menu for the week of Aug 30

sunday
Potato Salad with Cornichons and Capers- Martha Stewart Living posted by kate4 on the Cooking Light Boards
Dh is having a bbq sandwich
i'm having- leftovers from recipe testing last night-  Saffron Rice Pilaf with Apricot Dressing
Coconut Tapioca Pudding- recipe testing for Color Me Vegan
mon
Gazpacho Andaluz for lunch- columbia restaurant cookbook
Pasta with Braised Bell Peppers, Capers, and Olives- cl annual 2000- scgotw
salad with french vinaigrette- trying Julia Child's recipe from Kitchen Wisdom
Tues
tacos


Wed
Sesame Noodles with Napa Cabbage- from joe's blog
Thurs
black beans and rice
steamed kale
salad

Cupcakes that everyone loved!

I wanted a special treat for my nieces this weekend. They were stopping by along with their parents and grandparents- all the in-laws! We had planned to order pizza and Chinese for dinner and I had bagels, cinnamon rolls from the Amish market, and fruit for breakfast but felt like I wanted to have something homemade, something fun, something everyone would like.

So I choose to make Fauxtess Cupcakes from Vegan With a Vegeance but passed on the filling. Instead, I topped them with cute peace signs. The cupcakes were a hit with everyone- even DH had seconds! And I made truffles with the leftover chocolate ganache and some chopped hazelnuts. Make sure to check out the notes at the bottom of this post :)

Fauxtess Cupcakes

adapted from Vegan With a Vegeance

Makes 12-15 cupcakes

1 cup unbleaches all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain soymilk or rice milk (I like the unsweetened one from Whole Foods)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a regular-size cupcake pan with paper liners or lightly grease.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (I find using a spoon to start and a whisk to finish easier than sifting.) In a large mixing bowl combine the soy milk, oil, maple syrup, sugar, vinegar, and vanilla, and beat at medium speed with a hand-held electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixing well. Add the second half of the dry ingredients, continuing to mix for another minute.

Using a large cookie scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full. Bake about 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Chocolate Ganache Icing

adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

1/4 cup soy milk

4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli- dairy free!)

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Bring the soy milk to a gentle boil in a small sauce pan. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips and maple syrup. Using a heatproof spatula mix until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

Spoon some of the chocolate ganache (once its cooled) onto the tops of the cupcakes and spread almost to the edges. Top with a really cool peace sign (from King Arthur).

Truffles

Refrigerate leftover ganache till firm. Scoop out about a tablesoon and quickly roll into a ball. Roll in a mix of cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar then in some chopped hazelnuts. Set on wax paper and chill until firmed back up. Keep cool until ready to eat.

Notes- this batter works great in my twinkie pan- I think I'll make some chocolate twinkies soon!

-love the truffles!

-the 365 organic unsweetened soy milk worked great- no soy taste in the cupcakes and I had some pretty picky eaters tasting them! I think I will try rice milk next time- I like using it for sweeter baking.

-the peace signs are no longer available from King Arthur's webpage- they were a summer seasonal item.

menu for mar 14

sat
Hard Times vegetarian chili
Red Hot Blues tortilla chips
steamed kale

sun
Shepherd's Pie- The Voluptuous Vegan

mon
spag
big salad
3-seed bread

tues
leftover Shepherd's Pie
Carrots and Brussels Sprouts- epicurious
Guinness
Power's Gold

wed
Sesame Noodles with Napa Cabbage- joe's blog

thurs
black beans and rice
steamed kale
salad

menu- week of Mar 7

sat
tacos

sun
reubens- mine will be Tempeh Reubens with Caramelized Onions from The Healthy Hedonist

mon
Rice Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce- The Voluptuos Vegan
broccoli
steamed kale

tues
hosting mah jongg and will be serving Black Bean-Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing, several different hummus, celery and carrot sticks, crackers, olives, candy that I brought back from Costa Rica

wed
not sure yet

thurs
sushi from whole foods

menu week feb 28

sat
I forget!

sun
pizza

mon
black beans and rice

tues
Indonesian Peanut Noodles- I used Morning Star Chik'n Strips for DH- I prefer it with just broccoli on the side http://www.mediterrasian.com/delicious_recipes_peanut_chicken_noodles.htm

wed
chinese- delivered

Thur
bhangra burrito- rebar

thur

yummy french wine

Dh and I enjoyed two French Burgundys for Valentine's Day. His is the red 2006 Fixin Crais de Chene and mine is the Puligny-Montrachet both recommeded by the best wine guy ever at finewine in Gaithersburg. This guy knows his French wine. Both were very delicious- smooth, elegant, and complex. I made a paella for Valentine's dinner- and the wines went very well with this dish. Roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic was also rec to go with the red as well as mushroom risotto. 5 flamingos for both!

Menu for the week of Feb 7

Sun

Mon
black beans and rice
steamed dinosaur kale
salad

Tues
at friends- brought Black Bean-Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing- cl

Wed
spaghetti
salad

Thur
Classic Thai Fried Rice- Seductions of Rice