Of Bloody Poached Leopards and iPhoto

RACHEL'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
p. 222 LDV
Prepared 11/19/07

This is the best vegan cookie dough I have ever ever tasted. I added extra vanilla because we had just that awkward amount in the container where you don't want to toss it because you are trying to be mindful about consumerism, waste, packaging blah blah blah...you know how it is. Also, the universe was sending me a major reminder to check your ingredients before you start cooking or baking as we were out of our propriety blend of w/wh wh flour. So the son and I made them with whole wheat flour. I think they would be better as cookies if one ensured one had less healthful flour involved. But the dough...oh...the dough...

So, careful picture viewers are probably noticing that some of my photos have been a little less optimal. You are right. All the pictures taken in the last few months have been taken either with my phone or my partner's iPhone, because he dropped our digital camera in a national park this summer on his drive across the country. But! The new update for iPhoto has given me some interesting tools to frame these slightly imperfect pictures (I am so so so not the woman who Photoshops her pictures prior to uploading them, as you have noticed) so if you are finding yourself in the future feeling really impressed with the dreaminess of say, another bowl of soup, you know it is the new tools!

Finally, mega super ultra careful picture viewers are going to be looking at the headline of the paper under the cooling rack upon which the cookies rest and say to themselves, "Something Beautiful? Whats that all about?" You can access the article here and then you may find yourself wondering, as I am, what exactly the landscaping will look like when the project is finished. I am finding it hard to visualize. And what the other landscape designs looked like in the contest that were rejected. I like the idea of this very much though.

Is There Anything More To Say About Banana Bread?

well...yes...

BROWN RICE FLOUR BANANA BREAD
p. 279 LDV
Prepared 11/18/07

Longtime readers will most certainly remember that I don't eat or generally associate with the flavor of banana. However, bananas do show up in our home with some regularity. The boys made this bread with our propriety blend of wheat/white flour instead of rice flour (as we have no rice flour) and, in the words of the elder male, "They forgot to put an ingredient in the recipe! We had to take it upon ourselves to add the chocolate chips."

This was by far the most fantastic looking banana bread I've ever seen. Our son adored it and by the end of the day had eaten about 3/4 of the loaf. If that isn't a ringing endorsement...I don't know what it!

Gimme A L! Gimme An E! Gimme An N! Gimme A T! Gimme An I! Gimme An L!

COCONUT CURRY RED LENTIL SOUP
p. 106 LDV
Prepared 11/17/07

Lentils lentils rah rah rah! The combo of curry flavors, coconut milk, lentils and root veggies was pretty fabulous. This is really rich and filling but super good. We added fresh parsley and a titch of garam masala and curry powder. It was pretty cinchy to make, FYI!

Faking It

BASIC INSTANT GLUTEN
FAUX CHICKEN
pp. 284, 287 LDV
Prepared 11/14/07

My first foray into the the world of homemade mock meat. It was actually much easier than I anticipated. The gluten, as many of you may know, seized right up and became rubbery...er, seemingly chewy. The liquid all evaporated for making the gluten officially "chicken" and it left a strange salty slimy residue, which I rinsed off prior to using/storing. I basically ate these in burritos all week, which was a nice change of pace from my normal beanfest. Pictured on the side of my in-process faux chicken are cornmeal scones from Moosewood Cooks At Home.

Mama! What Happened?

NIKOLE'S BOSS'S MOM'S PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE
p. 248 LDV
Prepared 10/29/07, Exploded 10/29/07

So, the boy and I made a dessert one afternoon and then I set it on the stove to cool. I then began dinner, but I turned the wrong burner on. And I didn't notice this. And after a few minutes, the pan exploded. Glass and cake were everywhere. For weeks, we've been talking about the exploding cake. Everyone was fine so it makes for a humorous story. But I will have to report back to you on the level of deliciousness this cake is able to manifest.

Crusty

YEAST-FREE PIZZA CRUST
p. 115 HIAV
Prepared 10/31/07

More pizza. It was fine. It wasn't much dough but we ate it and liked it and there ya go.

Carrot Soup Is Never Going To Do You Wrong

SIMPLY LOVELY CARROT SOUP
p. 57 HIAV
Prepared 10/26/07

I was afraid that this was going to be a disaster. At the end of the recipe it tasted thin and watery. But I added a leftover baked potato and pureed nearly all of the soup (not a recommended step in the recipe). The soup needs TLC beyond the recipe but the additions I made were really good. We ate it served with No-Knead Bread.

A Visit To Crater Lake

We went to Crater Lake, it was gorgeous and fun. If you have not gone, you should.

Veracity

I have no idea what these dishes are, I made them, we ate them, they must have been good because we would have remembered if they sucked. So you know, I will keep you updated on this. Check back regularly.

Is the pasta dreamy looking or what?

Cake-to-Muffins

CINNAMON-WALNUT COFFEE CAKE
p. 253 LDV
Prepared 10/21/07

Another case of struesel not wanting to stay on the cake. They were converted to muffins and baked for less time. I liked these a lot- the evidence is in the picture. They went fast!

Cakey

COLLEEN & HOBART'S MELT IN YOUR MOUTH CRUMBCAKE
p. 254 LDV
Prepared 10/15/07

I am not that enthusiastic about this cake but I am in the minority in my house. We used blackberry applesauce for the cake part. The topping is really really crumbly so if I were to make this again I would add more Earth Balance to the crumble mixture. I also felt that the cake was too mushy. I added chocolate chips to the topping because I thought it would be extra-delicious that way.

Love Soup, Love Love Love It

CAULIFLOWER RED LENTIL SOUP
p. 107 LDV
Prepared 10/15/07


Gah, I have a thing for red lentil soups. Good thing, since there quite a few in these cookbooks. Anyway, this one was really nice. I used extra ingredients to make a larger pot of soup and added celery. I threw in a little curry as we were out of tumeric. Delicious with a leftover biscuit, too!

CASSEROLIA

WOLFFIE'S SOUTHWESTERN CORN CASSEROLE
p. 169
Prepared 10/9/07

This is total comfort food...very tasty but I thought it had an odd consistency. My adult partner in dining stated, "This is pretty delicious! It tastes a little like quiche but without the disgusting flavor of egg." We served it with refried beans and it was all good.