The Betty Crocker Project: Vegan Chili-Lime Chicken

OK - So we had a huge bunch of cilantro and so we got a little crazy with it this week. I think there are worse crimes. If you're one of those who don't love the taste of this leafy green -- you can always skip that part of this recipe.

It's another fast and easy recipe that will get you in and out of the kitchen with little suffering. We had ours with some lemon pepper Israeli couscous from Whole Foods made with peas and had dinner in about 30 minutes. We defrosted our Gardein chick'n scaloppini breasts earlier so that definitely cut back on how long this took.

I know a lot of us might be feeling a little food prepping, dish washing and hostessing burn-out after yesterday's festivities so I thought this might help give you an out for dinner for the rest of the week. I mean making sure that the ice chest stays full while the BBQ coals don't go out and figuring out how to keep bugs away from the pie and Soy Delicious is fun at the time but after the fireworks... it's freaking exhausting.

We celebrated this year with an epic game of Civ5 and season 4 of Sons of Anarchy* because Dan caught some kind of death flu on his work trip to Seattle. Oh and we're total nerds. So there was no read, white and blue flag cakes or BBQ burgers for us this year. But that's what grill pans and liquid smoke are for right?

The Betty Crocker Project: Thanksgiving Day Parade #9 : White & Green Beans

Yes, the rumors are true! We have another contest launching tomorrow! But until then, please accept this healthier take on a Thanksgiving classic: Green Bean Casserole.

I adore Green Bean Casserole. It's one of my very favorite dishes on the planet, but I can completely understand why some folks might want to enjoy a flavorful green bean dish this Thanksgiving not include the flour or the margarine. This recipe is a really delicious substitute. It's a side dish with some character and charm--it's like the Captain Kirk of green bean dishes. Or maybe Jean-Luc Picard, since it has Dijon mustard in it.

Is it exactly the same as the classic green bean casserole of old? Sorry, no, not exactly--but it's damn good, and what's fun about everything being the same all the time?

I wish I had more time today to write a better post to go with it, but we're less than a month away from the deadline for our book and I really need to be typing out the donut section today. See you tomorrow!

The People Have Spoken! Brussels Sprouts in Sriracha Lime Sauce

Today is my last day at a job I've had for 6 years. Don't worry - I'm not going to get all emotional about leaving my job like some drunk 17 year old committing Promicide. I won't freak out and invite you into my anxiety attacks*. And if you're one of those folks hoping I'm going to write a tell-all post about what happens behind the scenes in the animal rights movement, I hope you'll find a way to forgive me. Maybe I'll polish off that bottle of sherry I've been hoarding since we made vegan Chicken Tetrazzini and who knows... I'll get all crazy pants on you. Who knows? History is full of sherry drenched confessions**. But please don't hold your breath.

Last night, I was trying to figure out what to post today. I was inspired by what is happening on Wall Street right now, and went to the social networking streets and asked the folks on Facebook and Twitter to vote. I wanted to know what you wanted. It was no surprise that people love Sriracha sauce. I mean, I love Sriracha, but some of you guys are pretty serious about your Thai hot sauce! It was also kinda touching to hear how many of you have brussels sprouts in your fridge right now. I've always loved these bitty cabbages. Every Fall, it's so exciting to see them show up in the produce section. This time of year they're at their best, and I can't stress enough that if you've only ever had brussels sprouts during any other time of the year... you need to fix that. I'm not a therapist or anything - but that's a problem.

This recipe combines all kinds of delicious stuff like garlic and lemon and kick-ass awesomely-easy. Enjoy!

These are the Mini Chocolate-Covered Coconut Doughnuts you're looking for.

We roasted our coconut but I think they would be just as good with raw coconut.

Please forgive me boring you with my 'I survived the NYC Earthquake of 2011' story, but I think that I might have learned something about myself that day. And don't worry, this isn't a story about surviving a traumatic event as much as a story that gives me a chance to laugh at myself.

There I was, typing away on the sofa. Our beloved Agatha was under the sofa, amateur kitten spelunking. Never heard of it? Oh, that's where your little buddy crawls around upside down on the lining of sofa - tearing it to shreds and growling at dust bunnies. It looks fun. Never tried it myself. Then I started to feel like there were 30 cats under the sofa. The screen on my laptop seemed to be swaying. My mind tried to figure out why I felt seasick, and then it hit me. I hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch... hadn't even finished my coffee that day. So like a good New Yorker, I began neurotically googling symptoms for low blood sugar, because I had this tiny fear I was going to pass out. I mean, what would happen if I passed out? Would the cats sit on me to keep me warm like they do when I'm sick... or take this opportunity to go after the catnip stash? Then I spotted a tweet about an Earthquake near DC. Yay! We're saved! Back to work!

Now the moral of this little tale is this, my friends - eat breakfast*! We just got a new mini doughnut pan and we've already started to tackle the doughnut section of our cookbook. Everyone should get one of these mini pans. They're like adorable little doll house donut pans. These doughnuts are faster to make than you think. With a little planning, you might be able to make these before work one day.

Now remember, these are mini cake doughnuts so they're heavier than raised doughnuts - if you want something like that, we have a Vegan Beignets recipe that makes me swoon. But let's not get off-topic. These are the doughnuts you were looking for.

The Betty Crocker Project : Mini Tempeh Potstickers with Tamari & Sesame Dipping Sauce

The original Betty potstickers used pork and had a different filling; our version is kinder to the little oinkers. Cute little intelligent pigs who want nothing more than to just chill out in some grass or mud if it's hot out--or maybe swim around in The Bahamas. I mean I don't actually speak for pigs or anything - they unfortunately don't have elected representation at the moment - but I'm pretty confident when I say I'm sure they would rather be doing pretty much anything than being potstickers.

You might also start looking through this recipe and think "Wow, that's a lot of steps. What can I skip over to make this go faster?" Sorry to have to be the one to break this to you, but you have to follow all the steps. There are no shortcuts to Mordor, or potstickers. I'm not trying to be mean, but all the steps are pretty key. It should make you feel better to know they actually go very quickly. But that thought might lead you to another : "Hmmm. It is a lot of steps... is this worth it?" To that question I only have one thing to say to that lazy negative voice that would deny you tempeh postickers. "Hell yes! Now go boil some water."

I should warn you though, this recipe makes a lot. It would be perfect for a party or potluck - especially since you serve them at room temperature or chilled and aren't terribly expensive for how cool they are. So basically this recipe makes a ton (not literally) of cheap but delicious vegan food. Yeah. It's that good.

Are you ready to wok?

Vegan Chicken Lettuce Wraps & How We Survived The Heat Dome...

2 years ago today, I married my best friend. Now this might seem like a pretty obvious and trite way to describe a wedding, but it fits. I mean it wasn't like the old-school wedding days, where life as we had known it changed forever. My parents didn't hand me over in exchange for a few cows, and Dan didn't lift my veil with crossed fingers. Our lives slowly began to intertwine long before we ever even kissed. We'd been building a life together for years before I ever put on that off-white dress, and our course didn't really change much from the day we decided to be more than friends in the first place. In fact, the life we had already begun to build together just got a little better... we just dressed up, ate a bunch of cupcakes, and made it legal, is all.

Over the weekend in New York City, numerous same-sex couples (and some not-so-same-sex) finally got to make it legal too. Now, I know a lot of you like to read inside bits about our relationship rather than here me talk about politics. I mean, I get at least 20 emails a week asking about what we fight about and how we move past those bloody battles. But if we were all sitting down to dinner tonight, talking about how proud we are to live in a progressive state would come up. We might also talk about the Pompeii exhibit we saw over the weekend and some thoughts we had about the new Captain America movie... which was freaking incredible*.

And if you were visiting last weekend, we would have have eaten these lettuce wraps that require very little cooking and eased our suffering considerably. See, we were trapped last weekend in The Heat Dome. Now if you're wondering if that is worse than the Thunderdome... it seriously is. We're not big on air conditioning, so a Heat Dome is pretty much a nightmare. Now you would think we were used to heat after years in Virginia. Back then the sadistic humidity gave us an excuse to drive to the beach. On nights when we were feeling kinda fancy-ish, we'd stop by P.F.Chang's on the way back. Their vegan lettuce wrap appetizers are pretty spectacular and always went perfectly with sun burnt shoulders and large lemonades. We made ours with Gardein Crispy Tenders and enjoyed them with some beers from Brooklyn's Sixpoint Brewery**, a game of Civilization, and a giant fan.

And that I guess is why, on the 2nd anniversary of our wedding, we are posting this delicious recipe that helped us do more than just survive the Heat Dome... it was a tiny reminder of how we're not just making it through our lives together. We are, as my husband so eloquently put it, "Living in the Awesome!"

Let us eat lettuce wraps and be awesome! Awesome for all!

The Betty Crocker Project : Margarita Vegan Shrimp Cocktail Cups

Not your grannie's shrimp cocktail.

So I was feeling a little fancy this weekend and just a tad bit experimental.

Ever feel like that? Like you want to mix it up but not too much. Sometimes it's the little things that can add a little color to your day. No, I'm not talking about blue nail polish or red shoes. Well, I kinda am but in relation to food right now. See, I love faux shrimp. It's a weird food but I really like it. If you've been reading this blog, you've probably noticed that. We've veganized shrimp dishes ranging from Gumbo to Scampi. Hell, we've even made Coquilles Saint Jacques.

You may have also noticed we have a preference for May Wah's Shrimp Balls. It's OK to snicker. It's a terrible name but you can't deny the texture and flavor of this product are really nice and versatile. But if you're one of those folks who prefers to have that signature half moon shape, you can always use these :

Vegan Shrimp from Vegetarian Plus

Now, I have had vegan shrimp cocktail before and it was OK. I don't know how or why but it never really became a favorite. Maybe because I've never eaten the version made with real sea spiders. It's hard to say. I mean who knows where love comes from. But this recipe has a few twists that are just enough to turn something pretty standard into something new and kinda awesome. Something spicy and cool at the same time - like a bunch of little Fonzis*. Not to mention, it's also kinda schmancy.

So, if you're looking for a date night appetizer or maybe just something to go with a chilled glass of white wine that will make that Monday night just a little more like a Friday, I vote Shrimp Balls! (tee hee) Seriously though, try this recipe. It was lovely.

Behold The Shannon Smoothie Rocket Pop!

So! We were suppose to launch an awesome contest today but I can't find the disk with the photos I need to do that. Am I the worst wife ever? I mean I didn't kill anybody but yeah I lost a ton of blogger/wife points today. You'll understand better when I find that disk.

In an attempt to not completely disappoint you all, I am sharing a recipe I hope will be as popular at your house as it was at ours. When this treat was in it's concept phases, I admit the initial draw was getting to use these freaking adorable rocket pop molds we found at Whole Foods but after eating a few, we've come to our senses. This recipe is a perfect combo of real fruit and good for you and summertime and awesomesauce and kittens riding rainbows*. I might even dare to say I prefer them to the original ones. Mostly because the berries in this one were grown on bushes and not electric blue. Though I admit I have fond memories of techno-color blue foods as a child. Raspberry or Blue was a popular flavor in the late 80s-early 90s when I coveted slurpees. 

If rockets** aren't your thing, there are many other adorable and random Popsicle molds available these days to bring back your childhood memories.

Sailboats

Faux Ice Cream Cones

Ring Pops

Once you have chosen your mold or maybe have cleaned out an ice cube tray, get out your blender and let's make smoothie pops!

The Betty Crocker Project : Beef-less Pepper Steak Kebobs & Lemon Millet Pilaf

This is one of those recipes that will easily become a favorite--not just because it's crazy delicious, but also because it's super easy. It's one of those recipes that will remind any long-term vegan how far we've come, and how no one in the world loves food like a vegan. There are flavors here that are so subtle and beautiful, they're like a Greta Garbo. I'm a lover of savory and citrus foods, so this meal is like my soul mate. If I had to change anything, I would make the pilaf a little more moist (I know, gross word, but accurate). Betty's recipe was pretty much already vegan, but a tad dry (maybe because we used organic millet that wasn't as processed as what they suggested). We tried to compensate, but we thought we should warn you.

There are oven and grilling instructions provided today, so you can make this year round. We also included a recipe tweak to make Pepper Steak Tofu instead of the kebobs. Now if you're like me, you might be confused, because you may have thought Pepper Steak was going to be like Lemon Pepper and that black pepper was going to play a starring role. The truth is the pepper we're referring to today is green bell pepper--a vegetable as lovely and loyal as any leading lady, so I hope you won't be disappointed. I could keep gushing about how good this is, but I can't recommend it enough. I could try but I think you'd rather get cooking... and, well, eating.

So grab your aprons and best gal and let's get cooking!

The Betty Crocker Project : Tequila Fajita Vegan Chicken Wings

There has been a kind of overload of awesome happening lately.

Exhibit A: You might know Brea Grant from Heroes or maybe Friday Night Lights, but you will definitely know her from her upcoming role in Dexter. What you might not know is that she writes comic books and reads Meet The Shannons! She also made some bewitching 24 Hour Pickles! How kick ass is that? Answer : River Tam kick ass*.

Exhibit B: I found this marvelous tumbler full of ridiculously adorable and well-educated cats by Sarah Sobole and fell madly in love. It all began when I was sent this:

I've never really seen myself captured so completely in art before**. It's weird... it's like Sarah is spying on me right now. Or perhaps is my doppelganger.

Exhibit C: We made Tequila Fajita Vegan Chicken Wings. I know I've said this before, but if you get a chance to try out these Vegan Drumsticks from May Wah, you really need to. They're one of the best mock meat products on the market, and are great with pretty much any glaze or sauce we've ever tested them out with. They can be grilled, baked, or fried--pretty much making them a perfect replacement for those wings and drumsticks actual chickens need more than we do.

If you can't get your compassionate little hands on these wings, you can always use this Tequila Fajita baste on your favorite vegan chicken on a skewer, and then toss them in an actual fajita wrap. Whatever you do, make sure and make a batch of Salsa Verde. Honestly, it's an amazing combination of hot, tart, and savory that I can't praise enough. If it sounds like I'm gushing right now it's because I totally am.

All and all this week has ended on a high note, free of sudden and inevitable dinosaur betrayals and full of pretty dresses... Yes, I did finally get that bunny dress I've been tweeting about. Expect to see it in action soon, because I'll be wearing it this weekend when we film our first podcast!

Are you ready to be a big damn hero and make some kick ass vegan chicken wings? Grab your tequila and let's go!

The Betty Crocker Project : Frozen Coconut Cream Pie

It's 798 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of chilled San Pellegrinos, it's sunny out and we're wearing sunglasses. Let's make some pie*!

Hit it. 

The Betty Crocker Project : Vegan Mocha Cream Pie

Two posts in one day! GASP!

If you're furiously flipping through your copy of Betty's Big Red, I'll spare you the paper cuts. This started as French Silk pie, but a series of events fell into place and helped this pie come into it's own. First, I found chocolate vegan pie crusts that were marked half-off. They're made by Wholly Wholesome and are kinda wonderful. So pie crust switch - check. Then I started to make the cream filling, and it was so lovely and sweet. It felt like it needed a dark side... like how Wesley in Buffy was a pale shadow of the dreamboat Dark Wesley in Angel. So I went back to our Devil's Food Cake recipe and added a little coffee. Filling switch - check. We skipped the coconut whipped cream to keep it chocolate on chocolate. Pure super chocolate cocoa fantastical - check. We now we have a super easy and creamy and awesome pie that will make you swoon.

I hope you have someone around to fetch you those vapors...

The Betty Crocker Project : Chai Tea Cashew Ice Cream

A while back, we welcomed our pizza stone to The Family Shannon. Today, I am very happy to announce another new arrival. Welcome, Ice Cream Maker! I hope you're ready for a busy summer... because we love ice cream.

Many people don't know this about me, but my uncle Wendall used to work for Baskin and Robbins. I'm not sure what his job title was, but basically he worked in marketing and invented ice cream flavors. All I really remember about him was that he was very kind, that he died when I was young (long before his wife), and wore ties with ice cream cones and sundaes on them. He also played some role in the original marketing of Tofutti, though I'm not really sure what. I'd like to think if he were still around today, he would read our blog and at least enjoy the creativity. I'd also like to think he would approve of what we did with the maiden run of our new ice cream maker.

Ever since we found Lula's Sweet Apothecary, we've been talking about making cashew ice cream. I think our first try at this clever frozen treat has been heavenly, as well as (kinda) healthy. It has all the warm flavor and spice of our almond Chai drink recipe, and compliments the flavor of the cashews rather than trying to hide it, sort of like a good friendship. It brings out the best in everyone.

We're dedicating this one to all our fallen homies who loved ice cream, but belonged to a generation that didn't get a chance to try the cashew version.

The Betty Crocker Project : Caribbean Black Beans & Rice

I have always been intrigued by papaya, but never actually bought one. I mean, they lounge around the grocery stores like odd alien rock stars that you can't really can't help but notice. It looks like a bewitching space fruit that an unlucky red-shirted Star Trek ensign would eat in careless curiosity. Yet, I've always wanted an excuse to get one, and thanks to Betty, here we are!

There are dozens of ways to make beans and rice in the Caribbean, and it's a become a classic dish. Now, some will say that rice isn't native to the Caribbean, and that it was brought over with Chinese workers once slavery was abolished, so it should be considered more of a Caribbean hybrid. I'm not Caribbean, and so it's not my place to say what should and shouldn't be included in this culture. But I can say that one of the things I find the most beautiful about Caribbean culture is that it combines African, Portuguese, Spanish and Native American Island cultures in a really beautiful way. Why draw a line and exclude Chinese imports? That's one of the beautiful things about food--you can travel the world and share your home at the same time through food. It's kinda magical really. I guess if you look at it like that you can see why those doomed Star Fleet Ensigns are always throwing caution to the wind.

I'm hoping this take on Betty's recipe does this classic dish justice. We added a lot, but I think the cilantro really brightens up the black beans and the jerk flavoring adds a unique warmth and spice. Not to mention this an excuse to experiment with papaya.

Engage.

The Betty Crocker Project : Rosewater Lemonade Sorbet

Honestly more of a shaved ice but whatever - I adore it!

I can't decide if the toughest thing about this recipe is the waiting or the trying to get a photo before it melts in this heat*.

Betty's recipe is a classic lemonade sorbet (or shaved ice) but it's rose season in Brooklyn and their feathery little pink buds and enormous golden and crimson blooms are everywhere. It's hard not to be inspired to meddle. We also live down the street from some well-stocked Asian, Caribbean and Middle Eastern markets, so it was just a matter of time before we made some rosewater lemonade.

I have to admit that exploring the markets has been one of my favorite parts of moving to the city thus far, but we're about to enter into a new phase, folks. See, yesterday I got tickets on Living Social to The John Hughes film festival at the Symphony Space for $7 for 2 people per movie**. I'll give you all a moment to recovered from that collective excited gasp. Yes, I will be seeing Matthew Brodrick dance with Frauleins on the big screen and I plan to totally get my Molly Ringwald on this summer. More importantly, this will be happening:



Yes, this will be the summer that time forgot! Finally, I'm going to see some of my favorite movies on the big screen instead of at a slumber party and drink lots and lots of rosewater lemonade. I grew up drinking this summertime treat that uses a light floral flavor to dilute some of the tartness. But if that's not really your thing, you can always use Betty's lemonade recipe instead of the rosy one. I should tell you though, once you start making your own lemonade, you won't be able to go back to that corn syrupy stuff that is basically flat soda.

Consider yourself warned.

The Super Chocolate Vegan Hootenanny Continues! Episode IV : Vegan Mississippi Mud Pie Cake

In my defense, it *is* called a mud pie... what'd you think it was going to look like?

Yesterday was apparently "Jerk Tuesday." I'd forgotten to mark my calendar, so you can imagine my surprise. It's like forgetting it's the Fourth of July and then spending the day surrounded by exploding things and patriotism--only instead of someone offering you a beer or inviting you to a BBQ, they're just a jerk.

Man, it was a long day. It was the kind of day that makes you understand why someone would start a Fight Club. But let's not focus on the those grumpy little black clouds... instead, let's talk chocolate.

To be more specific, let's talk about the ultimate chocolate dessert: vegan Mississippi Mud Pie Cake. Yeah, this little buddy lives up to the name and isn't the prettiest little baked good on the block. But this pie-cake has heart! This super rich and gooey yummy pie-cake is perfect with a scoop of vanilla soy or coconut ice cream and will help you forget - if only for a moment - why you hate your job or whoever it is that was being a rude jerkface monster.

You know what else was really helpful yesterday? This photo. I keep a copy of this photo on my desktop for tough days, and not for the reason you might think.

God Bless you Happy Wolverine & Stan Lee.

Yeah, this guy has been posted all over the internet and people have said some pretty mean things about him... but look at that smile in his face. This might be a photo of the best day of his life! No one can ever take this moment away from him. I want to be more like Happy Wolverine and focus on what makes me happy, and not those who want to steal my joy.

This is not a healthy recipe. This is not something that is designed to help you lose weight. It is just a compassionate version of chocolate awesome.

The Betty Crocker Project : Blackberry & Walnut Coffeecake

I've spent a number of years being a best friend/amateur therapist to several young men and one woman who were addicted to "complicated" women. Some would call them "crazy", but I prefer to use a word that's just as judgmental when you say it in quotes and in a certain tone. When I'd look back at the countless hours I spent over the years listening to detailed accounts of crazy, I admit I used to shake my head in bewilderment. This delicious amazing coffeecake changed all that.

I feel like I should tell you - this is a bittersweet love story. See, I think I may have met my "complicated" woman.

Now you'll look through this recipe and wonder what I mean, because really it's a pretty simple, pretty awesome cake. But in less than 24 hours, this cake has come to make me realize that something beautiful can also be a real pain in the ass. You could even say this cake and I were doomed from the beginning. The fact that I forgot to defrost my berries over night so that I could bake the coffeecake for breakfast may lead you to say that the timing was just wrong. But really it was more than that. Things were going so well while I was blending the ingredients and filling our angel food cake spring pan. The Blackberry & Walnut filling was so good it was hard to not just sit down with a bowl of those berries and skip the cake altogether. While I sat typing away, waiting for this cake to get ready (bake), the warm vanilla fragrance that filled our home held the promise of true love. Then as I pulled this wonderful cake from the oven, I bumped my elbow on our kitchen island and dropped the pan. It flipped in midair like a freaking circus performer, and using reflexes that I can only describe as 'spidey*', I caught half of the cake in my skirt and the pan with the other half of the cake still in there with my other hand.

The cake that tried to get away.

The other half that was saved was less than pretty, but still absolutely freaking great. I debated just making this again, trying to undo what was done, but that's not how relationships work, is it? You can't just try again and pretend like nothing happened. The other thing is that this a real blog about real people really cooking their way through The Betty Crocker Cookbook, and this really happened. It's dumb, wasteful and sketchy to rebake another cake just so I can pretend everything I do is perfect and like I've never dropped a cake on my dress. I mean do I have to have a pretty picture when I can tell you this recipe works and is wonderful using the real photos from this really great cake. Don't believe me? You still need photographic proof?

A peak at the Blackberry & Walnut Filling.

Also yesterday was Geek Pride Day! Yes. Yesterday in 1977, Star Wars IV - A New Hope was released and no one was ever the same again...

Let's bake some cake.

Pesach Same'ach! Let's Celebrate with Coffee & Wine Braised Beef-less Brisket with Vegetables & My Very Favorite Charoset Recipe

Using a new media editing program - so please excuse the crappy photography.

Passover starts tonight. I could write a whole book about why I love Passover. All my good memories and how it combines food and loved ones. I could try to describe the warm glow I get in my heart when I look out over a table of friends drinking Cherry Manischewitz mixed with Kosher Coke and how sad I am that we aren't going to be able to host our annual Secular Sedar this year. We have about 2 weeks left in Norfolk, VA - the city where I met my husband and found an unexpected home. It would have meant a lot to me to make it work but it just won't... BUT I can share with you some of my very favorite recipes and what I might have served if the world had spun a little differently.

Every year I make a 2 big pots of Matzah Ball Soup for our Sedar. You might have seen it on the Peta2 blog before. Even if you're not celebrating Moses freeing the slaves - you should make a pot because it's so good. I plan on making a big pot as soon as we move into our new place in Brooklyn just to make the place a bit more like home.

If you are one of the lucky ones sitting down to a sedar tonight, I hope you take a shot at that soup and if you need any suggestions for your compassionate sedar plate you can click here. Last year, I posted a Sweet Potato Kugel recipe that was an adaptation of a not so vegan Bubbie recipe that I personally love because let's face it - sweet potatoes are awesome. But this year, I'll also share 2 other recipes that are actually adaptions of recipes I found in Real Simple magazine. The charoset recipe below is one of those and is a bit more classy and special than just going with apple sauce. Plus if you have any leftover - it makes for a great breakfast.

You might remember awhile ago when I talked about how Italian gals are taught the importance of a good cutlet... I think if you're trying to find a Jewish equivalent it would be a brisket so tender it melts. Trying to make a vegan version of that can be a bit tricky because mock meat can melt pretty much on it's own. These beef-less brisket bites are very tender without getting spongy and end up having an extremely unique flavor that is not quite like a BBQ sauce or like a mole... but something different and really delicious.

Now I have to say that Gardien isn't Kosher or least certified so I can't tell you that this brisket meets all your Kosher for passover needs. In fact, as you probably have figured out from the fact my mom's Sicilian and I married a nice Irish boy... I'm not a stickler for keeping Kosher but I love my Jewish heritage nonetheless and have found a place for us.

On that note - Enjoy some beef-less brisket & Pesach out my friends! XO

The Betty Crocker Project : Vegan Sesame Beef Noodle Salad

As we look out over the wasteland that is the aftermath of St.Patrick's Day, I am compelled to share a story with you about a man and his journey home. Please enjoy this Shannon Family Story...

The Scene : St.Patrick's Day 2007
The Place : Ghent - An adorable little historic neighborhood full of blooming magnolia trees and folks who keep their SUVs shiny in the city of Norfolk, VA. The city where World War II hero General Douglas MacArthur was born and now has a mall named after him. Also the city where People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are headquartered. Coincidence? Yes. 
The Time : One of innocence - I think around 3pm

My husband Dan and I were driving home to our spacious and sunny 2 bedroom apartment in the aforementioned charming neighborhood of Ghent, when we noticed in the distance a man stumbling and obviously struggling down one of the cute little rustically cracked sidewalks. This was a man who had seen some action in his life. A man who you could tell in an instance had begun the day a different person and now was unprepared for the journey ahead of him. He was dressed in a tasteful hunter green blazer and was carrying a napsack of some kind that you could tell he debated abandoning as each step became more labored. He was a man trying to get home from a day that he had begun with a trip to the bars to celebrate St.Patrick's Day. One of us exclaimed "Oh God - That guy needs help."

The other with even more concern said "Oh God - That's XXXX!" (We're not naming names here because c'mon that would be really uncool)

So we pulled up and offered our friend a ride. He was only 3 blocks from his own house but in his condition, that looked like it could take an hour. The relief and joy on his face was apparent in an instance when he smiled a smile that could melt even this guy's heart. So we pulled over and both Dan and I got out to grab his bag and help him into the back seat. Just as we began helping our good friend - who had become disheveled and a bit dirty in his journey - a blond older woman in a red fleece vest with two matching collies came around the corner and froze in what could only be described as horror. I mean she literally covered her mouth - perhaps to muffle a scream and after the 5-6 seconds it took for her to regain her senses she quickly turned and scampered the other way.

One can only imagine what she thought was taking place : White Slavery. Serial Killers. Perhaps she thought we were do-gooders collecting the homeless from the street. Maybe it was just her response to someone as visually intoxicated as our friend*. We may never know.

But I will tell you this : This dish we're sharing today has some nice green vegetables and a unique Sesame & Beefy flavor without being heavy or overly oily which in my opinion makes it a perfect lunch either before or after a night of merriment and self-abuse. So be nice to yourself and make this. Also know that at Meet The Shannons we are always here to help without judgement!

The Betty Crocker Project : Coconut Key Lime Pudding ( The Pudding Palooza Continues)

Recently there was a series of fortunate events which lead to this dessert coming into your life.

It began when we did a Twitter and Facebook poll asking folks what kind of pie they wanted a recipe for. It was a close race, but Key Lime definitely won. Then I went to check the Meet The Shannon's email to see if there were any write-ins and found a bunch of requests for Key Lime pudding from our last Pudding-palooza. I didn't even know that was a thing, but apparently Whole Soy Yogurt has an extremely hard-to-find Key Lime flavor that people say is amazing and are dying to have a recipe for. So the stars aligned, and like an anxious and whiny farm boy from Tatooine, we found ourselves swept up in a destiny that is bigger than we are, and definitely bigger than our kitchen... a force if you will.

Because you know... Adventure. Excitement. Heh. Vegans crave not these things*. It would appear they crave coconut key lime pudding instead.