Shortbread Recipe in Honor of the Alleged Winner of Longest Contest in History

Do you care that this Nasoya "Cool Beans" contest has taken over my life? Nights are endless and tofu will never be the same. Rivka, I am sad to say did not claim her Nasoya swag. I even gave her an extra two days. Now if this next winner does not step forward I might have to send this Nasoya Tee and coupons to my mommy in Los Angeles, and she's not even one of my followers. Here is a reason why. My mom does not like it when I post pictures or videos of me that make me look like an aging Pinocchio. She didn't use those words exactly. She just thinks I look better in person. Aww thanks mom. When she told me how she felt about the videos I laughed and said, that's right I have  a face only a mom could love. My mom got upset and said, and your father and your husband could love and added, what happened? You were never like this? Like what? The truth is, I am happy with who I am, some days I'm happier than others.My serenity is direclty proportionate to my self acceptance. The truth is as I get older the lighting gets worse. Before I include today's, not so attractive, special on location, "Cool Beans Winner" video, I have a disclaimer. (This is for you Mommy).
1. I am not wearing a shower cap.
2. I actually have nice hair, but I need it cut and colored. This is my need a new coif hat.
3. I am cuter in person.
4. This Nasoya "Cool Beans Contest" has aged me, considerably.

Here are some special cookies for my special Mom. My Mom was born in Scotland and actually crawled under an immigration table to come into this country. This worked to my advantage as a kid. If my mom threatened to ground me I threatened to have her deported.  An old Scottish saying is," He who has contempt for food is a fool." I think they also say, "He who has contempt for whiskey is a fool", but it's my blog and I can say what I want to say.

I surprised my mom with this over the holidays and she loved it. I was surprised it got all the way to Los Angeles like this. I didn't pack it or anything. I just sent it through the mail on this plate.

Scottish Shortbread kind of, (it's not like the kind I grew up on but My Mom gave it a thumbs up!)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
8 T Earth Balance
2 T vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum)
1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
2 T organic sugar
2-3 T ice water
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat sugar, salt, Earth Balance and shortening on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.


Gradually sift flour mixture into the butter-shortening mixture, and mix with wooden spoon or spatula. Stir together with the spatula until the dough comes together. Add 2 T-4 T of ice water so the dough holds together.
Lightly grease and line 8 X 8-inch baking dish or round pan with parchment paper.
Place the dough into the prepared pan and press it down with your fingers into a smooth, even layer.

Use a fork to pierce holes into a decorative pattern.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until the shortbread is a pale golden color and slightly dark at the edges.

Remove to a rack and let cool until it's slightly warm. With a sharp knife, cut almost all the way through to form triangles.

And now the moment you've all been wating for...yet another winner of the Nasoya "Cool Beans Contest"!
Drum roll please!

Crackle Cookies and the Longest Contest in World History

I totally dropped the Jingle Ball this year. Bell, I mean, BELL. I think I was waylaid by the longest tofu contest in soybean history.

Rivkah please step forward! And claim your tofu coupons and tee shirt. I think the Nasoya people hired Rivkah as a shill for a shilling. It's been over a week and not a peep from Rivkah. I never saw Rivkah before the contest, and haven't seen her since. I'm totally screwed! I mean how much longer can this freakin' contest go on? Think I'll give Rivkah 'til Tuesday to call in. So if you did not win last time, you still might win. Feh. Who cares? The best thing about this crazy ass contest is that I have an excuse to use a random generator. It's the best thing to happen to me since off track betting.

I hope everybody had a lovely Holiday Season. I did, except for FB. FB can be pure torment for the already tormented. If you are reading my blog I probably don't have to explain this to you since you are most likely tormented and maybe even demented. Everyday on FB during these festive times, there seemed to be just another picture of some happy little homemaker in their pretty little vintage apron standing next to their barely used Wolf oven with their dozens of Christmas cookies. Hey, I love it when people create and cook, but why once a year? And why do those lady's nails look so nice after they bake? And why is their mascara still intact? I bet  those Pfeffernussen aren't even vegan. Who's frilly vintage apron is pristine after sweating it out in a kitchen? A day in my kitchen and I look like I've been mud wrestling in chocolate. Eh. Who cares?!

As much as I wanted to create and bake new items and don a cutesy little apron, it's a super duper busy time of the year for me in the kitchen. Crazy boy and I sleep little, work lots and have too many hang nails. Now that I've had a few rounds of Zzzs. I can scroll through FB holiday pics and appreciate the love and creativity others put into baking even if it's just once a year. I'm incredibly grateful to be able to do what I do. It's been a good year in Veganville. Thank you all for swinging by. I am so grateful to have you join me.
I did manage to test four new cookies. Maybe you have had your fill of sweets. Maybe you received a dozen from Miss frilly prissy, the annual baker. Maybe you are at the gym right now for today anyway. I'll just bring you just one of these fine cookies today. First up is the Crackle White Chocolate and Semi Cookie. My testers said this was fudgy and the perfect chocoholic cookie.

photo courtesy psycho boy

Makes about 2.5 dozen decent sized cookies

12 oz vegan chocolate chips divided
3/4 C unbleached flour
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 C or 1/2 stick earth balance
1/2 C organic sugar
1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
2 flax seed eggs (2 T flax mixed with 1/4 C + 2 T water)
2 tsp non-alcoholic vanilla
1/2 C vegan white chocolate chips



Preheat oven 375 degrees and line 2-3 cookie sheets with parchment.
Melt 3/4 bag of vegan chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave. (Best way to measure it out is just put 1/2 C of chocolate chips aside). Now set aside melted chocolate chips.
Mix flour, cinnamon, and baking powder in small bowl.
Cream earth balance and sugars in large bowl. Add flax seed slurry and vanilla and mix well. Add melted chocolate and beat until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture until well blended.

Stir in white chocolate and remaining semi sweet chocolate.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoon fulls, (is their such a word?), onto prepared pans, about 1 and half inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes turning pans halfway through.
Transfer cookies on pans to wire rack and let cool for about 10-12 minutes. (They are little gooey). Remove cookies from wire rack and let cool completely.
Indulge!
Veganville will be adding more cookies to our Etsy and local stores in January too. Stay tuned.
Because we follow the Cretan calendar, we will be ringing in the New Year with you midweek and the Battle of the Hoppin Johns. See, you can have another cookie before your 2012 diet.

Is Rivkah here yet?

And We Have A Nasoya Cool Beans Winner: Special Friday Footage

Peekaboo, Guess who's here. I finally got a moment to hobble out from Hell's kitchen. Just in time to announce the winner of the Nasoya Cool Beans Contest. Be quiet I know I'm late! You in the drunk reindeer feetie pajamas sipping vegan eggnog, hush, or you're disqualified. You don't need any more pajamas anyway.
Before we get to this humongous contest winner announcement I have a couple of confessions:

1. Sheesh! I KNOW I'M LATE! The winner was supposed to be announced- well here's the link where it says "Friday, December 14th".
2.There is no Friday December 14th! There has not been a Friday December 14th since (see below) the Cretes cured olives, and

 3. If you guessed there was one other Friday December 14th you would be right, it is a day I will be forever grateful for, the day George Washington Carver invented the PB Voopee Pie.

4. I can hear you saying, but how do you know these things, GiGi?  My answer to you is, I am a savant. Your second question is probably, but who won? My answer to you is, hold your pits.
Watch my amazing talent in this video below.

Because my savantism is limited I used a random generator to pick the winner. I had to use the random generator several times because Andrea's name came up as the winner every time. As much as I love Andrea and her blog, I forgot that she was disqualified. I decided to eliminate Andrea because she is one blogger who already has too much swag. Sorry no gym shorts for you, Andrea!
The winner of the Nasoya Cool Bean Giveaway is Rivka.  Rivka let me know what size tee-shirt you'd like. Nasoya probably doesn't have your size but it would be nice to know if I ever have another contest. FB me with your particulars. Congrats again and thank you for playing!!!! 

 Happy Friday everybody!

Cool Beans Nasoya Giveaway and Leftover Pasta Pie Recipe

I promised you a contest and I promised you a chance to win some Nasoya swanky swag. I haven't received my swag, (read- tee shirt in size unknown), from the lovely Nasoya peeps over at Nasoya.There could be a couple of reasons for that. If you are a long time reader of mine you probably know that I changed my address. That could be it. Or it could be that Nasoya's very nice PR person chased down the FedEx truck to get my tee shirt back after I conveyed some very real concerns I had about their Nasoya Tofu U site. Sure I like tofu and sure no animals were killed making the silken tofu I use for my mousse, but what about their egg based noodles and all the meat and chicken recipes on their site?  What about the frozen PB pie recipe dubbed vegan on their site but dripping with honey? Well I tell you I almost threw the baby tofu out with the tofu water. I was so conflicted. Why should I deprive my readers and fans of a give away? That would not be the right thing to do. No! Besides, I want more stuff...how 'bout a bag, or more coupons, or how 'bout sending me some of those nifty Richard Simmons like gym shorts with Tofu U written on them? I could wear them dancing to the oldies in my kitchen.

Crap. Now I probably have to apologize to Nasoya. I'm sorry Nasoya. I really do love Nasoya Silken Tofu. I used it in the pasta pie recipe I'm about to give you. I actually have used all their tofus except the new sprouted ones. I tried to track down Nasoya's new hummus but it was unavailable in the five stores that I checked. Speaking of five stores I take the fifth on Nayonnaise. It reminds me of that midwest sandwich spread - you know the one with the initials M.W. It might be good with vegan baloney, on vegan white bread if you dig that sort of thing. What do I know? Before we play, check out this interview I had on prime time.

Here's the recipe for leftover pasta pie I promised you.

Leftover Pasta Pie Made With Nasoya Silken Tofu

1 Prepared corn crust pie
1 hearty portion of leftover pasta (ours was made with rice pasta, peas, vine ripened tomato, Tofurkey and red onion)
vegan pesto (enough to cover bottom of pizza shell)
olive oil spray
1/4 C water
3 vine ripened tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced

1 package Nasoya Silken Tofu (drained and pressed) crumbled
1 C Daiya Mozzarella
1 T oregano
1 tsp liquid smoke

Preheat oven according to corn pizza shell directions. Spread pesto on bottom of crust. Place on cookie sheet or pizza pan. Spray skillet with canola or olive oil, cook garlic for about 2 minutes, mix in pasta and add about 2 T of water, cook about 5 minutes, add crumbled tofu, and liquid smoke. Cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes. Add water or spray as needed. Slice tomatoes and place in concentric circles on pizza shell. Top with tofu mixture, sprinkle with Daiya and oregano. Cook according to pizza shell directions (12-15 minutes). Let sit.

Onto the giveaway and your chance to cash in on some free coupons and tee. Winners will be announced Friday December 14th  and will be chosen through a mighty number generator.

Here's all the ways you can play. You can enter as many times as you want too. Tell me what action you took in the comments. Each action is worth an entry. Woo hoo! Number 5 is worth 2 entries. C'mon I want those gym shorts.

1. Add yourself as a follower of the blog.
2. Tweet this contest.
3. Like the Nasoya FB page.https://www.facebook.com/#!/Nasoya
4. Like Veganville on FB https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/VEGANVILLE-Make-No-Bones-About-ItWere-Vegan/101254843910
5. And here's the clincher. Enroll in Tofu U and take the pledge to cook tofu once a week, (we're vegans, how easy is that?).http://www.nasoya.com/tofu-u/

Good luck and thanx for playing the "Cool Beans" giveaway!