Fun Cakes I made this year!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

A while back I stopped updating this blog and have been working on perfecting some of my skills. I am also considering Culinary School. I struggle with the vegan issue as well as the family issue though and I am not sure if it will work at this point in time but I have decided to continue to hone my knife skills and challenge myself to see where I can get. Hopefully I will be able to update a little more often now that I will be again working on new things.

I have been inundated with requests for my Caramel Apple Cinnamon Cupcake recipe. It is part of a cookbook I am making but I will throw it on here for those who are asking. :) For one of my friends in particular:(You better let my precious baby friend Psalms have some... you know who you are lol!)


Caramel Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
The Cupcakes:
1 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon extract(optional)
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line muffin tray with paper liners and set aside until ready.
Wisk together Soy Milk and Apple Cider Vinegar in a medium sized mixing bowl and set aside to allow to curdle. Next, sift together flour, baking soda, baking pwder, salt and spices. Add sugar, oil, and extracts to the Milk mixture and slowly mix flour mixture into milk mixture until just combined. Do not over mix!

Fill paper liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

The Center/Topping:
2 Granny smith Apples or other baking type apples
2 tbsp Vegan Margarine (Earth Balance is my first choice)
2 tbsp Brown sugar

Carefully dice Apples into 1/2 inch dice. Melt Margerine in heavy bottom skillet and add apples and brown sugar. Coook at medium temp until apples are soft and sugar has caramelized and liquid has reduced.

The Frosting: (Click on the link for more awesome cupcake recipes and icings and more from Isa Moskovitz and Terry Hope Romero)
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup vegan margarine (softened)
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

cream together cream cheese and margarine with electric mixer. When well mixed add vanilla extract and slowly add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments until well mixed.

There is also typically a vegan caramel in these cupcakes as well however it is a very advanced culinary technique and I am not going to post it. The apple mixture in the cupcakes should be enough for the caramel flavor or you can purchase something like This Vegan Caramel or you can just skip it.

Now to assemble, I cut a cone shape out of the cupcake in the middle. You can also use a spoon and dig it out but keep removed cake in one piece. Place the cone shape to the side and fill with apple mixture. Put the cone point side up back onto the cupcake and the using a icing tip pipe around it using it as a center to get a nice tall peak on your cupcake. Sprinkle a couple more apple pieces on top of your cupcake and a small amount of caramel if using.

March Meatout

So March Meatout is coming up fast. March 20th I will be asking my friends to give up Meat for a day. If you gave up Meat last year for the day you might consider trying to be Vegan for a day! I will start posting recipes for the Meatout, so let me know if there is something you want but don't know how to make Vegan or Vegetarian!

Today on Oprah she and her staff are going Vegan for a week... I posted the question on Facebook and Twitter... Could you go Vegan for a week? My guess is you could and you wouldn't even miss it!

Next week my family (filled with omnivores and one mostly vegetarian) will. I am not going to tell them (don't worry they don't read my blog.) My guess is that they will not notice. Starting Monday Feb 7th I will feed them only Vegan food. Since I have teenagers I am not sure what kind of (Starbucks) mess they will eat/drink away from me but I will do my best to have them eat Vegan food. Cake, Ice Cream, Mousse, Veg Burgers, Enchiladas and whatever else I can trick them into. I will post the results as we go. SHH... don't tell anyone!

TVP Sloppy Joes-Chili Joes

Interesting pic huh? It is from my Tupperware container since I made these and didn't plan on posting it. lol sorry!


Okay so these aren't your normal sloppy joes with the BBQ flavor... I like things a little spicy! These are more of a "Chili" Joe. I imagine they would be Amazing on or over some vegan cornbread!

If you aren't familiar with TVP, get familiar! Wiki says this:
Textured or texturized vegetable protein (TVP), also known as textured soy protein (TSP), soy meat, or soya meat is a meat analogue or nutritious meat extender made from defatted soy flour, a by-product of extracting soybean oil.[1] It is quick to cook, with a protein content equal to that of the meat,[2] and contains no fat.

What are the negatives? NONE! TVP is super cheap too! Whole Foods sells it and so do most grocery stores. Bob's Red Mill is a great brand but a lot more expensive than buying it bulk at Sunshine Nutrional Centers (off of the square) or at Whole Foods.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 Stalk Celery, minced
1 Carrot, minced
1 Onion, minced
1 Bell Pepper(any color,) minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup TVP
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp molasses
1 1/2 tsp of apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp oregano (Mexican preferably)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
sriracha hot sauce (to taste) -I have used Tabasco if I didn't have Sriracha but don't unless you hate it or don't have it it tastes soooo much better!


saute the onion, pepper, celery and carrot in olive oil for 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent add in the garlic in the last 2 minutes of cooking (do not brown the garlic or it will turn bitter.) Add tomato sauce and water and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the rest of the ingredients except hot sauce. Cook for about 10 minutes until TVP is soft and "meaty" add sriracha tasting as you go becareful not to "over heat" it with the sriracha! Serve it on or over bread or rolls!

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

This is my very favorite thing in the universe!!! I make it all year long! Although I regret saying this, I do not recommended using fresh or frozen green beans... the canned ones are softer and the fresh ones just aren't as good in this. I know sad right?

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

1/4 cup margarine
1/4 unbleached all purpose flour
2 c vegetable stock (canned or homemade)
2 cans green beans
1 cup of mushrooms,chopped(any kind is great)
1 1/2 c french fried onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 sprigs of rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make a blond roux with the flour and margarine (click on the word roux if you don't know what this is)
add the vegetable stock slowly about a 1/4 cup at a time bring to a boil for 1 minute until thickened add salt, pepper and rosemary. Remove from heat and set aside. Add Mushrooms, green beans and 1/2 can of French fried onions to a 2 qt casserole pan. Pour the roux sauce over the top and cook for 20 minutes. Add the remaining French fried onions to the top and cook an additional 10 minutes until top is browned.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Pie Crust:
2 1/2 cups crushed ginger cookies, (about 55 to 60 cookies)
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put a 9-inch removable-bottom fluted tart pan on a baking sheet.
Make the crust by combining the ginger cookie crumbs and melted butter in a large bowl, until well blended. Add the crumbs to the tart pan and evenly press over the bottom and up the sides with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake until set and a bit darker in color, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Pie Filling:

2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup low-fat soymilk or rice milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 Tbs. dark molasses or to taste
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice



Preheat oven to 425F.

In large bowl, mix all remaining ingredients until smooth and blended. Pour into prepared crust and smooth top. Bake 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350F; bake until filling is set, about 50 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool, then refrigerate overnight. Top with your choice of dessert topping if desired.

Pecan Crumble Topped Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons margarine
1/4 tsp of salt

Prepare a baking sheet either place parchment paper on a baking sheet or grease baking sheet with shortening.

Put cubed potatoes into steamer basket and place steamer into a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of basket. Allow to steam for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Add margarine to potatoes and mash with potato masher. Add salt and continue mashing to combine.

Put into a piping bag and pipe on to prepared pan into circles about the size you prefer for one serving. if you do not have a piping bag use a gallon zipper bag with the corner cut off.

FAST PECAN CRUMB TOPPING
• 3/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ c dark brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp of salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 c pecans
• 4 tbsp margarine, sliced and well chilled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a food processor. Add pecans and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add margarine and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over sweet potatoes and bake 10-15 minutes or until topping is browned.