Vegan Shepherd's Pie

The vegetarian or vegan answer to Shepherd's Pie, "Wynelle's Pot Pie" from Sundays at Moosewood, provides a delicious alternative. A favorite family dish, DD prepared the familiar vegetarian pot pie, yet this time, totally vegan, thanks to Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and Natural Shortening.

Organic produce featured a variety of root vegetables: beet, potato, carrots, and onions. Whether stepping into summer or welcoming the autumn months, this recipe is always a crowd pleaser.

http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/#/products/

Basic Roux

2 Tblsp butter/vegan buttery sticks
2 Tblsp unbhleached white flour
1 cup milk/soy milk
1 tsp white wine or spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (opt)

This is simply a basic white sauce or Bachamel sauce.

Happy Birthday Blog & Brother B!

This blog is officially a year old this month! Our very first post was a birthday cake so I felt it appropriate to post the same birthday boys birthday cake this year! He was 17 years old so we had a cake created of the 17th hole! BTW---he loves golf. He decided that he would like an ice cream cake. Unfortunately we took a short cut and hired Maggie Moos to make the cake. Maybe next year we will tackle an ice cream cake by ourselves.

As an ice cream cake hater...I was really impressed with such a great job that Maggie Moos did with the cake. The ice cream was vanilla with oreos mixed in, on top of a oreo crust. Delicious!

I have a new attitude towards ice cream cakes! If anyone is interested in Maggie Moos ice cream cakes please find your local parlor and order it ahead of time!

Peanut Butter Pie! Oh my!

I found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's food blog, Tasty Kitchen. This pie is nothing but bad for you but its a winner! It is super fluffy and will not disappoint. If you want a kick butt dessert thats super quick this is your lucky day! I ended up making a homemade oreo crust but I would recommend using extra butter for this crust because as you can see mine is a little crumbly. So make sure it sticks together good...because this pie is going to have a short life! Enjoy!

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

This recipe came from Martha Stewarts website and it was sent by a friend. This cake has many appetizing features. Starting with the butter flour crumb layer on the bottom. Then moving to the next layer of a yellow cake with a hint of orange. And on top a delicious layer of rhubarb. Martha makes hers by slicing the rhubarb in long thin strips. Watch her video and get recipe here.

Waffles

Waffles, yes please! I am a fan of all things breakfast. Crepes, pancakes, and waffles. Today we made waffles because a request came into the kitchen around 9:30am and it was for waffles with strawberries and syrup. And the kitchen does not like to disappoint so we complied. They turned out delicious!

Recipe:

from Meta Given's, Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking

(the cook book was as pretty as the waffles!)

2 C flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs separated

2 tsp sugar

1 1/4 C milk

1/3 C melted butter

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In mixer beat egg whites until frothy, add sugar until stiff peaks form.

Beat yolks with milk and melted butter, add to flour mixture and combine.

Fold in egg whites.

Cook 'em up on your waffle iron!

Pot Roast

I was watching a good morning america clip from last spring when Ree Drummond was on and she made a pot roast look simple and delicious! So two days later I begged DD and sure enough I was blessed with a pot roast. Interestingly enough-I'm not really a meat eater and I could do without cow but I had to try this pot roast. Easy and delicious. I think we could have left it in longer and it would have been a little more tender. But i'm not complaining! Is it time for leftovers yet?

Rhubarb, My dear friend!

Rhubarb...you are my dear dear friend...even though I read today that your leaves are toxic...you are still my favorite! Recently I was given some delicious locally grown rhubarb from a family in Lima, New York. I have enough rhubarb to make another pie or cake...I'm not sure! This time around I made a Rhubarb Peach Pie with a whole wheat crust. I have been experimenting with King Arthurs White Whole Wheat Flour-it really gives an interesting taste and its not as bad as regular whole wheat flour. I really liked how this pie came out! Delicious!