Bee's GF Apple Muffins With Easy as Pie Ice Creme
2 1/4 C of Perfect Blend GF flour (or any GF flour that includes xanthan gum)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp cinnamon 
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C coconut oil
2/3 C agave or maple syrup
1/3 C apple juice
1/3 C rice milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 C TJ's chunky applesauce

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a jumbo 6 C tin with paper liners. In a medium bowl whisk all the dry ingredients. Add all the liquid ingredients, except the chunky apple sauce. Stir. Fold in the chunky applesauce. 
Bake 11 minutes and then turn the pan 180 degrees and bake another 11 minutes or so, until top of muffin pops back easily when you press it. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes and then remove muffins to wire rack.

Easy as Pie Ice Creme
1 pint of your favorite vegan vanilla  ice creme softened
1/2 C TJ's chunky apple sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp pumpkin spice or cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Empty pint of softened ice creme into a big bowl. Mix in spices, and gently fold in chunky apple- sauce. Scoop prepared ice creme back into container. See, easy as pie.




Any one with any information about  GiGi is urged to call:

A Cooler Quiche

I must have ordered a custardy quiche at least once when I was a young veg. Quiche, lentil loaf, sprouts, carob almonds from a bin, and fresh squeezed carrot juice were the kind of foods I could find in a Venice, California hippie store in the late 70's early 80's.
I know I had a dog eared copy of Molly Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook which featured a Swiss and mushroom quiche. I bought Molly's follow up book the Enchanted Broccoli Forest and that had a spinach and broccoli quiche in it's contents. I don't remember making either quiche. I do remember an ex-fiance creating a cheezy eggy delight he paired with a green goddess salad and served up with too many bottles of wine. Years later a kind boyfriend's mom cooked a veg version of her quiche Lorraine just for me. Still I don't remember ordering or particularly caring if a quiche was part of my culinary arsenal or not. Truth be told, I appreciated everyone's efforts but quiche reminded me a little of dust.

I had one spelt pie crust left from the pie shell two pack, (sounds like a rapper), after I used one for the apple pie ice creme fiasco. As you know I eventually triumphed. You can read about the victory here. I just so happened to have all the ingredients on hand for a quiche from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan Brunch. If Isa thought a quiche was cool, then what the heck.

Based on Isa's Classic Broccoli Quiche

canola spray
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
3 C broccoli finely chopped
1 tsp thyme
TJ's 24 salute spice
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 C raw cashews
1 lb extra firm tofu
3 tsp mustard
2 vine ripened tomatoes
9 inch pie crust

 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Poke bottom of pie shell with fork about 5 times to prevent it to puffing up. Bake for ten minutes. Preheat skillet and spray. Saute onion and garlic for a bout 3 minutes, add broccoli and seasonings and cook for about ten minutes until soft. Add water if it gets dry.

Meanwhile in food processor pulse cashew into fine crumbs, give tofu a squeeze to remove some excess water and crumble into food processor with the mustard. Process until relatively smooth. When the broccoli is done cooking add one cup to food processor and pulse to combine. Transfer cashew mix to mixing bowl and add remainder of broccoli mixture and combine. Taste for salt. Use a spatula to get everything into the crust and smooth top. Place tomatoes around pie and bake for about 40 minutes until edges of the crust are slightly brown. Let sit for twenty minutes before digging in.

As you can see I did not cook the tomatoes and still it was quite good and not at all dusty.

Love and quiches, (so 80's I know).

GiGi

Virtual Potluck Evil Ice Creme

Here I am on the heels of MoFo showing up for a worldwide virtual pot luck. I actually have one more MoFo post to go but as luck  my stupid luck would have it since I live on the left coast, our area is the first designated area to show up to the soiree with our culinary masterpieces. Welcome all you virtual potluckers! Hope you had better luck than me.

Pardon me if this post is sprinkled with expletives, sighs and bad metaphors. I eventually triumph.
I had this fantastic recipe whirling around my head for days. The ingredients and appliances and pots and pans were lined up.
Each step was executed and my creativity matched my culinary prowess, at least until ...watch out first expletive coming at you. Fudge buckets...now the overused saying....God laughed at my plan. Oh chuckle, snort, bearded magician in the sky.

And yes and now another Expletive..
Apple effing pie ice creme was on it's way to it's execution, and I don't mean me executing the recipe either. I mean the ice creme was on it's way to the electric chair. I was on the way to making you an apple pie ice creme and then the fates turned against me and the ice creme maker freaked out  and electrocuted the ice creme.
Behold:

Day of the dead

 

But damned if I'd miss this party.
When in doubt pour everything back into your blender and make apple pie shakes :)

1 pippin apple diced
1/4 C water
1 T cornstarch
2 packets Stevia + 2 T pure maple syrup

Place 1/2 of the apple in a sauce pan. Add 1/8th C water and sweetener. Heat to boil. In a separate cup mix 1/8th of C cold water with cornstarch. Add to hot liquid and simmer about 6-8 minutes. Stir often then let cool completely. This is also a great topping by itself over vanilla ice creme. Once cooled proceed with shake.

1/2 C cream of coconut (place coconut milk in frig over night) then open can and scoop out creme from the top. (you can make whipped creme like that as well)
1.5 C almond milk
4 packets stevia and a 4 T maple syrup
6 oz silken tofu
1/2 brushed with 1 T maple syrup baked spelt vegan pie crust cut up
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin spice
3 ice cubes


Pour all ingredients into blender except chopped pie crust. Blend until thick and creamy. Fold in pie crust.

Remember when life gives you a broken ice creme maker stomp your feet, then smile, move on and laugh in the face of adversity.

Remember to check out the rest of the potluckers here. The party is hosted by Ann of an unrefined vegan (see above link) and Somer of vedged out, two awesome bloggers.
And here are two more blogs, one is before me on the roster and one behind me. Please give them some love.
The Joyful Pantry brought chocolate mint truffles.
and  Vegan Fling who brought some delicious cranberry granola cookies.

Now I'm off to party and chow down, that is after I give evil ice creme maker the boot!

A "To Whom It Concerns" Letter to Me

If you are trolling cyber space now and happen upon Veganville I would like to be perfectly clear. Today, to the untrained eye Veganville might appear to be a job resume service. Today and only today we might appear to be loosely associated with ESL or even the Better Business Bureau. Normally all these fancy pants factions are outside Veganville's jurisdiction. Veganville is a place that is concerned with vegan food, occasionally fashion, and cruelty- free makeup. You know all the true sustances of life. Stick around I'll give you some food pics at the end of the post. Right now I need to get on my high horsey. It's my blog and I can cry if I want to.

Every other week I receive an e-mail from a blogger interested in Veganville goodies. At first this might be flattering until you read the body of the letter and hit their link. I am always gracious. I have done giveaways on reputable sites, mostly vegan and am always happy to participate if the site is truly interested in Veganville.

Dear Etsy person-
Yummy. I have a blog. I think yer stuff wuld be perfect and my readers wuld like ur stuff alot.
Here is the linc: I wuld like to revue yoiur box.

"Lincs" invariably lead me to army wife blogs or Appalachia themed food sites. Postings include roast piggy complete with mouth apple, "revue" of charcoal briquette, and how to make garlands from Vienna sausage and fruit loops. The magical fit with their readers seems to elude me.
Today I received a letter that was so excited about me and Veganville.

To Whom It May Concern,


I have a blog about food called " ". I do reviews & giveaways of different products for companies. You can check out my blog here:  Please let me know if you would like to work with me on a review and/or giveaway. Typically a company will send me something to review and then I’ll offer the same item or items to a winner on my blog...blahblahblahblahblahbladdy blah.

At least I got a "yum" in the Appalachian letter. Correct me if I'm wrong here. I think that's a form letter. It's not even from the IRS or Visa. It's not a publisher rejection letter. It's a letter to me, although they don't know who I am, what my shop is and never mention any of my product. They would however like me to pay at least $22 to ship my items to them and their lucky winner. This does not include my labor fees or ingredient costs. Yippeekayay. Note to sender if you are in the job market please don't send potential employers form letters. Read:dumpster.

To Whom it may concern
You are not getting the above Sam Sam cake!
Signed,
I am not concerned

 Now that I got that off my chest. Check out this customer appreciation photo I received from an Austin, Texas fan . I think this beautiful face is the perfect candidate for the national "voopee pie" campaign. Thank you so much!

What do you think? Got any Veganville pics, I'd love to see them. Thanks so much!

I Smell Pot...Pie

So remember when I promised you the best pot pie recipe ever? It's coming up. I never made a pot pie before. Sure I made oodles of pot brownies but that was way back when- like pre-pokey.
Hey...where did those cats come from...I didn't know we had cats, do you have cats? Apparently we do, for some time now. Oh sorry, I'm back now. Larry directed me back to my blog.

Hi. So we made this with my students. They did a bang up job too, if I do say so myself.

Filling

The Filling
4 carrots, chopped
3 medium potatoes, chopped

3 scallions, chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth (I make mine with water and bouillon cube)
1 cup frozen peas thawed

10  mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup 1/2 vegan chicken strips roughly chopped (about 8 strips)
1 cup firm tofu drained pressed and cubed

Crust:
2 C flour
1/2 T Apple Cider Vinegar
2/3 C oil
1/4 tsp bkg powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup water


1 T oil
3/4 C fresh spinach
1C Daiya or shredded vegan "sheeze"


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Toss carrots, potatoes, broccoli into a large stove pot, add the broth, bring to boil then simmer on low heat (covered) for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat oil in fry pan and saute scallion, vegan chick (you know what I mean) and cubed tofu. Saute for about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. While the carrots, and potatoes and brocc are cooking up, go ahead and make that crust. Mix the crust ingredients together in a bowl. Lightly flour a work surface. Pat dough out on surface and divide in half. Evenly press 1/2 the dough onto the bottom of a deep rectangular glass baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
Tip: I always transfer my dough from the work surface by wrapping it onto a rolling pin and then unrolling it from the pin into the pan.

3. When the broth mix is done. Add the remaining veggies, chick mix shredded "sheeze" and nooch. Mix well.
 4. Spoon  filling into crust packing it down. Press the remaining dough on the top, and bake for 20-25 minutes. The top will be golden brown when it's ready.


This recipe is a variation on a recipe I found on Vegweb. Great pot dude. Hey- no bogarting. Anybody out there?








Cherry Bomb

I dig doing Vegan cooking classes, "Tofu Tuesdays" and "Koffee Klotches", here at Veganville. A Koffee Klotch or Coffee Klatch is defined as a gabfest with coffee. We add lots of laughs, cool  tunes and of course dessert making. I also like to provide the Klotch with a salad and some crusty bread. I do this not because I'm so beatific, but mostly because I don't want anyone in the Klotch to go into a diabetic coma. Suing is not nice.
Last Friday's Klotch whipped up some PB/Chocolate goodies and the very awesome Lauren and Jeff requested a cherry dessert as well.

I considered Dried Cherry and Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. I thought about very Cherry Cobbler, or an Autumnal Crumble or Slump. My earlier class made a Pineapple - Cherry Kugal, (not to be confused with Kegal), that wowed us. Yes, Kegals might wow some people but this is not that kind of cooking class. Anyway none of those seemed to jive with the PB/Chocolate desserts. And then at the 11th hour I hit upon this...

"The Cherry Bomb", called thus because all the flavors just explode in your mouth, and of course a nod goes out to the Queen of Rock and sister in Veganhood - Joan Jett.

Cherry Bomb

The following cupcake part is from the Isa Chandra Moscowitz and Terry Hope Romero's book "Veganomicon".

Except I'm so smart I changed  the raspberry jam to cherry jam...but that's just the beginning.

For the Cherry Donut Cupcake you'll need...

1 C rice milk

1tsp apple cider vinegar

2 T cornstarch

1.5 C unbleached flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg or pumpkin spice

3/4 C plus 2 T granulated sugar

2 tsp non - alcoholic vanilla

a little more than 1/3 C black cherry preserves

Let's make the cupcakes for the Cherry Bomb Parfait first. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour rice milk and vinegar and cornstarch into a measuring cup and set aside. Line 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In large mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin spice. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add oil, sugar and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4's full with the batter. Place a heaping spoon of cherry jam on the center of each cupcake. You don't have to press it down. It'll sink down when baking . Bake for 21 - 23 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack for a little bit. Remember to take the cupcake out of the liner before you plop it into your parfait glass.

For the remainder of the bomb, (I bet I'll have some interesting new readers today because of today's bomb making.)

1-11/2 C cherry pie filling

4 scoops of your favorite Vegan vanilla ice cream

Crumble Topping

1/2 C flour

1/2 C brown sugar

1tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 C canola oil + 2 T

Mix dry ingredients then drizzle oil in and crumble with your very super clean fingers until you make crumbs.

Line up your parfait glasses. Place a cupcake on the bottom of parfait glass, cover with a layer of cherry pie filling, then a layer of of crumble, layer again and top with a scoop of Vegan ice cream. We used Vanilla Rice Dream. This recipe rocks...seriously.