oohhhhh my goodness. what a feast!
(much of which came from Phat Beets Produce, my newest CSA)

Had my first dinner party in a long while, sadly without the Sugar D (but we saved her both pot pie and dessert pie! come home and eat it!).

The Courses
0: bread with olive oil, balsamic, and za’atar
1: fresh green salad with carrots and cherry tomatoes (greens super fresh from Phat Beets), orzo salad
2: Bill’s epic pasta/tomato sauce/coconut milk/kale/garbanzo bean concoction
3: EPIC VEGAN POT PIE! (most of veggies from PBP!)
4: delicious vegan cherry pie
5: a very sweet cantaloupe, apparently with some identity issues

My main contribution was this gorgeous pot pie, with help from Jesse and Gregg. Recipe below…

ain't she a beaut?

Ingredients

For the crust:
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
(i used 2 cups of all purpose and it didn’t turn out as flaky as i would’ve liked)
4 tbsp vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried herbs (rosemary and thyme work well)

Mix together all the ingredients. Cut the shortening into the flour with a fork until no large lumps remain. Add just enough cold water and stir with a fork to mix. When the dough comes together, divide into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

For the filling:
1 medium onion, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
a few small sweet potatoes
1/2 cup green peas
a handful of diced red potatoes
a handful of diced squash
a handful of diced sweet potatoes
a handful of diced zucchini
1 tsp of the same herbs used in the crust
1 cup almond milk
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground black pepper
Salt to taste
2 tbsp vegan “butter” like Earth Balance
1 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil

Directions

Heat the oil in a saucepan.
Add the onions and stir. Add the garlic.
Cook on medium heat until the onions are translucent, but not brown.
Add the veggies and dried herbs. Stir together. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to tenderize.
Add the almond milk, vegan “butter,” and all-purpose flour. Stir together. The mixture will thicken.
Cook, covered another 5-10 minutes, stirring a few times, until the vegetables are tender. Add pepper and salt to taste.
Turn off the heat and set aside while you prepare the crust.

Take one ball of the crust dough and, using just enough flour, roll it into a circle a little larger than your baking dish or pie plate. There should be an overhang of about 1 inch when you put the dough into the dish.
Transfer the crust to the plate and roll out the second ball of dough into a circle slightly larger than the diameter of the baking dish or pie plate.
Pour the filling into the bottom crust. Smooth the top, and then cover with the top crust.
Using your fingers, press together the top and bottom crusts at the edges, forming a seal. Tuck any overhang into the baking dish. Crimp the edges with a fork or with your fingers for a decorative look.
Make two sharp cuts (shaped like an X), about 2 inches each, in the center of the pie.
Brush the top of the pie with a mixture of 1 tbsp almond milk + 1 tsp canola or other vegetable oil.

Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees about 45 minutes to an hour. The pot pie is ready when the crust turns golden brown and the juices bubble through the cuts at the top. (we had to keep extending the time, and raise the temp up to 400 it probably took like 90 min total)

Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes at least before cutting into slices. The filling will be oozy and a little runny initially, but it will firm up the longer the pot pie stands.

(adapted from Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes – Health Comfort, Vegan Pot Pie)

The Cast of Characters…

a wonderful evening indeed! here’s to many more!

Last night i made epic dinner with Miss Fawn, which was followed by ecstatic burlesque costume doodling and rolling around on the floor in plumes of tulle. It was most lovely.

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 6 ounces each
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chicken stock preferably homemade
• white cooking wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• Additional salt and pepper to taste
• Thin slices lemon and chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

Sprinkle a small amount of water on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Place 2 of the breast halves on top of the plastic and sprinkle again with water. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and pound the shit out of that chicken’s breasts until about ¼ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining 2 breast halves.

Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a shallow plate. Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Working in 2 batches, place the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess flour and add to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate or platter and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.

Pour off the fat from the skillet and return the skillet to the heat. Add the chicken stock, wine, and lemon juice. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring to pick up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer, turning often, until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and more wine. Season with salt and pepper and heat just until the butter has melted. Serve on warmed plates with a spoonful of the skillet sauce, topped with lemon slices and parsley.

(thank you cookstr!)

Green Beans

Steamed with paprika and Braag’s Sauce. Might have added some white cooking wine.

Egg Noodles

boiled, easy peasy. Served with sauce made of butter, parmesan cheese, and white cooking wine. (Can you see a trend here?)

So! 8 dark ‘n stormys and half a bottle of cooking wine later, stuffed full of tasty, moist chicken, green beans, slurpy egg noodles, fresh sunflower loaf, and goat gouda, Fawn and I got to doodling some fantastic costume ideas for my next burlesque number. Watch out world, Laika Fox will soon burn away her false self and rise again!!!