Dial M for Murder-Free Memorial Day

Like most Americans, I like a good Memorial Day BBQ. There's nothing quite like cracking open a cold one (for my husband, a diet caffeine free coke, because we know how to party) and chowing down on potato chips and burgers (veggie burgers, of course). I've never actually hosted one of these ritual gatherings; usually we are invited to someone's party, where we arrive armed with Gardenburgers and search for the most unused space on the grill.
But this year, I'd like to invite other sentient beings for a BBQ, and I have a sneaking suspicion that not everyone loves Tofurky sausage the way I do.
So, what can I make on the grill?
Veggie Kabobs and Grilled Polenta? Delicious, but it doesn't really say "Memorial Day" to me, unless you drive a Range Rover.
Grilled Poblano Chilies stuffed with beans and rice and cheese sounds yummy, but it's not Cinco de Mayo, people.
Of course I can make all the requisite carbohydrate salads (nothing with mayo though, which is possibly the most dreaded food in my household), but what about that main dish?
It's not Memorial Day if you don't fire up the old grill.
I'd love to hear from my devoted readers (yes, that's you, Dad) about what they like to grill that isn't made out of animal. Keep in mind that my darling husband's family will not eat mushrooms, so portobellos are out of the picture.
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys Memorial Day and takes a moment to remember the importance of happiness and peace for ALL sentient beings, but especially our soldiers.

Middle Eastern Chickpeas and Couscous

Last night I was determined to make dinner from ingredients in my pantry. The goal was to create something vegan, healthy, and yummy in one pot. My sweet husband had seconds, and took the leftovers to work today.

In a 4 quart pot with a cover, heat
2 Tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat
add
1 onion, chopped finely, and several minced cloves of garlic (or one shallot)
stir until translucent.
Add:
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (seeds should pop and crackle)
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne powder

stir well, let cook for one or two minutes.
Add 1 can of chickpeas (rinsed well and drained)
and 3/4 cup of water.
Add 6-8 dried (unsulfured) apricots, finely chopped. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and then lower heat...simmering for at least 15 minutes, or as long as you'd like, just make sure the mixture doesn't dry out completely.

10 minutes before you are ready to eat, add 1 cup water, 1 cup couscous, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down very low (or off), and let couscous steam with the pot covered.

Sprinkle with fresh squeezed lemon juice before serving.

Our New Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

New cookie recipe, how do I love thee? Or more accurately, why do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
Reason 1: These cookies aren't flat.
Reason 2: The texture of the cookies is perfect. A little crunchy, mostly chewy, not at all cakey.
Reason 3. The recipe made 22 cookies, which I thought was a very reasonable batch.
Reason 4: The cookies stay soft for days.
Reason 5: These cookies endear me to my father-in-law, who has a weak spot for anything chocolate.


I used my Kitchen Aid mixer for this, but a hand mixer will probably do.

Cream together
1 cold stick of butter (cut into small chunks)
with
1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
add two teaspoons of vanilla, mix, add one egg (best at room temp), and mix again.

Add in
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
by pulsing the mixer...mix as little as possible, just until the flour is mixed in.

Add a half bag of chocolate chips, mix by pulsing the mixer as little as possible.

Put the bowl of dough in the fridge for an hour.

Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and spoon the cold batter onto cookie sheets (a tablespoon or so per cookie, leaving about 2 inches between each blob of dough), bake cookies one batch at a time in the middle of the oven for 11-12 minutes.
Cool on a rack.
Beware of roving Labradors who counter-surf.

Pizza Night

Growing up, Friday night we always ate Chinese food. Religiously. One family favorite was the Golden Temple restaurant, leading to all kinds of bad jokes from my father about going to "Temple" on Friday night. Mmmm, bring on the pork fried rice. Thanks Dad. I think I may have inherited your sense of humor.

For my husband, Friday meant pizza. I've been making a lot of homemade pizza lately (inspired by my mother-in-law's acquisition of a pizza stone, or one of my mother-in-laws, I should say, as I'm blessed with no less than three! Keep your snarky comments to yourself, people. They read this blog on a semi-regular basis.)

Right...so, pizza! Everyone loves pizza. Homemade crust is easy as crust with my kitchen-aid mixer (thinking about my mixer makes me burst into song and dance around the kitchen), and then it's fun to experiment with toppings. Tonight's creation is a pesto pizza with artichoke hearts, garlicky sauteed spinach, Parmesan, mozzarella, a light sprinkle of feta, and of course, olive oil.

I'll take some pictures when it comes out of the oven. You know it's done when the smoke alarm goes off.

The Prodigal Blogger Returns

I know, I've been ignoring you. I've been outside because rainy season is finally over. Actually, I've been volunteering a lot too, with an adult literacy program and with TANC (the Tibetan Association of Northern California). I assure you that my husband is still being (well) fed. While I've been slacking on the blog, I've perfected spanikopita, cheese enchiladas, and vegan chocolate chip cookies. I finally made a pancake of restaurant quality, all thanks to my new ceramic titanium ScanPan. I also bought a large leafy basil plant and made my first pesto of spring. (It IS spring here in California, 70 and sunny and so green...apologies to my peeps in colder climates. I finally remember why I agreed to move out here in the first place.)

Here's what you can expect in the very near future. (Be excited.)
I'm currently working on the Go Veg For Passover Manifesto.
Let's face it: the holiday commemorates the suffering of our people. So to celebrate, we go ahead and inflict suffering on others? Is that the logic of a well-educated people? Gefilte Fish (I'm not sure what kind of fish this is, but I'm sure it is made from fish), Matzoh Ball Soup (made with chicken!), brisket (I think that comes from a cow?), chopped liver (don't even get me started); JUST SAY NO. Have you seen factory farms or slaughterhouses? They make Egypt look like a resort in the Catskills. The animals are still waiting for their Moses to come and lead them out of oppression. What will you do to celebrate freedom this year?
(Okay, sorry, I get excited and preachy about this, but I think it could really be the start of an important movement.)

Nice To Meet You, Vegan Cookie

When I go into my favorite bakery in Berkeley, Sweet Adeline, all the cookies wink at me. I flirt back, checking each one out. Hello, chocolate chip. Hi pecan praline. Oh, hello there crackly ginger cookie. You are looking mighty tasty, oatmeal chocolate chip.
I usually ignore the vegan cookie. After all, it has no butter. And it looks kind of healthy, which is a no no for any cookie that wants to be a treat. It resembles an energy food I might eat on the trail more than a real bona fide baked good. (Never mind that the last time I climbed a mountain I tore my meniscus. Thanks a lot, energy snack.)
As you may know, I'm contemplating a life without dairy, and when better to start than right now. So today, I chose the vegan cookie to accompany my soy chai. I'm proud to say that it was surprisingly personable. In fact, the vegan cookie is kind of like me.
Substantive, fruity, flakier than expected, ethical and compassionate, and of course, tasty.
With friends like this, who needs dairy?

Is it okay to eat penguins?

I've long been opposed to Valentine's Day, a holiday that makes some of us feel bad about ourselves and the rest of us feel obligated to spend money. Throughout the long, almost unmitigated dry spells of high school and college, I made a point of wearing all black on February 14.
When you're single, people understand this attitude. They may secretly pity you or find you a little pathetic, but they understand. It becomes more complicated when you're in a relationship, however. If you still oppose Valentine's Day, is it because your relationship -- or at this point, for me, marriage -- is "on the rocks"? Or are you just a pessimist of Oscar-the-Grouch like proportions? It's practically viewed as un-American to dislike this schlocky Hallmarky holiday. (Don't, DON'T get me started on Sweetest Day.)

However, I have to confess that this year I sold out a bit. (Or bought in?) More specifically, I caved to commercialism after Ms. Cush alerted me to the fact that the best chocolate shop in my college town of Cambridge, L.A. Burdick's, was selling chocolate penguins. My husband is an Antarctic geographer, and he feels a special kinship to these awkward little birds. I ordered them for him, and they were well-received.

So, Ms. Cush, it's okay to eat these animals, right?