My first snow storm and it started on Monday on our way back from O!maha. Everything looks dipped in frosting, even the ghetto HyVee looks whimsical and sparkly.
I am doing what must be done in bone-freezing temperatures and blusterous storms---some serious down-home cookin'. I made veggie chili and cornbread on Sunday. Chili is awesome because you can basically throw anything remotly edible into a pot, add some cumin and chili powder-and viola!:chili. I used onions, garlic, carrots, corn, sweet and regular potatos (cause one kind just isn't enough especially when you're Irish), beans, and half a spice rack. I used the leftover corn bread batter to make waffles the next day, something I highly recommend, but only if you like crunchy, savory and sweet, ridicously good food.
Then yesterday, I decided to try and make a pot pie for the first time. I'll include the recipe, even though I suck at measuring and never do it. Because: 1) It means more dishes to wash. 2) You start to see the ridiculousness of it when its 2 a.m. somewhere in Wichita and you are trying to make a curry in a gas station microwave. and 3) Measuring is for mechanical sheep, true rebal vegan guru cooks just throw things in a bowl and it comes out mindblowing every time.
This approach mostly works, except when it doesn't. Exhibit A: The scallion biscuits from Saturday. I definatly need to get out of the habit of shaking a butt-ton of baking soda into my baked goods, because those biscuits were truly foul and tasted of chemicals.
Veggie Pot Pie
Pie Crust:
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Veggie Shortening
4-8 Tbs. Cold Water
Mix salt and flour. Cut in shortening with two knives or forks or a pastry cutter or throwing stars, whatever you have lying around until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add water bit by bit until the dough comes together. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic, and refridgerate for one hour.
----Meanwhile: Roast a head of garlic (drizzle with olive oil, wrap in tin foil, cook for 45 min. at 425). Don't ask why, just do it.----
Now, onto the Innards:
1 Large Onion, chopped
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Carrot, chopped
2 Potatos, chopped
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
2 Tbs. Vegan butter
1 Tbs. Flour
Salt, pepper, and any spice that is sitting on the shelf, whispering "use me, use me"
Sautee onion in olive oil until it starts to turn golden brown. Throw in all the other veggies, cover, and cook until tender. Uncover, add the soy sauce and butter, then sprinkle in flour and spices. It should thicken up, but if it does it too much, feel free to add veggie broth or go the ghetto way and add water like I did. Remove from heat.
Remember that garlic you put in the oven? While that finishes up, pop three slices of bread (I used whole wheat Ezekiel) in the oven and toast. Once toasted, pulverize into crumbs, and put in a bowl. Take garlic out of the oven and turn the heat down to 350. Once you can touch it without swearing, squeeze the cloves out of the skin and blend with 3 Tbs. Olive oil. Drizzle onto the bread crumbs, season, and combine.
Now... for assembly. Press the dough into a pie plate. I know you are supposed to roll it out, but, seriously, stuff that. That makes a mess and gives me a headache and you can press it in and still get a delicous crust. So there.
Anyway, use a fork to prick some holes in the bottom and to create little designs on the crust. Pour the gravy in, top with bread crumbs, and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for ten minutes and enjoy.
This dish super stoked me because I got to use Amber's Le Cresuet (sp?) cookware. It's my dream cookware and was everything I thought it would be. Joseph and Chuck came home right when I pulled it out of the oven. Omnivore and vegan, male and female alike both enjoyed "my weird vegan food". Moohaha. I wish I could say the same for the New Moon movie we were watching.
