Perfect for Easter Cake

Although holiday cooking is one of my very favorite things, I am not overly crazy about cooking for Easter.  This is probably because we spend a good chunk of the morning at church dealing with the crazy parking and crowds and I don't want to have to rush home and spend the rest of the day in the kitchen.  We go out for brunch on Easter Sunday after church.  I love this little tradition almost as much as I love the fact that Easter hats are coming back in style.  They are, right? 

I did, however, make this lovely cake for us to enjoy during the Easter weekend....


Picky Palate

It tastes as good as it looks.  I improvised a little from the original recipe (no shocker there) to cut down the calories and I doubled all the ingredients to make the layers bigger.

Easter Cake

2 boxes white or yellow cake mix (I used yellow)
2 small boxes sugar-free/fat free instant vanilla pudding mix
16 oz. container of fat free sour cream
1 cup water
1 cup (2 jars) baby food pears (or of course you can use 1 cup of it goes straight to your thighs oil)
1 cup egg substitute
Food coloring (red, blue, green, yellow)
Can of whipped cream cheese icing (of course you can make your own, but I didn't have time for that)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease four 8-in round cake pans.  In a stand mixer, stir together cake mixes and pudding mixes.  Dump in sour cream, water, egg and baby food.  Mix all together and beat for several minutes until thoroughly combined and smooth.  Pour batter evenly into 4 separate bowls.  Add your food coloring a little at a time to make the pastel colors of your choice.  Pour batter into the 4 prepared cake pans.

Bake at 350 for about 22-27 minutes.  Start checking with a wooden skewer around 20 minutes since all ovens vary.  Place pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove cakes carefully and let cool completely on racks.  Once cooled, stack layers, spreading a thin layer of icing between each one.  Once stacked, ice the entire cake.  I decorated with some Robin's Eggs.

Tips and tricks:
* The baby food works really well in this recipe.  We did not miss the oil at all.  However, baby food tends to make cakes a little more dense, which is why I used 2 boxes of cake mix (and doubled all ingredients) here.  I wanted to make sure my layers were thick enough.
** When you first put everything in the mixing bowl, stir it with a large spoon before turning the mixer on so the dry ingredients don't go flying everywhere.
*** Make sure you add the food coloring a little at a time because you're going for pastels here.  A few drops of red made the pink color, a few drops of yellow made the light yellow, same with the green, and a few drops of red and a few drops of blue together made the light purple.
**** Make sure your cake pans are well greased and floured so that cooked cakes easily fall out.  

Easy Peasy Blueberry Pie

A good pie is something in my arsenal of recipes that I feel the need to perfect.  Like, I want to be known as the lady that makes a mean pie.  You know, the lady that when a potluck is coming is coming up and everyone hopes that she brings her "famous pie."  Yep, pretty sure it is one of my life ambitions to be that lady.

This pie is not perfect, but it's pretty good.  I would be more inclined to brag about it if I made the crust from scratch, but I did not.  Therefore I am not entitled to brag.  I am probably not entitled to be that pie lady until I have perfected a homemade crust.  Guess I'll just stick with being the lady that makes the somewhat decent pie but did you know she uses a *gasp* pre-made pie crust.  Plus if this recipe included a homemade pie crust, then it wouldn't be easy-peasy, and most of you would probably run far far away.

Blueberry Pie

1 package refrigerated pie crusts (top and bottom)*
6 cups fresh (or frozen, thawed and drained) blueberries
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 stevia, 1/2 pure cane sugar)
1/4 packed brown sugar
Drizzle of agave syrup (this isn't necessary, but I just love agave)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup quick cooking tapioca (don't actually cook it)
1 Tb. fresh lemon juice
2 Tb. butter, cut up
Extra sugar for dusting

Remove pie crusts from box and let sit on counter for about 20 min or until they have reached room temperature.  Carefully unroll one crust and lay it over a 9-in. pie plate, pressing sides and bottom to line plate.  Trim any excess crust.  In a large bowl stir together white and brown sugars, cinnamon, cinnamon and agave (if using) until combined.  Toss in lemon juice and blueberries and mix well.  Set aside for 20 minutes.  Go ahead and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Once the blueberries have "soaked" spoon them in to the pie crust.  Dot with butter.  Carefully unroll the other pie crust and place on top of blueberries.  Fold edges under plate and flute however you wish.  Cut several slits in top crust and sprinkle with a couple Tbsps. of sugar.  Bake for 45-50 min. until nice and bubbly. 

* I am very partial to the Immaculate Baking Co. pie crusts, or that whole brand in general.  Good stuff.

** I like to use a little of the excess dough (from when you trimmed the bottom crust) and cut a heart (with a cookie cutter) to place in the middle, just to make it pretty (and to hopefully overt one's eyes from my terrible fluting job). 
*** Always check the pie around 40 min. into baking to make sure the crust isn't getting too brown.  If it is (which will more than likely be the case), cover the top with foil and continue baking.
**** You can use whatever fruit you like.  Just use 6 cups (chopped if the pieces are large).  Note that 6 cups of fruit will make a pretty deep dish pie.

Maybe one these times I'll be able to get a picture before Matt and I dig in:)

Curry Chickpea Cakes

I'm kind of obsessed with all things curry these days so this will probably be one of many curry inspired recipes you will see on here.  These are good though because even if you don't like curry, you can make them with some other spices and and head in a totally different flavor route.  Still, I recommend the curry route:)

Curry Chickpea Cakes

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup minced (tiny, tiny pieces) green onions (green and white parts)
1/3 cup light coconut milk
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (you may need more so keep it handy)
1 tsp. curry powder (or more depending on how much you like curry!)
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup olive or grapeseed oil

Combine chickpeas and onion in food processor or blender and pulse until combined and smooth*.  Transfer to large bowl and add the coconut milk, sugar, breadcrumbs, curry, nutmeg and cumin.  Stir all together until well combined.  Stir in brown rice and salt and mix well.  You are going to form the mixture in to patties, so if it seems like you need more breadcrumbs to make them stick together, add it.  Mold mixture in to small patties (probably about 8).  Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the patties 4 at a time and saute until a nice golden brown (about 5-7 minutes each side).  Do the same thing with the second batch.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Serve warm.

* If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can just mash the chickpeas and onions up with a potato masher.  It will just take some muscles.
** These are yummy on their own, but they are also awesome served over a salad with a vinaigrette.  I also eat them chopped up in a pita with cooked tabouli, some lettuce and diced tomato and a drizzle of vinaigrette.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

My favorite recipes are ones that remind me of childhood...things my mom used to make a lot.  Sloppy joes are nostalgic for me.  This was one childhood staple that I had to figure out a veggie substitution for.  I like to sing that Adam Sandler song "Lunch Lady Land" while I am making them..."sloppy joes, slop, sloppy joes..."  (Don't pretend you're not singing this to yourself right now).

I've tried several variations, but I think this is my favorite.  It is slightly adapted from my Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook, once again.  This should make 5-6 servings.

Veggie Sloppy Joes

1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 Tb. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, grated
1/2 cup seitan*, finely chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tb. balsamic vinegar
2 Tb. tamarin or soy sauce
1 Tb. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Whole wheat buns

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Add the lentils, cover, and reduce heat to low.  Let simmer for 30 minutes.  In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard; set aside.  In a large skillet add the oil and heat over medium heat.  Add onion, bell pepper and carrots and saute until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the seitan and saute for a couple more minutes.  Drain the lentils (save the cooking liquid in case you need it) and add to the skillet.  Mix in the tomato sauce and stir everything until all combined and heated thoroughly.  Season with S&P.  If it seems a little on the dry side, you can use some of the reserved lentil juice.  Keep warm over LOW heat until ready to serve.  Spoon over toasted buns.  Put your bib on and get sloppy.  These are good served with baked french fries and fresh corn.

Tips:
* Seitan is a protein made from wheat gluten.  It is tasty and makes a good meat substitute.  It's usually in the refrigerated section by the tofu.  I usually get the Westsoy brand.  I love it in saucy dishes like this one.  You could certainly just use soy crumbles (Boca or Morningstar) if seitan weirds you out.  Just heat the crumbles according to package directions and use just like you would use ground beef.
** You can add or sub other chopped veggies.  I have used corn, mushrooms, broccoli, whatever I may have on hand.  The above combo is probably my favorite though.

Key Lime Pound Cake

DISCLAIMER: I tweaked this Southern Living recipe to make it vegan friendly.  I thought it was good.  Matt said it "tasted vegan."  Not entirely sure what that means, but I guess if you are used to your pound cake with loads of butter, eggs and cream, you may also think this "tastes vegan."  I encourage you to venture out and try it a'la vegan, but I will give you the regular SL version and put my subs in parenthesis.

Key Lime Pound Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, softened (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 cup shortening (I used Earth Balance)
3 cups (yikes!) sugar (I used 1/2 cup agave syrup and 1 cup stevia)
6 eggs (I used an egg replacer in an amt. equivalent to 6 eggs)
3 cups flour (I always use white whole wheat flour and think it is the best)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup milk (hemp milk was used here)
1 tsp. lime zest
1/3 cup Key lime juice
1 tsp. vanilla

Key lime glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tb. Key lime juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour a 10 in. tube pan.  In a heavy stand mixer, cream together butter and shortening until fluffy.  Gradually add in sugar and continue to beat until all blended and smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.  Alternating with milk, add flour mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour (don't know why recipes always say to start and end this way, but I'm not one to take chances, so I just do it).  Stir in lime zest, lime juice and vanilla.  Pour batter into tube pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 min (start checking for doneness at an hour with a long wooden toothpick).  Cool on a wire rack for 15 min.  Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely.  Prepare Key lime glaze.  Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.  It's good with a little vanilla icecream on the side:)

We ate this up pretty fast while my parents were here so I didn't get a picture, but here's the one from Southern Living...

Mushroom Asparagus Risotto

I used to be kind of scared of risotto.  I always thought of it as this difficult dish that required a lot of time and skill.  In actuality, risotto is pretty simple and forgiving.  Assuming you don't forget a major ingredient or step, you should be fine even with a few mishaps.  The good thing about risotto is that as long as you get the consistency right, everything gels together nicely.  Plus it's generally a one-pot dish.  Two big pluses in my book.

We really like this dish (adapted from my Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook)...the flavors are awesome.  Of course you can experiment if you don't like mushrooms (what's wrong with you though?!) and/or asparagus.  Again, consistency of the risotto is the key.

Mushroom Asparagus Risotto

5-6 cups vegetable broth
3 Tb. oil (I used safflower)
1/4 cup butter (I used Earth Balance)
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms (portabellos work good)
1-1/2 cups asparagus, chopped into 1 in. pieces
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup shallots (or the white parts of green onions), chopped
1 cup Arborio rice, uncooked
1/3 cup white wine (you could just use vegetable broth, but the wine really makes the flavors pop)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese*

In large saucepan add the veggie broth, cover and keep warm over LOW heat.  In a large saute pan over medium heat add 1 Tb. oil and 1 Tb. butter.  Add mushrooms and asparagus and saute until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt/pepper, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.  Next, using that same large saute pan, heat remaining oil and butter and add garlic, onions and shallots and saute for a few minutes until soft.  Add the rice and stir until combined.  Add the wine and stir until wine is absorbed.  Now start adding the warm broth, 1/2 cup at a time**, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next.  Stir pretty consistently and continue adding broth until rice is creamy...takes about 30 minutes.  Stir in mushrooms and asparagus and Parmesan cheese.  It should be a nice creamy pot of goodness.

Tips:
* I think the quality of Parmesan used in this recipe is key.  For my portion, I stirred in a good vegan parmesan "cheese."  For Matt's portion I used freshly shredded Parmesan from the cheese counter at Whole Foods.  The better the cheese, the more creamy your risotto.
** It's important to add the broth slowly, waiting until each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next.  The rice needs to absorb the liquid a little at a time.
*** Risotto is great because once you have mastered the technique, you can do so much with it.  If you want meat in your dish, you could add some chopped cooked chicken, but I promise you won't miss it if you don't:)