This is going to be such a creative day!
On to semi-intelligent stuff : I need your help with something. I need somebody to send me a tutorial about pie crusts, preferably one that will teach me to make them without feeling frustration to the point where I feel that throwing it against the wall would be helpful. Honestly, I'd prefer you would make all my pie crust for me, for life, but I'm willing to be reasonable. That's why I'm requesting the tutorial (with audio track and picture - please include relaxing music) or, ok, an actual recipe that will have me succeed without having pulled out all my hair.
If the recipe isn't shortening based, I'll erect a statue in your honor in our garden.
Did you know that enough flesh-eating predator-free sleep will make you more sane (or saner) ? Anyway, I highly suggest it.
Now, pictures !
The photo isn't good but the dish is exquisite.

If you haven't tried Susan's recipe for Eggplant Paprikash, you must!

Fruit and Nut Bars from Vegan Lunchbox. I really liked these. Very simple to make, too.

Where-Ze-Heck-did-they-come-from Blueberry Muffins. They where delicious and I can't remember if I created the recipe myself or if I took it from a recipe book or whatever. I probably will never make them again because of that.

I told you about this grilled sandwich a while ago but didn't have a picture then. So let's make this a game and you try to find out what kind of sandwich it is. Clue : the recipe comes from Vegan Vittles.

Roasted Veggies tossed with garlicky Kale. Worth fighting alligators for, that's all I have to say.

This was taken on top of Mount Laura, about 10 to 15 minutes from here. It was a gorgeous day.

And we got around to hug a few trees that day too.
There you have it. Another one of Gaia's insane posts. Maybe she is just exhausted from a month of working on the house and other stuff I'll talk about later, or she was just born that way. Why is she talking about herself in the third person now ? Only insane people know.
Hope you are well!
I'll post again soon.
See you !
20 comments:
So glad you're back! Isn't it hilarious when you make an awesome recipe, that you played with the ingredients a bit to experiment, didn't write it down, then it tastes awesome and you wish you could recreate it? Oh well. Everything looks tasty!
Well, maybe I'm insane too because I love your posts. Wait, shouldn't I have written that in the 3rd person?!
I want to hear more about the Maine-crocodile connection. ???
welcome back!! I've been wondering how everything was going. Wow, those fruit & nut bars, roasted veggies tossed with garlicky kale, and blueberry muffins look amazingly delicious. looking forward to more posts!! :0)
The pie crust recipe in Voluptous Vegan is *fairly* fool proof and I like it because it uses coconut oil! (Which is supposedly all kinds of better for you than shortening).
As for the tutorial, I can't help you. Whole Foods makes a Whole Wheat crust frozen in a foil pan and ITS vegan too, heh...
i will love a tutorial too, all the crust ones i made are so bad!!! you name it, hard, too soft, too crumbly.........
so if you found the perfect tutorial please let me know and i will erect a a statue in your honor in our garden. :)
the food looks awesome.
So great to have you back, I missed your posts. The pictures look awesome, especially the paprikash. I am afraid that I can't helpyou with the pie crusts. I would need a tutorial myself.
The eggplant dish looks great, and the blueberry muffin title made me laugh :o).
Roasted veggies + garlicky kale? Looks absolutely delicious! Now I just have to go find my alligator fighting armor...
Thanks for the great post :)
Coucou, Gaia--missed you.
I have no idea what kind of sammich that is. All I know is that I want some.
Nice to see the tree-hugging.
Hi Gaia! I am glad you took a break away from the housework and your got to hug trees! (and fight crocs?) The trip photos are so cool. I love the view on top of mt. Laura.
I can guess your sandwich!! Grilled Kale and Kraut Sandwiches, except you used Swiss Chard since you did not have kale? :) Yum!!
I am up late, but am looking forward to some flesh-eating and predator-free sleep.
I hope you had a great anniversary. <3 <3 <3 <3
I moved and am in my new home now! I just got my Internet hooked up! Woo!! I love the SFG idea, and I think it'd work well in my tiny backyard! :)
**hugs** Hope you are doing well!
yeah your back!! I too have Where-Ze-Heck-did-they-come-from recipes! Usually I can tell if it's mine or not but everyonce in awhile I'm not so sure. Everything looks great.
Pie crusts... the first thing to do when you think you're going to make a pie crust is to put the rolling pin and a cup of water in the freezer, the shortening too if you're using margerine instead of oil. Let everything chill for about 1/2 hour... and keep the ingredients cold! If the dough gets warm because it's taking a while to roll, put it in the fridge for a few minutes then start again. Roll it thinner than you think you should, and use a metal spatula to lift an edge, then fold it back, then lift the next part of the crust, etc, rolling it over itself. Then unroll it into the pie dish. Have fun! I love making pies...
Gaia, tu m'as manqué! Good to see you back, and I hope your predator nightmares are all gone. =) Your food looks great, as usual, but what I really love is the tree hugging photo- the big tree and the skinny tree- so cute!
About pie crusts... I'm not an expert, but keeping all the ingredients cold, and then refrigerating the pie crust before rolling it out do seem to work for me. I use a food processor, and stop blending before I feel like I'm done. (That way the lumps of margarine or oil make great succulent airy layers in the crust!) Lately, I've been sneaking a tablespoon or so of sour cream into the crust as well, just adds that certain somethin'.
Cheers!
Aww, the sweet post you wrote on my blog made me smile :o).
:o) Still smiling...
I did ask the 2nd restaurant if it was affiliated with the 1st... the manager said that no, the owner picked out the name and didn't realize!
I think I prefer the Veggie Garden about which I just posted... but they're both really good!
Salut Gaia! :)
Pie crust with no shortening:
for a single pie crust, mix together in a bowl 1.5 cups flour (I use spelt flour) and 1/2 tsp salt. In a measuring cup or small bowl, pour 1/3 cup canola oil and 2 tbsp very cold water (don't mix or anything, just pour the water into the oil) and then add to the flour. I stir it with my finger, until just mixed (you don't want to mix too much to avoid developing the gluten), form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so. Then roll out between two pieces of waxed paper, and line your pie tin! For a double crust, use 2 1/4 cups flour, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup oil, 1/3 cup water.
Oh, and if it's a savoury pie then try using olive oil instead of canola... Especially good with that millet tourtière recipe that you gave me, which I still use as the guideline when I make tourtière so thank you for that recipe!! :D
I hope this shortening-free crust works out for you; I have really good results with it! Can't wait to see the statue! ;)
*steals pie crust recipe from above*
:P
Hmmm, since I posted, I made the single crust recipe and needed more than 2 tablespoons of water - more like 3, I think. But that might be because I use whole spelt flour which absorbs more water... though I think I have made it in the past with the same flour and with 2 Tb water and had it turn out right... maybe it depends on the humidity in the air or something. Anyway, just thought I would leave that comment to warn anyone trying the recipe, in case it's too dry it might just need a bit more water!
I don't like to sound dramatic but this RED PEPPER SMELL thing is really creepy because we have found it in 3 different foods - exactly the same (very unappetising) smell: red peppers yes (we thought they were simply overripe), Aunt Bessie's frozen chips - I took it up with the company and I was basically ignored despite my claiming that I thought I had been poisoned (the smell stayed in my mouth for almost a day), and TODAY satsumas ... on the peel but it also penetrated through to some of the segments. This must be happening all over the world but to most people it is just so bizarre that they must think they are the only ones affected and hence nobody's doing anything about it. I think it is some sort of pesticide that won't wash off. or maybe rat poison being sprayed on while in transit?!! I am very alarmed and very angry!
My produce was bought from TESCO and SAINSBURY here in the UK - smell noticed over the last 8 months (estimated)
We have to do something - this stuff might be carcenogenic - God Knows it just smells so unnatural.
Phil Colville
Macclesfield
UK
PS sorry that I am posting several times - just trying to get this one up in the air.
I'm just here stalking your blog again. :P
Miss you!
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