Baking Vegan

Two things:
1 - I am not, nor do I think I could ever become, a vegan.
2 - I don't mess around with low-fat or fat-free baked goods. If you're going to treat yourself, treat yourself).

Now that you know that, I have to tell you I did something out of character. I baked vegan. This was partly due to the fact that I have vegan teacher friends and partly due to a lack of butter and eggs in the house. The result: phenomenal. 

Here is my recipe for vegan peanut butter cookies, adapted from www.irocksowhat.com

What You'll Need

• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar*
• 1/2 cup white sugar*
• 3/4 cup of peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of coconut oil
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup of applesauce
• 1 cup of whole wheat flour**
• 1/2 cup of oats**
• 1 tsp of baking soda

*The original recipe called for 1 cup brown sugar. I prefer to go halfsies on my sugars, but you do whatever floats your sugary boat.

**The original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of regular flour. I love adding oats into recipes, and I love whole wheat flour, but you do whatever floats your floury boat. 

Side note: I used natural peanut butter (the only way to go, in my opinion), but if you're using a JIF or another PB with sugar in it, I would definitely cut down on the brown/ white sugar. In fact, the one flaw with this recipe was that it was a little too sugary-sweet, so you could probably stand to omit a little sugar as is. 

What To Do

Mix the flour, oat, and baking soda together. Set aside.

Blend together sugar, peanut butter, and coconut oil. Add vanilla and applesauce. Add dry ingredients. 

At this point you could also add chocolate chips, but you might be compromising the vegan-ness of the recipes (unless they're dark chocolate chips, which would be awesome!)

Drop rounded spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet then flatten with a fork (to get those quintessential peanut butter cookie grooves). Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. 

These were 100% vegan and carnivore approved. The real kicker was the coconut oil.  Bake them. You won't regret it. 

What a Year

Even though there is still a week left in the year, I can confidently say that 2014 has been the best one yet. I guess it's hard to beat the year you marry your best friend. Add that to an epic Guatemalan honeymoon, moving back "home," landing your dream job, and adding a new furry friend to the family, and you've got one hell of a year. The best part is, I get to enter 2015 with everything that 2014 gave me. I think the years will just keep getting better.

Now before I get too far on the New Year train, the Christmas train (shall we call it the Polar Express?) is on its home stretch. I love this time of year. I'm the girl who listens to holiday music starting on Thanksgiving (maybe earlier...) I get an unreasonable amount of joy out of red cups at Starbucks. Love Actually is my favorite move. The Nutcracker is my favorite ballet. I will take detours driving home to see lights. I put ABCs broadcast of Merry Christmas Charlie Brown in my planner. I love it all. It's magical and it reminds me of being a kid. 

This year I had a very home-y holiday. For the first time in 9 years, I spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas in Colorado, surrounded by my family- original and new. It's hard once you're married to get all sides of the family in the same place at the same time, but I feel lucky that I was able to see my parents and in-laws at some point over the Thanksgiving- to- Christmas month. And my aforementioned best friend(s) (aka husband and dog) never left my side. Now that's the greatest gift of all. 

I hope wherever you are and wherever you have been this holiday season has been everything you desire. Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night ;)

But wait, there's more...Here are some highlights from the last month!

Post Thanksgiving Engagement Party

A couple days after thanksgiving, we threw and engagement party for a dear friend and her fiance (who is also now and equally dear friend!) After stuffing ourselves with, well, stuffing, the last thing I wanted to serve was anything that resembled Thanksgiving fare, so I opted for Clam Chowder and a Mediterranean Hummus Dip- both recipes from other good friends. These are serious crowd pleasers. Even those who are weary of clams (CRAZY!) or hummus (INCONCEIVABLE!) will love these dishes. I promise. And if not, all the more for you!

Clam Chowder - Recipe from Sarann Benson 

1 pound bacon (chop before cooking- pancetta would be good too!)

3 small onions (chopped- don't cry!)

2 cups celery (chopped)

2 cans evaporated milk (I ended up using a LOT more milk- you can use regular milk or cream, too)

2 cans clams with juice (or fresh clams + clam juice) 

3-4 cups hash brown potatoes (diced cooked potatoes from freezer section)

3 (ish) cloves of garlic (minced)

Brown bacon, then add onion and celery. If it's really greasy, drain the grease. Add milk and clams and simmer for 10 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic and cook slowly. 

I had this on the stove on low all night and it was great! Top with some oyster crackers and you've got yourself some very luxurious but not too heave New England style clam chowda!

Mediterranean Hummus Dip - Recipe from Jennifer Daven

Sabra "Supremely Spicy" Hummus (mix it up so the spicy goodness distributes)

Spinach (a handful of leaves, chopped)

Hothouse Cucumber (no peeling necessary- chop)

1/2 Red Onion (minced)

Kalamata Olive Pieces

Sun Dried Tomatoes (julienned or chopped)

Feta Cheese Crumbles

Spread a good layer of hummus on the bottom of a pie plate sized serving dish. Top the hummus with spinach, cucumber, red onion, olives, and sun dried tomatoes (in that order) Finally sprinkle with the feta crumbles. Serve with pita chips (homemade pita chips: cut pita bread into wedges, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, bake at 350 until golden and crisp, flipping when needed)

Winter Park Take 2

Most people probably don't frequent their wedding venue after the big day, but Mike and I aren't those people. We'll probably go back to Winter Park several times this year and next year and for all the years to come. Our July ventures in WP can't be topped, but we just returned from a pre-Christmas ski trip and had a blast. One notable night was our dinner at Volario's. In this middle of a blustery  night, Volario's was just what we needed- a cozy atmosphere, hospitable service, and the best food Winter Park has to offer. To start, our waitress- Sarah-  was super friendly, down to earth, and extremely knowledgeable about the menu. She was so cool, it felt like I was having dinner at a friends house. The bartender, Topher, made some delicious concoctions and personally came by to see how we liked them. I've been to a lot of restaurants in my day and never has the bartender stopped by to see how the cocktails and wine were. So genuine- the bartender and his artistry. Finally, the food. Their philosophy is simplicity. And they did simplicity so well. Great ingredients used with purpose = delicious. We started the night with a Burrata Cheese Caprese which was probably my favorite bite of the night. Burrata cheese (mozzarella meets ricotta), basil pesto, grilled cherry tomatoes, and crusty bread. A deconstructed salad made into the best appetizer. Also among our first course was a robust minestrone, mussels with calabria aiole (made from a pepper native to Southern Italy), and an arugula salad with butter beans. Our main courses were also to die for. Parpedelle pasta with a delicate wild (oxymoron?) mushroom sauce, grilled (to perfection) flatiron steak, gnocchi with lamb and goat cheese, and (the winner) veal chops atop roasted vegetables- the special of the night. It really was simplicity done right. And to top it all off, the chef, Andrew, came by our table to see how we enjoyed it all. I don't think I've ever been to restaurant where the bartender AND the chef stopped by. Such great service. But wait- I haven't gotten to dessert. I don't usually get dessert but Sarah sold us on not one but three of their five dessert options. Chocolate gelato pie (with roasted marshmellow creme), deconstructed tiramisu, and a meyer lemon sponge cake with lemon "snow." The dessert was so intricate that I can't even start to describe it. You just have to go to Volario- just make sure you save room for dessert! 

Fall Highlights

Even though I haven't had a lot of time to blog in the autumn months, I did manage to get out and

enjoy my "new" home! Michael and I really jumped right into the whole Colorado thing. We shop almost exclusively at Sprouts, we bought a Subaru, and we rescued a shelter puppy. Here are some highlights (recipes included) from our recent jaunts around Denver and beyond. 

First up, HIKING

 

Rocky Mountain National Park to see the Elk, the fall colors, and the beautiful Rockies

Took Rocky (aforementioned rescue pup) to Elk Meadows in Evergreen, CO.
Off leash for canines and great hiking for humans.

And, of course, my old stomping grounds. Beautiful Boulder

Next, DATE NIGHTS

We were wedding- gifted a "Culinary Date Night" at Cook Street in Denver. Best. Gift. Ever. (Thanks, Nadings!) If you're looking for a gift for a Denver local, cooking savvy or not, I highly reccommend a Cook Street gift card. Included is two glasses of perfectly paired wine and a little appetizer spread (because, let's face it, cooking on an empty, sober stomach is no fun). Then, you get to cook a little, taste a little, watch a little, then sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor. We went to an Italian-themed night (perfect for the Mazzanti's) and learned how to make chicken saltimbocca, tiramisu, and gnocci fonduta (gnocci with a cheese sauce).

The chicken is so good and so easy and I re-created it in the picture below. Here's how: salt & pepper a chicken cutlets, lay fresh sage leaves across the top, and wrap in a couple slices of prosciutto. Meanwhile, heat an olive oil and butter combo in a skillet (preferably oven proof). Once the chicken is wrapped, cook it in the skillet until brown (seam side down- the seam being where prosciutto ends meet). The goal is not to cook through, just to get some color and seal the prosciutto seam. Transfer the chicken into the over and bake at about 350-degrees for 10-15 minutes. If you so desire (and you should), deglaze the pan with a little Marsala wine (or any wine), a bit more butter, and a touch of chicken stock. Pour over cooked chicken and possibly some mashed taters. BUONISSIMO!

Of course, the BRONCOS

Living in Denver wouldn't be complete without Bronco's Sundays (and stellar sunsets). Healthy marriage rivalries are fun, too (as long as the Broncos beat the Chargers).

And last but not least, the new love of our lives- ROCKY

 

One of the best things about Denver- dog-friendly bars. Our fav (pictured above) = Denver Beer Co.

Now, I'll leave you with a couple recipe wins from the last couple months:

Pasta with Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Cook 1lb of pasta (I like penne) al dente.

Cook 3 cloves minced garlic in olive oil. Add chicken pieces (seasoned with salt, pepper, and SMOKED paprika for color and kick) and cook until browned. Add 1 small jar of Sun Dried Tomato tapenade (available in pasta sauce aisle), 1 cup half and half, and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.  Stir pasta into the sauce, then add the pasta water as needed to loosen up the sauce. Here, I added crushed red pepper because we all know who my husband is. Serve as is or with a little parsley garnish. Tastes great leftover!

Homemade Gingerbread Latte 

I am a sucker for Starbucks' seasonal drinks- especially their Gingerbread Latte. And as much as I support Starbucks and LOVE the "red cup season," I found a copy-cat recipe that is as good as the original. Get the syrup recipe here: http://www.sweethappylife.com/2012/easy-family-recipes/drinks/homemade-starbucks-gingerbread-latte/

Add to espresso or plain old coffee (my style) and steamed milk. Top with some fresh grated nutmeg and enjoy in a monogrammed coffee cup outside on an unseasonably warm day with your puppy :)

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cake- Cookies

Stir together 1 15oz. can pure pumpkin, 1 box spice cake mix, and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice.
Drop golf ball sized dollops onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350-degrees for 10(ish) minutes.
"Raisins would be good in these," says Mom...
"Chocolate chips would be good in these" says me...
(we know whose add-in sounds better)

They're great plain or top with cream cheese frosting (cream cheese + powdered sugar + milk)

 Thanks for reading! Happy cooking! Or baking! Or hiking! Or Whatever-ing!
                

False Promises, Teacher Woes, and...Brussel Sprouts

Three months ago I had really big hopes for this blog. Then I started my new job as a 5th Grade teacher and all of the sudden it's the middle of November. Teaching is, without a doubt, the hardest thing I've ever done. In all fairness, I had been warned that my first year teaching was going to be difficult. My response to that was one part "duh" (non verbalized, of course) and one part "I got this." To my first point, aren't all jobs difficult when you start? So much to learn, systems to figure out, people to get to know, etc. etc...And to my second, I had started jobs before that I had absolutely no experience and knowledge with (i.e: my 3 year stint in sales, out of all things) and I had adapted just fine. And here's the thing- even if my former self had been more receptive to the forewarning, it wouldn't have mattered. Nothing- no single piece of advice or good-hearted cautionary could have prepared me for my first 5th Grade classroom. I will spare you the details of what makes it so difficult (if you're really interested I'll talk your ear off about it- I'm sure Mike could use a break), but the beautiful thing is how satisfying it is at the same time. It took me a quarter to get to this point, and I still have days where I want to bang my head against the chalkboard (correction- smartboard), but I can honestly say for the first time in my life that I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

And now, brussel sprouts.

I am in love with brussel sprouts. When I was a kid, nothing was worse than seeing brussel sprouts appear at the dinner table. Now nothing is worse than their absence (poetic, huh?). And based off my childhood opinion of BS (hehe), I would have thought they required lots of add-ins or sauces to make them palatable. NOPE. Salt. Pepper. Olive Oil. Roast. Yum. Here are a couple pictures of my brussel sprout love affair.

 Roast brussel sprouts then toss them in a mixture of Dijon mustard, mayo, and lemon juice. 

Also featured, chicken saltimbocca (lay sage leaves on S&P seasoned chicken cutlet, wrap in prosciutto, pan fry, finish in oven, deglaze pan with Marsala wine & butter. Enjoy!)

Or, just roast them. 

Also featured- see "Fall Flavors" post from Chef and the City (11/30/11). Sub chicken for pork. Add brussel sprouts!

I just realized that hearing about my teacher woes and brussel sprouts isn't as exciting for you as it is for me. So...here's a cocktail that will make up for my boring-ness!

Apple Cider Moscow Mule 

(Pinterest Inspired)

2 parts vodka

2 parts apple cider 

Juice of 1/4 of lime

Top it off with ginger beer

Garnish with cinnamon, apples, and lime

The cast of characters

You can make it a mule-tini if you're a classy gal like me

Unless you have your own custom-engraved copper mug

New-ness

After almost 5 years in Bean Town, I'm back in the Centennial State with a lot of new additions. New husband. New career. New house. New car...So I found it only fitting that I start a new blog, too. My Life in Beantown and Chef and the City were a great opportunity for me to write about my explorations in Boston and my love for all things culinary. The Mile High Chapter is going to be more of a blank canvass- a potpourri of ponderings, a hodgepodge of happenings, a diversity of DIYs (i.e: Pinterest findings), an array of adventures, all from my (ahem, our) new life in Denver. And fear not foodie friends, I was fortunate enough to get an assortment of awesome cooking gadgets from generous wedding-goers, so you can still look forward to recipe shares and restaurant reviews. My goal is to get this blog out into the web-o-sphere for all to enjoy, so please share me with your friends, colleagues, and anyone else who might enjoy The Mile High Chapter.

Thanks for reading,
xo - the New Mazzanti