Zombie Munch #2

I really loved the first batch of Zombie Munch I made but I wanted to modify it and improve on its taste and the way it binds together. The main problem with my original recipe was that the pretzels fall off the bottom and make a mess, all be it a tasty mess but still a mess. This new and improved recipe uses just a bit more chocolate and peanut butter.
Ingredients:
• 8 to 10 pretzel rods broken up into small pieces
• 1 cup vegan marshmallows
• 1 cup peanut butter, I used smooth but crunchy would be great
• 1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Line an 8 by 8 or 9 by 9 pan with wax paper, if you slit each corner it will fit better in the pan (thanks for that hint Alton Brown). Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips and spread on the bottom of the dish, let harden. Combine the pretzels and 1/2 cup peanut butter and spread evenly over the chocolate. Take the time to get it evenly spread.

The pretzel and peanut butter mixture over the chocolate.
Next heat the oven to broil, as it is heating place the marshmallows over the peanut butter pretzel mixture just as before. Place the pan evenly under the broiler. This was my main mistake as you can see by the photo below, the marshmallows could have been a bit more brown on one side, still tasty but next time I will be more mindful of the placement.

The marshmallows nice and tasty!

Next melt the rest of the peanut butter for about 30 seconds and pour evenly over the marshmallows. Allow to cool for at least ten minutes.

Spread the peanut butter evenly even to the sides!
Next melt the rest of the chocolate and spread evenly over the peanut butter.

Chocolate almost spread evenly

Allow to cool and cut with a sharp knife!

Yum and done!

Zombie Munch

I made this sweet little number for the Walking Dead mid-season premier. I wanted something festive and something I imagine a zombie would like at least in texture. So I came up with Zombie Munch, and I think I am going to make a couple variations to be published later, but this first try was tasty, and much better than brains!!!!!!!!!
Ingredients:
• 8 to 10 pretzel rods broken up into small pieces
• 1 cup vegan marshmallows (non-vegan are fine if you have non-vegan or vegetarian zombies, I mean humans in the house)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, I used smooth but crunchy would be great
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Line an 8 by 8 or 9 by 9 pan with wax paper, if you slit each corner it will fit better in the pan (thanks for that hint Alton Brown). Spread the broken pretzels evenly in the pan.

Here are the pretzels!
Next smash the marshmallows so they are somewhat flat and place evenly on top of the pretzels, as seen below.

Here are the marshmallows ready to go

Then melt the peanut butter in the microwave, be careful not to burn it, I would say 30 to 45 seconds will do. Natural peanut butter will melt faster than processed. After it is melted use a spatula and spread over the marshmallows.

Here is the peanut butter melted and yummy!
Next melt the chocolate, you can use a double boiler if you like, but I used the microwave. After melted spread on top of the peanut butter evenly. Make sure to get the sides and corners.

Here is the chocolate freshly spread on top!

Let cool completely, don't put it in the refrigerator as it will not temper correctly. Let cool for at least an hour and longer if desired. After 60 to 90 minutes it is safe to put in the refrigerator. This is a very sweet rich dessert, so cut in small pieces and serve. It is so tasty it could possibly make even a Zombie go vegan!

Yum and done!

The Bread Project: Split Tin Loaf

This is the next installment in my voyage into bread making from the book The Bread Bible, authored by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter and I plan to bake my way through it this year. This is another English bread called Split Tin which is another English bread. I feel that my shaping needs a little work to get rid of some of the ridges in the dough and I have not mastered the kneeing times yet but all in all this was a tasty bread! This was the first bread that I have baked in a tin from this book. I like the tin cooking because it controls the shape more and I feel it makes the bread go more vertical

Just out of the oven

Cooled and ready to eat!

Oatmeal Strawberry Blueberry Banana Chocolate Bake

This recipe was adapted from the cookbook, Super Natural Every Day, written by Heidi Swanson, this is perfect when serving a crowd for breakfast, but also warms up well for leftovers. In the original recipe she used an egg as a binding agent, but I feel it is not necessary, plus I wanted to make it vegan so no egg required. Replace strawberries and blueberries with any other berry. If you do not have Chinese five spice, you can simply substitute with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, the flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.

Ingredients:

• • 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• •1/3 cup light brown sugar
• • 1 teaspoon baking powder
• • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• • 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
• •1/2 teaspoon salt
• • 1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
• • 1 cup sliced strawberries
• • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  
• • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• • 2 cups soy or rice milk
• • 3 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
• • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• • 1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375, and prep a 9 by 9 baking dish by spraying with cooking spray. Set aside a small amount of the fruit, chocolate chips and brown sugar aside to garnish the top. Then mix the dry ingredients together. Then add the fruit and chocolate chips, mix well by hand.

Next add the melted butter to the soy milk, then add to the mixture. Mix well.

Pour into the dish and garnish with the remaining ingredients, except the brown sugar, that will be added at the very end to caramelize on the top!

ready for the oven!

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes five minutes before sprinkle with the rest of the brown sugar, and allow to brown. Serve hot!

Yum and Done!

Three Bean Chili

This is a crock-pot recipe. It is wonderful to mix and forget. The cooking time might be different than mine depending on you crock-pot. On average I let this cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. I really enjoy the different beans it makes the chili great to look at but also adds different textures and flavors. It also freezes great, so if you don't eat all of it put it in the freezer and have a home cooked treat on a busy night!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups black beans

• 2 cups red beans

• 2 cups pinto beans

• 2 cups textured vegetable protein soaked in 2 cups water to rehydrate

• 1 head of garlic peeled and minced

• 36 ounces of stewed tomatoes, I either use ones that I have canned or the ones store bought with the chili peppers in them. This time I used the store bought

• 1 jalapeno diced (optional)

• 1 large onion minced

• 1/4 tsp powdered mustard

• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• 3/4 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

here it is cooking in the crock-pot

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to your crock-pot and put on low. Stir about every 30 to 45 minutes. After about three hours taste, if it is not hot enough add more cayenne pepper. Feel free to garnish with jalapenos and non-dairy sour cream, or whatever you like!

yum and done!

Pumpkin Muffins

During the fall I bought a few pie pumpkins and prepped them then froze them, so when I wanted delicious pumpkin during the winter months I would have it without having to buy canned pumpkin. Today I decided to make some pumpkin muffins and a loaf of pumpkin bread.

This bread recipe is my basic sweet bread, the recipe originally came from my Mother, I have modified it to be vegan and has a bit less fat in it than my Mothers recipe. Although the base recipe is the same I modify the fruit or vegetable content added.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 3/4 tsp baking soda

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• the equivalent of 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/3 cup nuts ( I usually use walnuts but today I used almonds, and it was delicious)

• 3 cups pureed pumpkin

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together the dry ingredients well. Add the oil and the egg replacer mix lightly, add the pumpkin and the vanilla mix well, at this point the mixture should have no lumps. Add the raisins and nuts lightly mix. If you are baking muffins it should be about 22 to 25 minutes If you are baking bread it will be about 45 minutes.

Yum and done!

Chocolate Buttercream

Last weekend I just wanted a cupcake! So to break from tradition I made a chocolate buttercream, I usually do a vanilla, the results were delicious. I have been working with buttercream for a long time now but it was not until recently that I started to experiment with stiffer frosting. The stiffer it is the more vertical you can take it when decorating! If you would like a frosting that is a bit less dense feel free to reduce the sugar by 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup vegan butter at room temperature
• 2 tbsp soy milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (dutch processed or regular)
• 3 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar
Directions:
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer mix butter and soy milk, then add the cocoa powder 1/4 cup at a time, mix well, add the vanilla and mix again. Add the confectioners sugar about 1/2 cup at a time and mix. By the time you add the last half cup of sugar the frosting should be very stiff, if you need to you can add more at this time.
If you are going to be applying the frosting via a pastry bag, it works best at room temperature.

Yum and done!