Happy July 4th!

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

I am feeling quite independent...of my dependence on store-bought ice cream.  I gave away my ice cream maker because it seemed so tedious to have to place that entire unit ( I have that one! ) inside of the freezer.  Who remembers?  I started doing the quick 'n dirty method by the instructional culinary genius of Gemma Stafford!

My favorite treat is most definitely sea salt caramel ice cream.  But you would never know it if you checked my freezer.  I am usually volleying between stocking it and sending in the special forces to find it, in the store that is!

Yesterday, I had a few ideas in the noggin: strawberry cookies 'n cream and sea salt caramel.  The store changed brands on my heavy cream and jacked up the price to over $3.  

(Am I going to have to start making heaving cream?) 

Here is the recipe if you would like to skip the eggs and churner!  You can always churn if you have one, which I am working on bringing one back that only freezes the bowl!!!

1 c sugar

medium sauce pot

large bowl or pot (ice bath)

2 T of water (optional)

1 t of double strength vanilla

1-2 t of sea salt

16 oz heavy cream, divided

Over medium heat add 1 cup of sugar.  Allow it to melt and form caramel.  Do not stir or whisk.  You make rotate the pot in the air until it is completely melted into an amber color.  Remove from heat.  Add sea salt and then 4-6 oz of heavy cream.  Now whisk until smooth.  Transfer to a heat safe bowl.  Chill it in an ice bath.  

Chill this in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight if you plan to churn.  Otherwise, you may pour this into a baggie lined quart container, seal, then freeze until solid.

And just enjoy your independence--freedom from the whims of stores that choose or choose not to stock your flavors!!!

Seitan Vegan Strip Fried Brown Rice

Seitan Strip Fried Brown Rice

*prepared Seitan (thawed)
*cooked brown rice (cold)
spring onion
onion
carrots
red pepper
green pepper
celery
bok choy
oil
soy sauce
mushroom soy sauce
vegetarian oyster sauce
salt
pepper
onion powder
red pepper flakes

Saute your seitan strips with onion.  Remove.  Saute vegetables.  Remove.  Fry cold brown rice.  Add spices and sauces.  Toss in seitan and vegetables.  Adjust season to taste.

Homemade Chickpea Seitan and Onions

red peppers, green peppers, spring onion, celery, carrots

Brown Rice with soy sauce

 ***

Apple Sage Smoked Vegan Brats

No beer!  Not this round.

I found a wonderful young vegan chef over on YouTube: Chef Ani

I watched her video, and began to assemble the ingredients and coordinate any modifications.

The actual recipe is here: Vegan Sausage

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The recipe made 11, 3.4 oz sausages.  I used my glass cutting board, placing a taped paper guide forming a six inch open rule.  This was to maintain uniformity throughout the entire batch.

My high pressure steamer was set 'high' for '90 minutes'.  This steamer pot comes with a wire rack and I love it because I can steam without the food logging in the water.  I will do with a natural release!

Carne-Less Asada Fries (Vegetarian Flank Steak)

seitan beef strips
onion
green pepper ( or any peppers you choose )
cucumber
carrots
tomato
salt
pepper
taco seasoning
avocado dressing
french fries
cheddar cheese
taco blend cheese


Slice your seitan into thin strips or dice if you choose.  Saute over onions and your favorite seasons while your french fries are air frying.  Dress your baking dish with french fries, topped with some cheese, then add your sauteed seitan.  Top with the rest of your veggies (diced or chopped).  Sprinkle cheese on top and cover, heat to melt cheese in a convection oven.  Remove.  Top with Avocado Dressing.

Blueberry-Lemon Pound Cake (Loaf)

1 1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 sticks of butter (or margarine)
2 large eggs
1/4 t butter flavor
1/2 t vanilla flavor
Lemon Zest
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1/2 c corn starch
1/2 c AP flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 c lemon carbonated water
1 t lemon juice
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1 c frozen blueberries

Do not preheat oven.  Densely butter a loaf pan.  Sprinkle with flour.  Make sure the flour dusts all of the insides of the pan. Release the excess.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add the remaining 4 ingredients in the first segment.  Mix on med-high speed to combine but do not over mix.

Gradually add your dry ingredients in the second segment on low-med speed to combine, but not over mix.  Fold in lemon juice and carbonated water.  Fold in frozen berries. 

Pour into the greased/floured loaf pan.  Bake from 45-60 minutes or until cake is firm in the center and a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.

(FYI) You may allow the cake to cool down in the oven, by turning off the heat in the last few minutes (open the oven door), if the cake is brown as you would like, but might require a little more heat to firm up.  Allowing the cake to come to a cool down in the oven will help prevent a collapse.

Trust your instincts.  It is a science.  And the one thing you learn by cooking is that the ingredients may be the same, but the atmosphere around the baking may change.  Adjust where necessary.  The more you know, the more you grow!

Enjoy!

Fried Green Tomatoes (air fried)

Teflon Non-Stick Baking Sheets

I bake a lot.  Everyone knows how much I love my convection toaster oven as it saves a bunch on energy.  But the struggle gets really real when the time comes to clean the silpat baking mat.  After a few uses, the heat makes cleaning them next to impossible.  Just ugly, but still reusable.

My mission was to find and try out new pan liners because the higher end silpat just could not cut it!

Here comes me on a whim, decided to try the Teflon baking sheets.  They look different online than in real view, but trust me, it's a winner.

Black Bean Burger Nachos

The mats deliver in 3 pieces, 40 cm x 60 cm.  I took one mat and cut it into four equal parts with fit the pan, though it is slightly larger.  I would rather this be the case than lose the edges to trash.  This way I was able to form a "sandwich" with one mat piece on the bottom, food in the middle, and topped it with another!

The results are what you see.  Chips remain crunchy but not burned.  It absorbs heat but does also the vents allow heat displacement.  Cheese melts without the food never having to come in direct contact with the heating elements.  

FYI:

• 3 PCs, 40 cm x 60 cm
• Non-stick
• Holds heat up to 600 degrees
• Great for Grilling
• Great for Baking
• Oil Proof
• Reusable

I am not a paid to share this information.  I like the product, so I am sharing it with you! 

If you would like to know more or try it for yourself click here:  3 PC Teflon Mats.