Ragin' Cajun Popcorn

I had some plain popcorn boring me tonight. So I thought, “Hey, I wonder if 1k has popcorn in any recipes? There are one thousand.” Then I thought, “Naaah, popcorn?” And then, “Well, still...” And so I went over to my stained and graffiti'd copy and asked, “Hey, 1k, got any recipes with popcorn?”

And 1k....well, 1k said “Yes. Yes, I do.”

The Ragin' Cajun Popcorn (page 4) is ragin' indeed. My mouth's a'burnin' and I'm loving it. Since my popcorn was already popped and I was too lazy to calculate how many cups of popped corn result from 1/3 cup of unpopped corn, I just sprinkled in the called-for spices at will. And I love it. I love it very much. I wish I'd've thought of this before eating all that plain popcorn. I'm never making that mistake again, no sirree—next time I'm going to try an Indian-spice-blend. And then: pumpkin pie spices. My popcorn's going places. Is yours?

(In case you're curious, which I know you are, I went that extra mile tonight, for you, kiss kiss. curry powder + coriander + popcorn + shake it hard = mmm, yeah. And cinnamon + ginger + allspice + nutmeg... heyyyy, there.)

- - Ulpia, pops it like it's hot - -

Peanut Butter-Ice Cream Pie

Okay, really now. When you look at the title of this dessert, how can you go wrong? It's peanut butter, and it's ice cream, and it's PIE. What's not to love? Well I am delighted to inform you that the Peanut Butter-Ice Cream Pie (p468) is a little round chunk of luscious peanut buttery ice creamy love.

Despite its simplicity, I did end up with a few changes. One by design, the other two by necessity. The recipe calls for "vegan chocolate cookie crumbs," but when I went to purchase these I realized I didn't exactly know what that was. Graham cracker crumbs, even vegan ones, are widely available, but I've never seen chocolate cookie crumbs. Can't exactly say I've ever sought them out, but this time I did, and there were none. I considered getting some plain chocolate cookies (such as Cat Cookies from Trader Joe's) and processing them into crumbs, but I wasn't at TJ's and couldn't find a comparable substitute. Then I came across a Wholly Wholesome Chocolate Pie Crust and decided to go with that. The other changes came about because the store was out of plain vanilla ice cream, so I went with one pint of Turtle Mountain/Purely Decadent's Dulce de Leche and one pint of their coconut milk vanilla bean. This worked out fine and did not impart a coconut flavor that I could detect. But even if it had, that wouldn't have been a bad thing.

I cannot adequately explain how easy this is to put together. No one could mess it up! And imagine how impressed your friends and family will be when you serve them ICE CREAM PIE. You've baked nothing, you've mixed a few things, and you have an impressive decadent dessert that your guests will think took far more time and effort. So take a few minutes to make it, serve, enjoy your accolades, and figure out whether a spoon or fork works best.

--The Divine Miss V

Ted's Artichoke and Green Bean Bake

The story behind Ted's Artichoke and Green Bean Bake (p354) made me want to try and love this recipe as much as did the ingredient list. Briefly, it involves one of the book's testers, her deceased father who never had a chance to finish his own cookbook, Hurricane Katrina, destroyed homes, and lost family recipes. So you see my dilemma when I realized I didn't "love" this dish.

I made very slight changes to the recipe as written--baby bellas instead of white mushrooms, because they are the only mushrooms I can tolerate; the can of artichoke hearts in my pantry was 13.5 oz rather than the 15 oz listed; and I left out the parmesan substitute altogether, though I did add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. I followed the instructions as directed, but the texture of this dish (as I assumed it to be) never seemed to come together. It was somewhat liquidy, and despite the inclusion of flour in the recipe, it remained runny, even on the second day. In addition, despite the lesser amount of artichokes, they were overpowering to the flavor of the dish.

This recipe is full of things I like, and I would give it another go with the following changes: decrease the amount of artichokes, perhaps by a quarter or even half; lessen the amount of vegetable broth; skip the bread crumbs; include the parmesan substitution; and I might try cornstarch rather than flour. Despite the pic above, it's actually a pretty dish when you use fresh green beans that are livened up by the pieces of red bell pepper. I think a little less artichokes and "sauce" would make it even more attractive (and taste better).

--The Divine Miss V

Ulpia's Thanksgiving - Pastry-Wrapped Portobellos with Madeira Sauce; Sweet Potato and Apple Gratin; Chocolate Mousse Cake

This year I celebrated my first Thanksgiving as a vegan and as a devoted cook. My family very obligingly gave me free reign with the meal preparation. So I packed my spices, measuring cups, and a cake pan into my luggage (causing the man at the airport to curiously open said luggage up), enlisted my grandmother's help, and got to cooking. The entire meal, two desserts and a gratin included, took me almost nine hours to complete (with plenty of breaks for snacking in between, and some waiting around the oven). But boy was it worth it! Batgirl's post about the Pastry-Wrapped Portobellos (page 331) with Madeira Sauce (page 546) convinced me I had to make them the centerpiece of my meal. Completely independently, my mom thought so too; minutes after I'd decided, she sent me an e-mail telling me as much.


With my grandma's invaluable cleaning, chopping and dough-rolling help, it came together wonderfully (and a lot faster than if I had been on my own). And it was pure glory. Alongside, we made the Sweet Potato and Apple Gratin (page 379)—oh sweet, sweet baked goodness. I had no gratin dish, but a deep pan worked splendidly.


My dad's words were “This fits everyone's tastes.” and then “I could eat ten of these!” (They're pretty big...and I agree with him completely.) I think I've succeeded in impressing them. No, actually, I floored them. Well, I was just the medium; this book is what came through for me—yes. Just, yes. A hearty, please-more-now yes! This is most definitely and without a shred of a doubt something I will be making again for festive occasions or any time I'm looking to impress. (Don't let that nine-hour-comment deter you from making this, the mushrooms themselves took less than an hour to make. Which means I really did take a lot of snacking breaks.)


And of course, no festive meal is complete without plenty of dessert. The Chocolate Mousse Cake (page 445) which I'd made before for them was requested. I happily obliged. (And baked up a Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake too for good measure.)


My friend and her mother who live a few houses down happened to drop by and I instantly put together plates for them—they had to try this stuff too. They were particularly enamored with the gratin, insisting that I share the recipe. Then I pushed some dessert on them, too, and they loved it. That makes six omnivore vouches for this meal.


My grandma got creative with the stuffing I had left over, added more mushrooms, and made a lovely salad (we use the term “salad” loosely in Romanian, obviously). My dad and I scarfed it down before anyone else even saw it. It was very delicious. Very.

My first vegan Thanksgiving was a smashing success. Simply smashing!

- - Ulpia, thankful for her wonderful sous chef and trusting parents - -

Black Bean and Walnut Croquettes

What pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and other comfort foods on a cold fall day? If you guessed Black Bean and Walnut Croquettes {page 267} you are right!

These little babies are made from pantry staples {if you're into keeping walnuts stocked, like I am}, and come together in minutes. The mixture is really easy to work with, and holds together great {unlike many croquettes I've made in the past}. Lightly coated in panko breadcrumbs, these little babies fry up great, the outside getting crisp and delicious while the inside is still soft and supple. Mmmm...supple...

I served these with Hollandaze Sauce drizzled over top {as the recipe suggested}, and it paired really well. I can also see these being great in a wrap, pita, or sandwich. They are flavorful on their own, but are also happy to work behind the scenes to make the flavor-magic happen for other accompanying sauces or dishes.

Both the Ninjahusband and Supertoddler enjoyed them {the Supertoddler calling them "poke-ettes"}. I can see this recipe being easily modified to use any bean and nut combination you like. These will definitely end up on our menu again and again. Great, solid, cheap, quick, versatile...what's not to love?

-- Your Friendly Neighborhood Batgirl

Lemon Glazed Baby Carrots with Cranberries

Like many dishes in the book, Lemon Glazed Baby Carrots with Cranberries (p360) is so simple you'll smack your forehead and ask "Now why didn't I think of that?" Well, because you didn't. And neither did I. It is another of those seemingly too-easy-to-need-a-recipe recipes, but its complexity is found within its inherent simplicity. Now go ponder that for a while.

When you return, take a few minutes to put this beautiful side dish on your table, especially if you celebrate any of the upcoming holidays for which you need something that doesn't require a lot of time or skill, but still needs to "look pretty." Oh yeah, and taste good. Which it does. I'm not one for lemon in savory foods, and I'm also not one for very sweet dishes during a meal. But these babies--heh--balance my likes and dislikes perfectly. I could not taste the lemon, but it provided enough acidity for a (non-sticky) glaze for the carrots. The dried cranberries plump up nicely and add just the right bit of tart.

In sum, this is a festive and lovely dish that will add a burst of color and some sparkle to your table. It was well received among the vegans and omnis to whom I served it, and it's certainly "good enough for company" without taking up too much of your time, and makes for an impressive presentation.

--The Divine Miss V

Hot Cocoa

Maybe you don't really need a recipe for Hot Cocoa (page 540), but having only ever made it from a pre-made mix before (gasp!), I appreciated having ratios to follow. This—this creamy, rich goodness is unattainable from a mix, my friends. It is simply beyond a mix's capabilities to match such delectable liquid comfort. I raise my mug to it! Indeed, I tip back my mug to it—and with it. And then it's gone.

All right, okay, you're right—making hot cocoa was mainly an excuse to show off my 1-of-only-50-ever-made color-changing Venture Brothers mug. My VB enthusiasm knows no bounds. But come, a more fitting receptacle for such a warm delight there never was!

- - Ulpia, girl adventurer - -