Easter baking for church

I made:
vanilla bean cupcakes with coconut frosting


vegan german chocolate cupcakes




almond biscotti


ricotta cookies

Postre Chaja

DSC_0003, originally uploaded by achathampally.

for Uruguayan Scrabble night

This cake has 5 components
1. 2 sponge cake layers
2. dulce de leche
3. peach syrup and peaches
4. meringue cookies
5. whipped cream frosting

All of it is homemade :)

Vegan Irish Stew

Took this to Supper and Scripture and it was loved by all :-)

Vegan Irish Stew

Adapted from http://nicandkier.blogspot.com/

· Olive oil
· 4 cloves garlic - peeled and smashed
· 1 - 10 oz ounce packages cremini mushrooms
· 4 – oz shitake mushrooms
· 2 leeks - rinsed well and sliced into rounds
· 1 large purple onion - chopped
· 4 carrots - peeled and diced large
· 2 parsnips - peeled and diced large
· 1 large turnips - peeled and diced large
· 3 celery ribs - rinsed and roughly chopped
· 4 cups veggie stock
· 1/2 cup beer ( I used Heineken)
· 1/2 cup red or white wine ( I used white)
· 2 T tomato paste
· 1/2 tsp dried thyme
· 1 bay leaf

In a large stew pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add leeks, onion and garlic and saute slowly until caramelized (with brown bits). Add a little more olive oil and add carrots, parsnips, turnips, and celery. Let cook, stirring occasionally for at least 20 minutes or until beginning to turn golden brown. You want these to cook down a bit and caramelize. This is where the great flavor of the stew comes from. Make sure to stir and scrape the brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Add the mushrooms and let them cook down and release their water. Then add the remaining ingredients (stock, beer, wine, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf). Simmer until vegetables are tender. The parsnips and turnips will take the longest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve place a big scoop of colcannon (recipe follows) in a bowl and top with stew.


Vegan Colcannon

Adapted from http://vegan.sheknows.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:
· 4 red potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 4 cups coarsely chopped kale (stems removed)
· 1/2 cup plain soymilk, warm (I used almond milk)
· 2 tablespoons vegan margarine, melted (Earth Balance)
· 2 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add kale and cook, stirring often, until wilted. Transfer kale to a large mixing bowl.

Add potatoes, soymilk, and margarine to the bowl and mash together. Add green onions and season with salt and pepper. Mash again to combine. Serve hot.

Good Quote

Think not of the amount to be accomplished,
the difficulties to be overcome, or the end to be attained,
but set earnestly at the little task at your elbow,
letting that be sufficient for the day

- Sir William Osler, physician (1849-1919)

Vegan Peanut Blossoms

DSC_0001, originally uploaded by achathampally.

Made these for the church coffee hour tomorrow.

Recipe from:
http://healthy-recipe-group.fitsugar.com/Vegan-Peanut-Butter-Blossoms-12909243

Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms (adapted from Hersheys)

- 1/2 cup Earth Balance
- 3/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon molasses
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxmeal + 3 tablespoons water (flax egg)
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (omit if using salted peanut butter)
- additional sugar for garnish
- vegan chocolate chips (or Hershey's kisses, or other bite-sized chocolate candy)

Preheat oven to 375*F. Prepare flax egg by mixing flaxmeal and water, then put aside to set. In a large bowl, cream Earth Balance with a hand mixer until all clumps are gone. Add white sugar and molasses, and beat until evenly distributed. Pour in almond milk, flax egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat until combined. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and sea salt. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form dough into 1" balls and roll in white sugar to coat. Bake for approximately 9 minutes, or until cookies appear very slightly cracked. Working quickly, top each cookie with chocolate, pressing lightly to ensure that chocolate is secure (the surface of the cookies will crack). Transfer to wire racks to cool.

vegan spiced oatmeal chocolate chip

DSC_0001, originally uploaded by achathampally.

Found the recipe for these awesome cookies here:
http://redheadrecipes.com/?p=11209

You cannot tell these are vegan. They are soft and chewy and very easy to make. You can vary the spices or leave them out. I used the flax substitute to make them vegan. Be sure your chocolate chips are vegan as well. I used ghiradelli chocolate chips. Regular sugar is not vegan so look for organic sugar.

Spiced Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch cloves (not pictured)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg or flax egg (1Tb ground flax+3Tb water, mixed)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter/earthbalance (room temp)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream together sugars and butter.
Add in the egg (or flax egg) and vanilla
In a separate bowl, mix together your flours + seasonings (everything else but the chocolate chips and oats
Add flour mix to butter mix
Now add in Choc chips and oats
Now form the dough into small balls and bake in the oven on 350 for 8-10 minutes.

bday cake

DSC_0008, originally uploaded by achathampally.

I do a lot of baking
but I had never gotten around to making
a yellow layer cake with chocolate buttercream frosting
so that is the cake I made for my birthday this year.
It was moist and delicious with lots of chocolaty frosting.
Yay for birthday cakes :)