More Damn Vegan Pecan Pie

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jess sconed.

Vegan Pecan Pie - adapted via Todd x on the PPK/Millenium Cookbook (thanks for the update!)

Oops, I did it again? I made another one of Toddx's vegan pecan pies. And quoted a bad song.

This time with a chocolate graham cracker crust with a chocolate maple ganache on top. I brought it to a Vegan Thanksgiving themed potluck with some Roasted Garlic mashed potatoes and went home empty handed and incredibly full.

The slightly adapted recipe for the pie is available here on the Try Vegan PDX website for download. I opted for some chocolate-ness because I was leaving the optional booze out.

Smovely Inspiration.

Okay, back to being anti-holiday girl. Pie good.

I'm taking Thanksgiving off!

With Thanksgiving a week away, I'll openly admit that I don't have any desire to cook a vegan feast this year.  Every year I'm less enthused - I'm not into holidays as it is, I live alone, and I'm going to my dear friend Michelle's of The Spice Must Flow for a vegan Thanksgiving style potluck soon anyway. 

Blah, Blah.

And I helped teach Try Vegan PDX's Cooking Vegan for the Holidays class last weekend, which was a blast and gave me a chance to break out my obligatory Sweet Potato Pie Casserole and associated jokes for the year.  Chelsea of Flavorvegan was magnificent and I appreciate all her help in talking me through it!  

But as for me on Tday, I'm likely going to settle in with take out and my cats and not cook!  Take that, America.  

But if you're relentlessly curious to see what I have cooked in the past - check out my posts from the past two Tdays, featuring squirrel shaped biscuits, apple cranberry crumb pie, apple cider soaked tofurkey (never again) and more: 

Thanksgiving, Schmanksgiving! and Thanksgiving for 2.  

For more inspiration, check out Strawberryrock to read about Maeve's holiday ideas and Bryanna Clark Grogan's Canadian feast blogpost here.

Here are some shots by Chris (here's his flickr for more) of Try Vegan PDX from the cooking class.....Thanks for the shots!

General prep table

I'm pouring brown rice syrup for the pecan pie...  

(tip - lightly oil your measuring cups before measuring something sticky)

Pecan overload!  Group prep stations.

Chelsea's Flavorful Gluten Roast 

ToddX's Pecan Pie

originally from the Post Punk Kitchen forums

Does my handwriting irk you?

"and Jess" is cut off...

I say "Peecan" Pie.

And my friends laugh at me.  I'm from New York, sorry!

 

Again, this post is mostly relevant to those in the Portland area - there is a new sign up page for the Cooking Vegan for the Holidays Class this Sunday.  

Please register or email info@tryveganpdx.com if interested~

Secondly, the tator-tot-licious Hungry Tiger Too has unveiled a newly updated vegan menu.  Go check it out and let Stumptown Vegans know what you think!  I'll be going very soon myself.

And for everyone - Todd X's Pecan Pie is a great vegan achievement, though I hear Sweetpea's unveiled a new pecan pie that is also the shit.  I also keep hearing about their new sticky buns and have yet to investigate, huh?

This weekend I made it again in preparation for Sunday's class for some lucky hungry friends:

Vegan! Pecan! Pie! Bourbon!  

I also served some impromptu roasted potatoes.

Roasted Yukon Gold, German Butterball and Yam with sea salt, 

Spice Depot Hot & Spicy seasoning and canola oil.

Attention Portlanders!

Hey Portland area readers!  I know there's a few of you out there....  

If you're addicted to learning about the vegan culinary arts like me, or simply want some vegan holiday meal inspiration, come to the Cooking Vegan for the Holidays Cooking Class on November 16, 2008.  

It's being presented by Try Vegan PDX and is being taught by Chelsea of Flavorvegan and myself.  Oh, my.  Come watch me forget how to speak but still mash some sweet potatoes with pizazz.

What: Cooking Vegan for the Holidays, a Thanksgiving Cooking Class.

When: November 16, 2008 at 3pm.

Where: Cleveland High School at SE 28th and SE Powell.  Map.  

The Food: We'll be making Thanksgiving Gluten Roast, Sweet Potato Pie Casserole and Pecan Pie.  There will be tastings of more holiday food at the end!

Materials Fee: $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

Register and reserve a space at Try Vegan PDX or call 503-772-7983. (SITE UPDATED!)

 Sweet Potato Pie Casserole

Let me know if you have any questions!  If you guys don't fly out from around the continental United States for this I'm going to be very upset.

Thanksgiving for 2.

Yesterday Thomas and I celebrated our 5th vegan thanksgiving together. I'm not too big on leftovers, so I wanted to focus on making side dishes and appetizer bites for 2. Of course, we have a ton of leftovers anyway since I found myself in the kitchen for more than a couple hours and Thomas took his turn making the mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.
Speaking of saucy cranberry abundance, I halved the recipe, but being the only one eating it, I still have a ton leftover - any suggestions? I have pumpkin seed crusted tofu in mind for it, but that's all so far. help!

Onto the goods..

yukon gold mashed potatoes, Organic Arrowhead mills stuffing, maple-white balsamic-garlic green beans & hazelnuts. I'm not a stuffing person and never ate it growing up, so we opt for the storebought (especially since I always leave it off the menu by default and remember it last minute..)
I used yukon golds for the mashed potatoes, and honestly think that once you've made mashed with those, you just can't look at russets the same way - they're just so creamy and golden and almost buttery even without the Earth Balance.


Field roast celebration roast, lentil sage roast & white truffle country pate, with sesame rye crackers with mustard and Veganomicon cheezy sauce turned spread. My next post will be a review of these Pacific Northwest grain meats~


vwav biscuits (threw in herbs & nooch) and my recipe for hazelnut & red wine stuffed mushrooms

maple-variation of the nomicon cranberry sauce

since it contains agar, you can hold it upside down! and drop it on your neighbors!


all that jazz on our coffeetable (we've been in between kitchen tables forever which will soon change).

mini apple pies & mini pumpkin pies
made with nomicon basic pastry crust. the pumpkin filling was made by my friend michelle of the spice must flow
the apple pie filling was a simple one - sliced local apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, sea salt, cornstarch & sugar

Strange to think it was only this past Thursday.. I'm currently enjoying my 4-day weekend and roasting a sugar pumpkin. My next few posts will feature the full review of my Field Roast products, this morning's farmer's market purchases, a breakdown of a recent grocery trip and yesterday's lunch out - who wants to eat leftovers so soon anyway?

T-day prep..

T-day prep begins...the simple pastry crust from Veganomicon is in the fridge as I type, waiting to become mini pies.
I had no real prep that I *had* to do the night before, for our simple meal.
Well, the meal won't be simple, but I'm really thinking of it as perhaps, an extensive weekend meal, eaten early, just cooking for two. Since the Sweet Potato pie has already been made and eaten at this past weekend's potluck, I have no more emotional attachment to this holiday besides calling my brother, sister and grandparents (if any of them answer the phone..)

Check out the BIG earth balance containers. I picked up another one yesterday at the coop, because honestly the container on the right has one pat left. But still! Tons of earth balance in this house. I like buying the larger ones (cost $8.99, plus coop discount), so I don't have a ton of empty small ones kicking around. Time to finish the Hazelnut Liquour & Soymilked coffee Thomas just put in front of me..

Mmmm, brown sugar

THE WEBSITE HAS MOVED, SEE THE RECIPE POSTED HERE.

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Full sized Sweet Potato Pie Casserole, pre-baked.

You can see my extra sprinkle of brown sugar on top. I also added at least another cup's worth of pecans on top, and some cinnamon to the mash.



I had worried that I was bringing too much sweet potato pie casserole to my friend's vegan Thanksgiving potluck this evening, even though she thought 20ish people were coming - who wants to lug a dish across town and then home again?
Fortunately, I came home with a serving or two left, just the right amount for leftovers. After making such a giant amount of these, from giant yams, no less, I've decided that I'm set for the holiday season. Perhaps I'll make it again for xmas, but I'm good for Thursday.

Baked:

thanksgiving, schmanksgiving!

Slice of Apple Cranberry Crumb Pie, spritz of Soyatoo



Compassionate Cooks recipes for Pumpkin Pie - made with my CSA sugar pumpkin.

Apple Cranberry Crumb Pie (I am so very proud).

Vegan with a Vengeance oval biscuits, poppy and sesame squirrels

I picked up a tofurkey on sale at People's Coop in SE Portland. I had tried it last year, and enjoyed it - it wasn't horrible, but I don't think our experience will warrant another purchase AT ALL.

Ours marinaded (ala Webly) for 2 days in sparkling apple cider, braggs, garlic, thyme and olive oil.

Pre-roasting, with chopped shallots and red kuri squash, topped with freshly ground peppercorns.

Roasted!


Sliced, showing you it's damn bland stuffing.

Thomas made Bryanna Clark Grogan's maple cranberry sauce - my absolute favorite dish of our feast..

Roasted Garlic and more garlic yukon gold potatoes.


More biscuits! Crescent rolls and squirrel shaped.

Balsamic Glazed Cremini Mushrooms (these were huge)

Steamed fresh green beans with sea salt.

Yup - another Sweet Potato Pie Casserole, topped with a cinnamon stick. I tried to slightly differ the design on this one.

Feasting plate.

This toasted ciabatta- baby spinach - cranberry sauce, stufing and tofurkey sandwich was both the day after's leftover dinner and this morning's breakfast. There are still two big ole tofurkey slices (chunks) left, and we're not fighting over them..