Beer-Cheese Fondue: Take II

I'm going to take a step back from my work-week vegan diet for a moment and declare for all to read that the best way to eat bread is with GOBS of melted cheese. Whether it be pizza or garlic bread or fondue. You can't go wrong with any combination.

Now, this isn't the first time we've posted a fondue recipe. You may remember the first delicious taste of it back in January. We made an ever better version this past weekend, and we're just dying to share it with you! And what better time than on the weekend, right?



What you'll need . . .

• A fondue pot.
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• 3/4 cup beer (we used Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s Burning River pale ale)
• 12 ounces mild cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1 to 2 tablespoons grainy mustard (or any kind except regular yellow mustard)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons horseradish
• 1 to 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• Ground black better to taste
• Rosemary salt bread (if you aren't lucky to have a Wegmans nearby, any crusty bread will do), cut into cubes

Method . . .

1. Put your beer in your fondue pot and heat (on stove) over medium-high heat. If you are using an electric pot or one that won't go on the stove, use a medium saucepan. You can transfer it to the fondue pot later.
2. Whisk in the potato starch, mustard, horseradish, and garlic powder.
3. Slowly stir in the cheese. Keep stirring until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Season with black pepper. Add more of the other flavorings to your specific taste. We like ours extra horseradish-y.
4. Place fondue pot on its stand and light your sterno.
5. Savor all that bread-y, cheese-y goodness.

Now I have question for all the vegans (or other lactose-free peeps) out there: Do you know of a good vegan fondue recipe you could share with us? We certainly don't feast on cheese all the time . . . so we'd love your suggestions and recipes! Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.

Oh, and PS: I got my hair cut!!! This part is mostly for my mom (HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOM!), because I know she'll want to see it :)

Before . . .



After . . .


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Scrambled Banana Sandwich

I don't particularly like eggs. I only like them in breakfast sandwiches. It's one of my many diet quirks . . . and it's also the reason why, even though I'm not vegan, I don't bake with eggs. But this discussion has little to do with this morning's recipe. Scrambled banana breakfast sandwich.

It's fast. It's vegan. It's AMAZING. And you'll want to make it every single freakin' day. Also: I apologize for the poor quality photos. If you caught yesterday's breakfast cookie post, you know I'm always rushing around in the mornings. So, snapping spiffy photos isn't my strongest skill at this time of day.


What you'll need . . . (for TWO breakfast sandwiches)

• 1 large banana
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
• 3 tablespoons soy milk (or almond milk)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Peanut butter (I used Skippy Natural)
• 2 wheat English muffins

Method . . .

1. Toast the English muffins.
2. Then in the bowl of an electric mixer (or you can certainly do this by hand), combing/mash together the banana, coconut, soy milk, and maple syrup. Combine until egg-y, if that makes sense. You want only a few lumps.
3. Then in a small pan over medium heat, pour the banana mixture in and scramble until ever-so lightly browned. Divide into two equal portions.
4. Spoon onto English muffins and spread the other side with peanut butter (to your liking). I found it helpful to lay out a piece of tin foil for mine -- because I quickly transported it to work with me.

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Tangerine Breakfast Cookies

I'm just as in shock as you will be soon. These "cookies" contain no butter. No butter substitute. No oil. Very little sugar. They do contain whole-wheat. Walnuts. A healthy dose of tangerine juice. A little chocolate (for good measure). But that's why they are most suitable for breakfast. I made them last night because I can't seem to get in gear with my earlier work schedule. Now, I just grab and go.

You're probably wondering what they taste like. In a word: Amazing. Let me elaborate. They are denser than a typical cookie. They aren't quite as sweet. Somewhat like a muffin, I guess. But what's best is that you can throw in whatever you like to change up the recipe. Don't like chocolate chips? Use dried cranberries. Not a fan of walnuts? Try some almonds. Hate tangerines? Use orange, apple, or another kind of juice.

A question we often get via email is: "How do you adapt recipes so easily?" It's very, very easy. Just stop following the rules. Substitute liquid for like liquid. And the same goes (90% of the time) for all other ingredients. Liberating, huh?


What you'll need . . .

• 1-1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice (I used honey tangerines, they were 8 for $2 this week!)
• 1/2 cup crushed raw walnuts
• 6 ounces vegan chocolate chips (or whatever kind you like best)

Method . . .

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
2. Squeeze the juice out of your fruit. I used two tangerines to get the 1/3 cup needed. Had a little left over to sip myself!
3. Whisk together the tangerine juice, applesauce, and honey. Then pour into your dry ingredients, mix with spatula until well combined.
4. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
5. Drop huge, heaping tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet prepared with parchment. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Then raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 10 minutes. Until golden brown. Let cool.
8. Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner!

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Nutella Pie with Strawberries

By now, much of what you see above (well, if not ALL of what you see above) is gone. Every creamy bite devoured. It's not the healthiest pie I've ever made, but it's certainly not the most sinful either. It all started during our long (to us) bike ride this weekend -- 42 miles in all -- in the blistering heat (more about that later).

I was craving strawberries like a crazy person.

We bought two hefty packages of the sweet, juicy fruits at Wegmans. One big issue with me and strawberries is freshness. They seem to go bad the minute you bring them home. So, I knew I needed to use them FAST.


Solution: Eat as many as I could Saturday. Throw some in a smoothie Sunday morning. And use the rest to top (as well as garnish) this Nutella pie.

Now we need to get to the tofu issue. I'm sure many of you have arrived at this post expecting some kind of "normal" recipe. One that doesn't involve a silky block of tofu. And I'm sure some people reading that last sentence have already X-ed out our little site in confusion. In fear. In disgust. Whatever. If you're still not thrilled but have stayed on this page, we thank you.

Read on! Feast your eyes!


The fact is: though the base of the Nutella part of this pie is tofu, you can't taste it for a minute. In fact, if I hadn't told you. If I wasn't generously sharing the recipe -- instead, just serving you dessert at a dinner party or something -- you wouldn't even know. No lies.

In all honesty, you can go from THIS . . .



To THIS . . .


So, if you're ever-so skeptical about the flavor, please try it before you shy away. And let me know if you do, because I'd love to hear the good, bad, and ugly of your experience!

NUTELLA PIE

What you'll need for the crust . . .

• 1 cup white-whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup water (plus a few tablespoons to reach the right consistency)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method . . .

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Add the oil and water and mix until the dough is wet, but also crumbly.
4. Lightly oil a 9-inch pie plate and then press the dough into it to create your crust.
5. Bake for between 13 and 15 minutes until firm, but not over-done.
6. Let cool completely before adding filling.

What you'll need for the filling, etc. . . .

• 1 block of silken tofu (use a paper towel to absorb excess moisture)
• 6 ounces Nutella
• 3 ounces milk chocolate
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 5 large strawberries (or more), sliced

Method . . .

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until well incorporated.
2. Feel free to add more Nutella, if you like. To taste.
3. Then when your pie crust has cooled, spread filling inside with a spatula.
4. Then top with the sliced strawberries. Put in your refrigerator to cool/set for 1 hour. Serve with extra strawberries.

ALSO: We just started a NEW and IMPROVED Facebook page. If you're on there -- and who isn't? -- please follow us!

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Chickpea Burgers

We wanted to make something different for dinner the other night. Falafel was on the top of the list. But thinking about eating all that fried food made me sick to my stomach. It's interesting, really. I've been eating more veggies (not so many fruits, though) and simple meals . . . and when I look at any processed foods, when I consider eating store-bought anything, I cringe just a little. I haven't had this problem until recently.

However, I guess it can't really be considered a problem because it's healthier than the alternative. Back to the "burgers" now. They are definitely falafel-inspired. Chickpeas abound with a nice crop of seasonings. We chose to bake them after dipping them in some of that irresistible roasted walnut oil. Smothering the patty with brie is entirely optional, so it would also serve as an excellent vegan dinner option. What you may not expect is our other condiment choice, which is a balsamic almond butter I whipped up on a whim.



CHICKPEA BURGERS

What you'll need . . . (for six sexy burgers)

• 2 cans of chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 small green chili pepper, de-seeded and chopped
• 1 to 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons flax meal
• 1 cup rolled oats

Method . . .

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Put EVERYTHING in a medium bowl and mix together.
3. Then transfer to a food processor and pulse until incorporated, but still chunky. There's no right or wrong texture, really.
4. Shape into palm-sized patties. Dip in a shallow bowl of oil (we used roasted walnut oil for extra flavor). Space evenly on your cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the patties brown.

If you'd like to make them fancy, serve with this divine balsamic-almond butter topper and some slices of fresh avocado. If you love brie, add some of that, too. What does this topping taste like, I bet you're asking. Well, much better than it sounds. Just make sure you don't use sweetened butter, or else the whole savory aspect of it will be lost. It's definitely a refined taste, but it's something I plan to make again -- it was THAT good.


Here's all you need to do . . .

1. Combine equal parts balsamic vinegar and natural, unsweetened almond butter. Stir until well incorporated. We used about two tablespoons of each per six burgers.
2. While the burger are still on the cookie sheet (and out of the oven) switch your oven to the broil setting.
3. Spoon over each burger with the balsamic-almond butter and spread until you have a nice, thin layer. Then place some slices of brie (if you wish) and broil until bubbly. You'll notice that the butter hardens, but it still tastes AMAZING.
4. Then top everything off with some fresh avocado. Of course, don't forget to enjoy!

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A Homemade Life: Foodie Book Club Posting

Good morning, everyone! Here's the post where you can share a permalink to your Foodie Book Club review/recipe/photo essay/or whatever else you've come up with to discuss Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table. I can't wait to share with you all my write-up and recipe. Hoping to get it up on the blog by Monday morning.

And here's how you share your own creation: Simply enter your information in the following format in the list below -- something like Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker (but use your own info, of course). Again, please provide the specific link to the post about Wizenberg's book so we can all easily find your post.

You have until Friday, May 7 (that's one week) at 11PM EST to post to this page. I'll be making a sidebar graphic for easy access. Thanks, and please let me know if you any questions! (Psssst: If you just can't get enough of Molly's fantastically crafted prose, check out her blog -- Orangette -- her latest recipe is roasted rhubarb!)


Image Credit



New to (never home)maker? Have questions about the Foodie Book Club? Check out our Foodie Book Club Details post. And if you'd like a button for your sidebar so everyone can know you're in the club, just grab the one below!

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Funky Black Magic Cookies

Almost sounds like a title Richard would give such a treat. But, no. This quick, vegan recipe is all mine. And it's another favorite from the METHOD archives. What you may not know just from looking at them is that they're extremely healthy cookies -- full of oats, blackberries, walnuts. So healthy, in fact, you may just need to make 'em twice.

(Yes. It looks like a lot of ingredients. But suck it up! Here's to your health!)

What you'll need . . .

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or other butter sub.)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1-1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 cup wheat pastry flour
• 3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup crushed walnuts
• 1/3 cup frozen blackberries

Method . . .

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together Earth Balance (or other butter sub.) and brown sugar until fluffy.
3. Add applesauce, ginger powder, and orange juice -- beat until well combined.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet -- mix until well combined.
6. Add oats 1/2 cup at a time while mixing on low speed.
7. Mix in crushed walnuts and frozen blackberries. You may wish to run the blackberries through a food processor to make the pieces a bit smaller (or not).
8. On a baking sheet (preferably prepared with a piece of wax paper) drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart.
9. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes -- rotating pan halfway through.
10. Cool and enjoy!

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Easy Thai Mushroom Soup

Remember way back last week when we wrote about our lavish weekend dinner in? We made roasted pears with brie and a tasty cashew chili noodle stir-fry. But we needed something else, so we quickly whipped up this soup with ingredients from the other dishes and some stray mushrooms we had in the refrigerator. The key word is quickly, because this soup is as easy as chopping, plopping, heating, and stirring.

It's ready in no time at all!

It's vegan, too. So, that's always a plus. The coconut milk gives the soup a creamy texture and decadent flavor. And for those of you who don't like cilantro (sorry! lately that seems to be many of you!), this dish may not be your favorite. To make the broth aromatic, we used a pack of Thai spices, which included a hefty serving of cilantro, as well as lemongrass, Thai basil, and extra garlic.


What you'll need . . . (for two healthy bowlfuls)

• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 can (15 ounce) of light coconut milk (regular would work, too -- we're just watching the fat content)
• 1 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 small green chili pepper, minced (and de-seeded)
• 1 pack of Thai herbs (or just a handful of chopped cilantro, some lemongrass, and Thai basil)
• 1-1/4 cup chopped white mushrooms

Method . . .

1. Pour a bit of olive oil into a medium pot and heat over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms, as well as the minced garlic, chili pepper, and ginger. Stir for 1 minute.
2. Pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Toss in the herbs. Stir.
3. Cover and turn the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, until the flavors have time to mingle.
4. Enjoy.

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