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.

Three day weekend with Josh.

Josh and I had a very cultured weekend.  We went to the symphony on Friday night.  Saturday we went to the Brown Bag Opera, but not before we went to the Pittsburgh famous Deluca's for breakfast.  I think I ordered the wrong thing, but I'd be willing to give it another try.  Saturday night we went to a concert at Josh's friend's friend's house. Sunday morning Josh made pancakes using the local organic 7 grain pancake mix I picked up at the food co-op. They were yummy. And easy for the boyfriend to whip together. Good purchase! Sunday night played the BSG board game at Brain's house!  Kate picked up vegan cheese and sausage pizza from Spak Brothers. Very tasty.  Not just tasty for vegan. Actually tasty! I'm not sure when I really fell in love with Josh.  But I'm too happy to be smothered by him on my weekends.  This weekend was lovely, but next weekend I could use a little girl time? Luckily Karissa arrives 8:55 pm on Friday via the megabus!  Oh yes! 

Being back to school hasn't set in yet...  So today in honor of MLK day I slept in then I went to the Cats and Dogs Coffeehouse to dig into a little studying.  The coffee was terrible, but locally roasted.  The men running the shop were very charming.  I'd try a different beverage option... not just the house coffee.

Then a lovely happy hour with Chelsea at Ds six packs and dogs.  Draughts were a $1 off. The happy hour specials could have been better...   I liked my veggie burger.  Disliked the coleslaw it had red onions in it yuck.

Winter Break

Winter break came and went. 

Josh and I spent 10 days together and we still love each other. 5 days in Detroit and 5 days in Pittsburgh.  He met the family and some friends.  He was well received! 

I'm trying to recall the highlights... 

Cafe 1923 in Hamtramk was delightful!!!

The Arab American Museum in Dearborn was nice, but not amazing.  We explored thoroughly for about 2 hours.  

Cedarland in Dearborn was really tasty if not just a bit greasy.  The spinach pie was more pie than spinach.  It was VERY cheap for the amount of food.  But it left us feeling a bit bloated (not just the typical full feeling) and we had headaches... maybe some MSG? I wouldn't go back. 

Highlights of Pittsburgh...

Josh showed me his hometown Sewickley, PA.  Went to the Crazy Mocha there.  My first experience there and the coffee was no as bad as everyone makes it out to be.  It certainly is not great coffee, but it was fine.  Maybe my stands of good coffee are lowering the longer I live in Pittsburgh?!  The chocolate orange biscotti was okay, I'd go with a different kind next time.

After a very nice walk around friendship/east liberty, we stopped in for a fairly solid cup of coffee from Quiet Storm. 

Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant had a HUGE selection on the buffet.  Very tasty, but not particularly spicy.  Less oily than most Indian buffets.  It is a bit out of the way, on the North side of the Allegheny River... but I would go back! 

This past weekend we had a little holiday party!  And now back to serious business... 
Functional Neuroscience
Principals of Neuroscince
Models of practice
Evidence Based Practice II
Occupational performance in pediatrics
Pediatric fieldwork 1A