Wednesday

I made enchiladas.  Josh made Vegan Cheese but did not whisk in the 2 extra tablespoons of water. This evening is coming along.  Can't wait for spring break!

6 months ago, I met the most wonderful Josh. +Vegan Lemon Bars.

Had a lovely weekend.  Went out Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.  Throw back to undergrad weekends?   Sunday had a mostly relaxing day with Josh.  I met him 6 months ago on Sunday.  So it was an anniversary of sorts.  I made lemon bars for us. 

Vegan Lemon bars!

8”X8” baking pan

Mix Crust

¾ oat flour*

¾ whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 c smart oil

¼ cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons water

Press into a greased 8”X8” baking pan.   Bake 350 20 minutes.

While the crust is baking…

Filling ingredients can be mixed in a blender whip for about a minute.  Because there are no raw eggs you can taste in and adjust sugar or lemons to taste! 

2 lemons zested and juiced [~ 2 Tablespoons zest, ½ cup lemon juice]

1 silkin tofu (12 oz)

2 tablespoons oat flour

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons oat flour

Pour over crust.  Bake 350 35 minutes (I checked it at 30 minutes but 35 minutes is how long I ended up baking it… it was SET then.)

Refrigerate for 2 hours!   Cut and serve…  Makes 16 yummy little bites.  Boyfriend approved. 

*For the oat flour I took whole oats and grinded them powder fine in the magic bullet, but you could use entirely whole wheat pastry flour or some all purpose flour instead!  You could also do a graham cracker crust?  Be creative!  

So as usual… I looked at a few different recipes to combine the experience I have with vegan baking and the ingredients I had.  Rustic Lemonhead Oat Bars & Vegan Lemon Bars From The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Goudrault

 

Double chocolate cheesecake cookies!

This is the first baking recipe I have ever written?  I hope it translates well…it is NOT vegan. Sorry there is no photo.  I’m behind on my food porn skills!

Double chocolate cheesecake cookies! (Just ate one… yummy! They are definitely cookie like and the cheesecake works!)

The cheesecake mixture… Whip the following ingredients together until nice and fluffy.

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, soften (I used Neufchatel, less fat)
1/3 cup sugar
1 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Place cheesecake in the freezer while you mix the cookies…

1 box chocolate cake  mix 18.25 oz (I used devil’s food … but you could use any boxed cake mix really... red velvet, carrot cake, yellow cake... I'm not going to MAKE you use chocolate, but you might have to change the name of the cookies... I digress. )

1/3 cup all purpose flour

½  cup butter, soften

2 eggs

1 cup chocolate chips (I used a mix of white and semi-sweet)

Stir the cheesecake mixture and return to the freezer! 

Now preheat the oven to 350. 

Scoop one tablespoon sized cookies onto a cookie sheet (I got 41 cookies).  Make sure the cookies are well spaced (about an inch apart) because they are going to spread.  Using the back of the one teaspoon measuring spoon to make thumbprints in the cookies (they will be like little volcanoes don’t be afraid to shape them a little with your hands, you don’t want to chocolate chips making holes in the side of your volcanoes.).    

Take the cheesecake mixture out of the freezer.  Spoon a heaping teaspoon of cheesecake mixture into the center of each of the cookies.  It is okay if some cheesecake runs down the side of your volcano.

Bake for 12 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes than transfer onto wired rack for cooling.

For this recipe is a dream I had of yummyness…  Credit is given to the following…

http://www.duncanhines.com/recipes/cookies-bars/hackshins/cake-mix-cookies

http://www.cookiemadness.net/2011/04/cheesecake-ginger-cookies/

http://www.cookiemadness.net/2011/10/red-velvet-biscotti/

http://www.cookiemadness.net/2005/12/cheesecake-cookies/

Any questions just ask!

Enjoy!

Lovely weekend.

Eden was lovely.  Got the Vegan Raw Sampler $15 and loved just about every bite!  It's not a super hearty meal, but it is enough small bits to make a meal. I learned that I like portabella mushrooms when they are dehydrated... chewy not smoochy! Josh and Mama Klein got the special for the evening the Raw Enchiladas and oh my were they lovely too.  Papa Klein got a chicken rice dish and like it.  Will for sure be returning!  Afterward went to Starbucks for a sugar free cinnamon dolce, soy steamer.  Josh is always jealous of my ability to order the best beverages the coffee shop offers. 

Went to Quiet Storm again (4th time).  This time Sunday brunch with Carol.  We split the True Grits and Migas.   Loved the grits.  Black beans good too!  Coffee on par.  They had more wait staff working than usual... actually good service?  I might need to up my stars on the google review rating of them?

Valentines day.  Made a lovely dinner with the assistance of Josh.  Whole wheat pasta, mini gimme lean sausage meatballs, "award winning" pasta sauce from the local Italian grocer Groceria Italiana, and oven roasted portabella mushrooms, zucchini, & eggplant.   Yummy.  Then we watched Lady and the Tramp.   It was perfect. 

PS I am addicted to pinterest and the word lovely, officially.

Busy Semester

This semester is much more intense than last semester, possibly you could tell by the decrease in the number of posts? It must be a month since I last posted, because Josh and me just got home (to his home) from the Brown Bag Opera. Really enjoyed today's performance and the brown bag lunch we picked up from Salem's in the strip (29th street).  HUGE falafel sandwich WITH PICKLES!  The baba ganoush was smokey!  And the serve (at the counter this isn't a sit down fancy restaurant) was delightful. The veggie curry can't compete with Indian Garden, so stick to the middle eastern delights! 

Today there is much studying to be done, laundry galore, and we are going to Eden with his folks for dinner.