Vegan Irish Coffee Cheesecake with a Shortbread Crust

Almost 3 years ago, I became newly Irish-ed. See I wasn't born a Shannon. I married one. But somewhere deep down, maybe I always knew in my Mediterranean blood that I was meant to be Irish. Not to brag but I can do wonders with a potato. I adore green, plaid, cute fuzzy haired sheep and castles combined with overcast days.  Boil me a cabbage and I'll smile like you've just made me ice cream. But sadly I am still only faux Irish. So heading into St.Patrick's day, I thought it would make sense to start with a faux Irish treat. 


Traditional Irish Coffee is actually a cocktail of sorts made with hot coffee, Irish whiskey, brown sugar and cream. We took those key ingredients and flavors and transformed them into pretty much the ultimate adult dessert. This vegan cheesecake also has a "buttery" shortbread crust that does more than just hold the cheesecake together. It completes it. It is also probably one of the easiest - yet extremely impressive - vegan treats you could make to impressive even the meatiest eater. Sadly though like its dairy ridden cousin, this cheesecake takes awhile to set. So we should get started. 


Bain taitneamh as do bhéil!

The Betty Crocker Project : Cuban Beef-Less Steak Dinner (similar to Ropa Vieja)

Our Cubanelles began to ripen while we were away - making them them beautiful and multi-colored.  

So there's this thing that happens when you get back from an adventure: you realize how many little things you do every day in your regular life. I came home with a small stack of Italian, Greek, and Turkish cookbooks, and dreams of bringing our adventure to your kitchen and tummies, but sadly this required fresh vegetables and bread, which we didn't have. It also required time that was quickly eaten up by catching up on emails and news, following up on our new blog/website, unpacking, and various other forms of being "productive."

Which brings us to today. I had planned to post a recipe today for Carciofi alla Romana (Roman-Style Artichokes) but yesterday I burnt the first and second batches. I know. I can't believe it either. But those little jerks were singed beyond being pretty - although I admit I cut off all the crunchy leaves and still enjoyed the filling and hearts with lemon, all while being reminded the hard way that even the easiest recipes require your undivided attention. So today I have a new bag of artichokes and we're going to try again, because this is a recipe I really believe will improve all your lives. 


So today I'm posting a recipe that I was saving for our friend Cassandra's birthday this summer. Right now our beautiful vegan friend is in medical school in Cuba and making the world a better place. We had planned to add this recipe to our New Friday Philosophy; which usually involves Mexican food, but sometimes you just have to get a little crazy and mix it up*. This recipe is similar to a Cuban dish called Ropa Vieja, except we skip the cows. It may look like something you've had before, but there's a unique fresh flavor from the Cubanellle peppers that really comes out with the lime juice and a subtle sweetness from the rum. It's a lot like our Cassandra. It's also super easy and can be made using things you have hanging around your house; well, except the fancy peppers that you can easily replace with green and red peppers. So tomorrow night when you get home from work, all cold and kinda beat, you can treat yourself to something a little more exotic than the typical soy cheese pizza or veggie burgers** before hitting the town. 


May the New Friday Philosophy be with you! 

Green Tequila Enchiladas

So yesterday I made a huge dent in my emails. Funny thing about emails though -- not unlike that mythical beast The Hydra -- once you slay one email, two more pop up in its place. If you're waiting for an email from me, I want today to be your day. Fingers crossed.

But until then, here are two answers to the two most frequently asked questions we've been getting:

1. Now that the book is done, is The Betty Crocker Project over? After some soul searching and thought: no way. I love it too much. Our friend Anjali gave us a big box of Betty Crocker recipe cards (circa 1970), and we got a calendar full of recipes from Betty Crocker in the mail. So there is a lot more BCP left. We will go on!
2. Was it frustrating/fun writing your book? Well, it was a lot of both. I mean there was the night I freaked out because the spinach we just bought was all slimy when I open the package. I may or may not have slightly sobbed on the kitchen floor and yelled "Fuck you baby spinach and all your cute baby friends like corn and kale!" But then there were really great times like the Banana Split Bundt Cake and making heaps of donuts...

Photo Credit : Natalie Dee (nataliedee.com)

After all that baking, I'm going to listen to the carrot: we're eating more vegetables! Enter these big enchiladas with a ton of leafy greens, potatoes, black beans, and tons of spicy, tangy, and bright flavors. I love them and they were very popular around here. They're one of those dinners that makes a great lunch the next day.

In other only slightly related news, we updated our Nerdery. So please check that out too! 

OK -- back to these dreamboat enchiladas and emails...

The Betty Crocker Project : Candy Cane Cake

So the other night I poisoned myself with vodka and orange juice to try and shake this bad case of writer's block I've been dealing with. I did shots and typed. I giggled till I cried and typed and ate pizza and drank more shots. Did it help? Was I able to make some progress on the anecdotal sections of the book? I'm embarrassed to say it did. Though what I wrote needs way more editing than my usual random typing. I know there is a lesson here and I'm hoping it's "don't fall into bad habits like thinking every time I'm stuck on something the answer is doing shots of alcohol so strong it can eat the stain off a table"*.

My Weapons.

Will I be drinking again anytime soon? Dear God No. Yesterday was just awful. What was left of my brain vowed revenge for their fallen brethren and punished me severely for most of the day. I think that although my experiment was a success, it's something that I should hold on to for those rainy brain days. I guess you're also wondering where the cookies are. Well, I made this cake yesterday and it was just too fun to keep to myself and much cuter than the brown on brown hazelnut latte cookies. I already love campy bunt cakes but this one has a brightly colored and flavored peppermint swirly ribbon inside it that is pretty cool too. It's a super sweet treat to bring to a holiday party or make for someone who has a Christmas birthday. It's also super easy.

Don't press on the cake when you cut it - it will crush the prettiness.

'Tis the season for sharing...

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.

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!

Végétalien Tarte aux Fruits Frais (The Vegan French Fresh Fruit Tart)

I've always noticed these bright, cheerful little tarts outshining all the creamy eclairs and frosty rose petaled cakes in bakeries, but have never actually had one. There were always eggs and cream to avoid, or a lack of events to justify making one. But that doesn't mean I never thought about it. If you've ever been to Paris, theses tarts are in every coffee shop and Patisserie widow, flirting with you like only a Parisian can. Those tarts are so polished and flawless, they could grace the cover of a magazine. Even the humblest cafe serves supermodel-caliber tarts.

I might have been a little overly eager with this tart, and maxed it out with as much fruit as I could get on there. In the end it turned out a little less perfect than I would have hoped, but maybe just a little more delicious. These beautiful baked goods combine fresh colorful fruit and a buttery shortbread-ish crust into the perfect storm of desserts that will melt in your mouth in a combination of sweet vanilla cream, tangy fruit and a slightly savory crust.

A storm that you can now make in your very own home!

South American Corn & Quinoa Summer Stew

Have I ever told you I can read minds*?

Right now, you're thinking a combination of 3 things:

1. Summer Stew? I feel like I'm running through a sprinkler full of molten lava right now. Why would I eat stew?
2. South American? That's pretty general. There are numerous cultures in South America. How authentic is this recipe?
3. I read on Facebook someone broke into your house while you were home. WTF happened?

Let's begin with #1. This stew has lots of flavor, hearty vegetables, and very little fat or oil - so you can eat it at room temperature or even slightly chilled. Hence a delicious summer stew.

#2 : Yeah. Well, I was trying to find a chilled soup to make this week and kept stumbling across soups from South America that sounded delicious: like Canja de Galinha, which is a Portuguese/Brazilian soup made with chicken & lemon. Of course, ours would be vegan. We also had this package of Quinoa our buddy Pulin brought back from Peru that was begging for a special project. So I started collecting what I liked about all these soups and made this hybrid. I feel like I should be more humble here but I just can't. This soup is really lovely.

#3 : Yes. Someone broke into our home Monday afternoon while I was home. I locked him the bedroom and called the police. They came really quickly but the guy still got away through our bedroom window. Am I OK? Yeah. I mean there are some unpleasant dreams, but that's to be expected, right? We live in a really charming neighborhood with really nice people in it. I still want to love my home, so I'm focusing on that. I've also been thinking a lot about how scary it is to do bad things.

I mean, we've all done things we shouldn't have. Remember how fast your heart was beating and how badly you didn't want to get caught? I'm hoping that the sound of our bedroom door locking and me yelling that I was on the phone with the police was enough to scare this man into choosing other ways to spend a sunny afternoon.

Tomorrow I'll tell you more about what I did wrong in this situation, but let's get back to this freaking AMAZING stew! This stew is like the queen of all the other stews.

Long Live Summer Stew!

The Betty Crocker Project : Mojito Bars

This will be my last post before I turn 36.
I feel like I should tell you that this is when I stared at my computer screen for about 5 minutes.

See I've been a little distracted lately. I've been prone to these strange fits of optimism and silliness. An example of this is when I recently watched the movie Kick-Ass* again and found myself saying to Dan : "I think I may have to rethink my position on Nicolas Cage. He's kinda sweet." I mean Kick-Ass is a great movie but is it really good enough to make me forget this? Or this? What about this? Sigh. I'm just not sure.

For now, let's file that statement away with the time in college when I was slightly intoxicated and argued for longer than is reasonable that Henry Rollins is a modern day Renaissance Man**. There are other comments like this in that unnamed file but I think I have shamed myself enough for one day.

Let's get back to the business at hand. This weekend is not just the rapture - it's my birthday. So in case this is my last post before I'm sucked away to paradise***, I wanted to make sure that all you vegans could celebrate in style with Betty's Mojito Bars. They are perfect for bringing to farewell potlucks or to just enjoy at home with some real Mojitos - which is what we plan on doing tonight. I mean it is Friday and that means Mexican food at The Ol' Shannon homestead.

We make some marvelous mojitos around here - just saying...

I know some of you are wondering what the big plans are for my birthday weekend and to answer your questions : Dan will be planning our weekend events. GASP. I know the mystery and suspense is killing me. You're welcome to follow along on Facebook because I can't help but post things constantly and of course join us Sunday at Foodswings in Brooklyn at 1:30pm for lunch.

I know I should be using this post to reflect on this past year and all that has happened during the 35th year of my life but you guys don't want to hear about that... you want vegan Mojito bars and I'm happy to oblige!

Good Morning Irish Coffee Cupcakes & Whiskey Frosting...

So we plan out our posts in advance and then sometimes things don't work or maybe something comes up that I just can't help but share as soon as possible. What I'm trying to say is, I like plans and sticking to them but I understand the importance of being flexible. I had been planning on posting these cupcakes that are a combination of coffee and Bushmills whiskey and awesome in a little wrapper. But then the week started and there were Irish-y cupcake posts everywhere! I mean it's not the most original idea or anything but it did make us want to reevaluate our plans a little. If you know me in real life - you know that's a big deal. I like sticking to the plan. I know this messes up your whole concept of Good & Evil and how the universe works but it's going to be OK. 

So what do we do when the Earth stops spinning on it's axis and the moon turns out to actually be made of cheese? Dan & I had a MTS meeting and discussed adapting the recipe into a regular old cake or cake donuts. Did you just gasp? I hope so - expect to see something very very special soon. Something so wonderful in fact we didn't want to crowd it. Finally it came down to something Dan said "It's not our readers fault that there are a bunch of Irish-y cupcakes out there - so why are they going to be punished and denied these cupcakes that are really amazing?"

So without further ado... Here is a really wonderful little fella that will make you wish it was St.Patrick's Day year round and let's be honest... Who says you can't be a little Irish whenever you want? I would support that.

The Betty Crocker Project : The Homemade Mediterranean Happy Hour featuring The Pita Pizza

Tabbouleh Salad and Lemon Garlic Hummus

So right now I should be telling you all about the food writer and photographer coming over to have dinner with us this weekend. I could be telling you about the dream I had last night about Lobster Killer or how I've been sick all week. But I am finding myself completely distracted. See I just found out Season 3 & 4 of Ghost Adventures is available to watch instantly through our Xbox.

Now as you may remember, I love the show Ghost Adventures. I love when they role played being Union soldiers in Gettysburg, wore Top Gun flight suits on a haunted air craft carrier and swing billy-clubs in condemned prisons to get a rise from the "ghost inmates". I really like trying to follow their "chains of evidence" and how excited they get when there's a draft. Most of all - I love their "tools of the trade". They are pure Dr.Igon Spengler Gold!

So here's what you  need to watch hours and hours of Zac, Aaron and Nick shaking their fists into the night and yelling "Bro - Did you hear that?" or maybe some big Super Bowl type of thing if you can even find something like that happening somewhere. It's the kind of spread that is perfect for marathon TV watching or a new take on The Homemade Happy Hour. This spread makes a lot of food quickly and is so super easy  that anyone can make them - even if they aren't feeling 100%.  In fact, they're so easy I feel a little guilty posting them but instead I'm just going to focus on how much I love eating these pita pizzas... really you should too. Of course, Betty's Tabbouleh and Hummus were already vegan, so we just needed to meddle with the recipes a little to make the pizzas just right. I think you'll love these.

I know we usually have Mexican Food on Friday night... but we might have to make an exception & make these again.

You're going to need to stock up on your pita bread.

The Betty Crocker Project : The Homemade Italian Happy Hour

Whether you want more money to donate to charities, have maybe lost your job, are looking to start a family, or are getting married... money is on a lot of people's minds right now. So here's a money saving tip that I learned from my grandparents: Homemade Happy Hours. It can be a lot of fun to go out, get some fancy drinks, and a basket or two of appetizers... the entire time reminding yourself it's OK because the drinks are only $3 and appetizers are half off. But let's be honest: then the bill comes, you've spent way more than you thought, and now you have to tip. Or, you could spend the night in a place where you can control the music, your sports team is on a TV you can actually see, there's a short wait, and you know that they serve your favorite drinks. Home.

The Homemade Happy Hour we're sharing today is Italian-themed, and actually a pretty remarkable spread. We made toasted Crostini, Roasted Garlic, and Sauteed Olives. Just buy your favorite beer or beverage--maybe a Morena or Peroni or a bottle of Limoncello if you want to keep it Italian. These recipes are easy enough that you can make them right after work and not worry about mussing up your kitchen. And they're delicious enough that you won't miss paying extra to have someone open your beer bottle for you. Be sure to keep reading... we included lots of pictures.

Also, be sure and check out Dan & me on Our Hen House's Podcast this weekend! We love those kick-ass ladies over there, and it was a great honor to be a part of what they're doing to make the world a more compassionate place. If you're not familiar with Our Hen House, we highly recommend you check out their site.

The Betty Crocker Project : Coquilles Saint Jacques

 

Welcome to the 3rd day of Vegan Mofo Meets The Shannons!

So Paris Vegan Day is just around the corner and I could kick myself for not having our cookbook done and prepping to get on a plane to France in a few weeks. Could these past few weeks have any more heartaches? I guess I shouldn't test that theory. Let's stay focused on the food.

I know what you're thinking... this isn't Vegan Shrimp Gumbo. I thought we were getting more Creole and/or Cajun food from you today. I'm sure there are other random curse words in there too... especially if you are thinking about last night's election results. But the lovely Leinana over at Vegan Good Things just posted a Louisiana Shrimp recipe, so I decided to mix it up! This brings us back to France.

Most folks think chicken fried steaks, green bean casseroles and impossible rainbow sprinkle layer cakes when they think Betty Crocker but this just isn't the case. This book has a serious diversity of recipes to it. Frankly that's one of the reasons we chose it. Much to my pleasant surprise there are quite a few pretty fancy French dishes in there and of course we all know how much I love being fancy and pretend French. Yes - I know how pretentious it sounds... The heart wants what it wants.

Coquilles Saint Jacques is one those pretty fancy French dishes. It was also one of Julia Child's favorite dishes - probably because it was French and included loads of heavy cream and a whole stick of butter. Ours is still a bit rich for vegan food but I'm sure it doesn't even come close to the real deal that besides the cream also includes Swiss cheese*. As you can also see if you clicked on the links above it is usually served on the half shell but that's not how we roll. Ours has artichoke hearts, white wine, a light sheesy savory sauce and of course hearts of palm "scallops" and our favorite Vegan Shrimp Balls. (snicker)

So let's enjoy our more compassionate yet infinitely lighter while remaining super fancy French dinner. Bon Appetit!

The Betty Crocker Project : Beef-Less Burgundy Stew with Herb Dumplings

As we head into the junk food-chocoholic-sweet tooth paradise known as Halloween - we thought it might be good to post a fall dish that has lots of flavor & vegetables to help with those candy and cupcake hangovers we're all going to have.

I have to admit my favorite part of this recipe is the Herb Dumplings because they are a lot like The Betty Crocker Project's Garlic Cheesy Biscuits (that are pretty much one of my very favorite recipes ever). Another thing I love is that this recipe only takes about an hour to make as compared to the 10 - no joke 10 hours the meaty version takes and has none of the fat you would find in the 2 pounds of beef the original recipes calls for. This is actually a pretty light stew and we tried to keep it as traditional as possible while staying in the spirit of Betty's original recipe. I know I'm bragging now - but I think we rocked this one.

Don't forget that Peta has a $1 off Gardein coupon on their Facebook Fan page right now! Just "like" and print! Easiest buck I ever saved - plus their Facebook page is a rockstar too.

The Betty Crocker Project : Cuban Black Bean Soup

Cuban Black Bean Soup with Tofu Egg garnish stirred in.

So I tried to take a photo of this soup with the garnish and I liked the blue effect in this one so much I'm using this photo instead but let's be honest this just isn't the most photogenic soup. In the world of food, lush salads are the super models with their bright colors and interesting shapes that you can almost taste just by looking at them. While soups and casseroles - well anything saucy - is more that girl next door. You know they're good and there is something there but it is easy to miss that in a photo. You can't see it but this soup is smokey and spicy in all the right ways. You'll want some bread to dip in it or maybe some tortilla chips because you're going to want every drop of that broth and it just isn't polite to lick your bowl.

You may also have doubts of about the Tofu Egg Garnish but I have to say I find your lack of faith disturbing. Just try it - I think you'll like it.

This soup made me think a lot about our friend Cassandra who is in Cuba right now going to Medical School. I miss her pretty much everyday and I can't wait till we can see each other again. Cassandra -You bring so much joy and fun into my life while being such a loyal friend. I wish everyone had a Cassandra. Love you Grrl.

The Betty Crocker Project : Bean & Cheese Enchiladas with Strawberry Margaritas

Oh, Friday night. Would you still be my favorite night of the week if there were no Mexican food or video games? Would I still think of you as fondly at 2pm on Tuesday, when the work week has no end in sight, if there weren't the promise of spicy salsa and freshly-squeezed limes in distance? Who's to say? I hope we never find out.

Dan and I have had a strange weekend. I'm dying to talk about how many questions have been answered and all the happily-ever-afters we've found. But if there's anything I've learned from watching Lost, it's that you have to draw things out to the point where everyone is pretty much dying to know the answers and will stay up till 3AM to see the season finale and still be on the edge of their seat a year later when the next season comes out on DVD. Not that I would do that. I have self control and can stop whenever I want. (Yes, that last sentence is to be read as sarcastic, and in the voice of a dead-end addict with little hope of ever overcoming her addiction to JJ Abrams projects,* no matter how bad they end up getting.**)

So, I have to admit my blog posts this week won't be as exciting as a smoke monster or time travel. I mean, let's be fair. But I can tell you this... Betty has a pretty interesting take on margaritas. They are super-sweet and only slightly alcoholic. Probably perfect for a bridal shower, when you want to be giggly-but-not-drunk in front of your future in-laws and the chick who works in the cubical next to yours. They would be great for a 4th of July picnic, when you really shouldn't be too drunk while handling small, colorfully-decorated tubes of gunpowder. Yeah, once you find the right time and place for these margaritas, they really are quite lovely, and helped give us a big sugar rush to complement how totally filling and delicious these enchiladas are. It's almost a shame that these enchiladas are so filling, because they're damn good, and I wanted to eat way more than I could.

In an odd way, this meal works perfectly for an indulgent night of video games and hanging out with your true love. Funny how everything comes together in the end.