The 3 Alarm Vegan Bacon Cheeseburger

Hot.

There is a monster of a heat wave hitting NYC right now* which I have to admit is cramping our style a bit. There are all these great fruits and berries hanging out in our local farmer's markets and grocery stores that I want to bake into pies and various other treats but all my will to turn on that oven has been... well to be honest... punched in the face.

So it would seem ironic that we would post a burger that is "Hot" but these spicy burgers give you room to get creative and take less than 20 minutes to make. They also gave us a chance to combine a bunch of awesome vegan things we've finally been able to locate in our new home :

• Gardein Beefless Burgers - If you haven't had these yet you need to try them! They have to be the best vegan burgers we've had in forever. Sorry Boca - but no one forced you to change your vegan burgers. We still love you Boca and plan on eating you regularly but really I think we are prepared to go on record that The Shannons love Gardein Beefless Burgers more than sunshine (especially right now).
• Lightlife Smart Bacon - It's no secret we love a great fake bacon. We like to mix it up and use smokey tempeh sometimes but sometimes it's nice to have something really crispy and super smokey. That's when you want smart bacon.
• Daiya Pepperjack Cheese - I don't think I need to tell you how awesome Daiya's vegan cheeses are but I feel like I should let you know as a friend that if you haven't tried the pepperjack yet... you're missing out.
• Rick's Pick Hotties (spicy sriracha-habanero pickles) - We found these last weekend at the farmer's market and have fallen in love with them. I mean pickles made with sriracha. Here's some great news for you folks not in NYC - you can order them online!

About now, your elementary schooling has kicked in and you're saying "Um, that's only 2 alarms."

You are correct my learned friend. We decided to use sliced jalapenos for our 3rd alarm but really that is the beauty of this burger... you can add as many alarms as you want and make them whatever you want! Here are just a few suggestions for other alarms you might want to try :

• Pepperoncinis
• Spicy Kim-Chi
• Any of the millions of Hot Sauces out there including the beloved Sriracha
• Chipotle Peppers
• Hot Salsa (obviously)
• Wasabi
• Smart Deli Pepperoni
• Spicy Mustard
• Jerk Sauce made with Red Scotch Bonnet Pepper

If you have any more suggestions - Please share! We'd love to hear about hour favorites.

So ask yourself... Are you ready see how many alarms you can handle?

* Seriously everyday the cats look at me and ask : "Mommy why did you bring us to this bad place? I'm melting." - with their little gestures of course - not vocally. I haven't been driven insane by the heat yet.

The Betty Crocker Project : Let them eat Pocket Calzones!

So a funny thing has happened since I began writing this blog: I started writing letters in my head to random things and people. Perhaps you could say I started thinking in letter form.

Exhibit A:

Dear Gentleman in the Red Truck on Colley Ave:

While I am flattered by your offer of marriage and rather boisterous appreciation of my "cans", I will have to refuse. I do hope though that someday you find the love you are looking for.

Good Luck! Annie

Exhibit B:

An Informal Letter to A Vegan Stuffed Crust Mexican Pizza

But I have to say that when it came to these calzones, I only had two words: Yes. Please.
I grew up eating Italian food and have always loved calzones. I didn't really grow up in a home with many microwaved things, so I admit I get an evil thrill out of making "pocket" foods. This recipe is actually a bit more like a Sicilian cuddiruni (stuffed pizza) than a traditional calzone, and doesn't have vegan ricotta in it. But isn't that one of the best things about Italian food: it gives you room to be creative? You really can put whatever you want in your calzones and who's going to judge you? If you need vegan ricotta to enjoy a good calzone, we have two recipes for it in our manicotti post that are calzone-tested and -approved. I would also suggest trying Lightlife's Smart Deli Vegan Pepperoni and some broccoli, if you're looking for some suggestions.

OK, I've kept you long enough. Are you ready to get your Paisano* on?

The Betty Crocker Project : The Vegan Meat Lover's Pizza Casserole

We made ours into personal mini-casseroles.

It's St.Valentine's Day! A day when we're all suppose to show a little love. Everywhere you look - there is chocolate, candy and sugary invaders. Not that that's a bad thing but my Dan isn't really that into "sweets" so really any super powered chocolate heaven explosion would be more for me than for him and I think we've all dated that person. You know the one. The one who (perhaps innocently) enjoys your giving nature in a relationship a little too much and somewhere along the way the relationship becomes a one man or woman show. I think we should all agree this year that we shouldn't be those people or date them. Like a Valentine's Day Resolution. I mean Dan already took a week off work making me food and keeping you all updated with our culinary adventures. He took care of me when I was sick and even watched a lot of Star Trek. I mean a lot. Even after all that... there are still rumors of a present. GASP! I'm not sure what I did to deserve him. Maybe it is Karma from all those years of being vegan. Who knows? Let's not question it too much.

After Dan's crazy week in the kitchen I think he deserves a vegan vamped up version of Betty's Cheesy Pizza Casserole. Don't you? A clever combination of baked rigatoni, pizza flavors and mock meat... I know what my man likes.

The Betty Crocker Project : Meat Lover's PIzza

You know, there's really not much more to say than this: I am a Mock Meat Lover. I love it! I love savory vegan foods that are a vehicle for sauces - and I'm a loyal fan to a good sauce. I'm even a bigger fan of not eating animals. Is it weird that this love of vehicles for sauces was one of the first things Dan and I ever bonded over? Back in our "just friends" days, Dan used to cook for me when I came to visit, and we'd tip each other off to good restaurants to check out because we were both traveling campaigners. The pursuit of good vegan food was one of our first shared passions.

We've both been vegan a pretty long time now, and can remember when mock meat was a pasty, bland nightmare. I know a lot of vegans still hate mock meats today, just because the first generation back in the day was just so very, very bad. Seriously, I just got a shiver up my spine thinking about it.

The thing is, those days are gone. Technology has come so far, and today there's no excuse to eat animals with such a variety of delicious vegan products and substitutes available (even if only by mail order in some places). Mock meat is the definition of amazing now! If you were one of those folks who never thought you'd learn to love again after your favorite mock meat started using egg whites, or were burned by one of the mock meat dinosaurs, please give these new products a try! You can live a cruelty free life and still enjoy things like a vegan meat lovers pizza.

So please, make this for your friends, and challenge that myth that anybody has to suffer for a second for good food.

The Betty Crocker Project : Pizza Dip

It was an exciting night in Shannon household, full of heartbreak and drama.

Yes, as you can probably tell from the photo, our delicious pizza dip caught fire in the broiler. Not a big fire, really. It was more like a birthday cake. I put the rack in too high, and when I went to pull it out, I just had to blow on it to save our lives and property.

Don't worry, we didn't throw this little guy away. We don't waste food around here. The Celtics played the Lakers last night, and we had to eat something to take our minds off the whipping the guys in green got. It was a heartbreak of a game, with injuries and missed baskets here, there and everywhere. I hate it when they look so sad. But I have to say that if there's one thing I've learned sharing my life with Dan, and from all the sports media in our lives, it's that nothing makes the fans go crazy more than a redemption story. So let's all get really excited for that.

It is really too bad that the photo doesn't do this dip justice. This had all the potential of being a really great photo, with the diced peppers and olives and everything. What this photo doesn't really show is that even burnt, this dip was pretty good. Our dearest Chris Overton (pictured below), or The Ol' Rev Dino Arms as he came to be known at our wedding, said it had that "Pizza Hut burnt crust taste" - which actually had it's own charm. Although it would have been nice to really taste the fresh basil that was lost in the damage.

Here's to your dip having a better trip in the broiler - and to the Lakers tanking on Thursday!

The Betty Crocker Project : Pizza Burgers

I woke up this morning with a song about Spider-man and Pizza Burgers in my head.* See, many people know they like Spider-man, but they aren't really sure why. Of course, there are the obvious things:

A. The trademark Spider-man flying-through-the-skyscrapers artwork. Let's face facts: it's sweet. It makes you feel like the wind is hitting your face when Spider-man chases The Green Goblin.
B. Witty banter
C. He's one of the first teenage super heroes who acted like an actual teenager. He's cocky (when he's Spider-man), makes bad choices, and is a sucker for some long-legged blondes and redheads.
D. He was also one of the first teenage superheroes who wasn't just a sidekick.

But is that really why we like Spider-man?

I think we like Spider-man because we like Peter Parker. He's a good friend and son (or nephew or whatever). Peter Parker, like the our loyal little friend the veggie burger, can always be counted on.

I have no idea how many veggie burgers I've eaten over the years. We travel a lot, and we take comfort in knowing that more and more places have a friendly neighborhood veggie burger these days. They've become a trusted friend to vegans everywhere.

Saying that, if veggie burgers are Peter Parker, the Pizza Burger is Spider-man. This burger kicks butts in a boldfaced, saucy style. It's a show-off; but who cares? It's AMAZING!

Pizza Burgers

• 4 Vegan Veggie Burgers (we went with Boca Vegans, but there are a lot of different types to choose from)
• 1/2 Red Onion (sliced)
• 1/2 Small Green Pepper (chopped)
• 2 Tablespoons of Pizza Sauce per Burger
• 2 Teaspoons Black Olives per Burger (sliced)
• 4-5 slices of Vegan Pepperoni per Burger
• 4 Whole Wheat Sandwich Buns
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Daiya Mozzarella Cheese per Burger (shredded)
• Oregano and Red Pepper Flakes to sprinkle over the top
• Serve with some Pepperoncinis for a little something extra
• Olive Oil and a Dash of Liquid Smoke for cooking

Preheat oven to 400.

In your cherished little cast iron skillet, heat Olive Oil and a dash of Liquid Smoke at a medium heat. Add the Veggie Burgers. Once they start to brown, add Red Onions. Flip the Burgers a few times until they're brown on both sides. If the Onions are done cooking before the Burgers are done, you can always pile them on top of the Burgers to flavor the Burgers a bit.

While the Burgers and Onions are cooking, put your Sandwich Buns on your trusted pizza stone, open and face-down and in the oven. Remove when they're slightly toasted.

Take the top half of the Buns off the pizza stone and set aside. Flip the bottom half of the Bun over and put the Burger on there. Now, stack the Pizza Toppings on the Burger in this order: Pizza Sauce, Fake Pepperoni, little bit of Daiya Cheese, cooked Red Onion, Green Peppers, Some Daiya Cheese, Black Olives, and some more Daiya Cheese. Put the Pizza Burgers back in the oven to bake.

It should take around 10-20 minutes for the Daiya Cheese to melt. It depends how much you put on. Keep an eye on it, and remove from the oven once the Daiya Cheese is melted.

Sprinkle some Oregano and Red Pepper Flake over the Daiya Cheese and put the top half of the bun on.

Don't forget: with the great power comes great responsibility. So don't take the Pizza Burger for granted. It may seem simple, but that doesn't mean it won't rock your face.

*Pizza Burger... Pizza Burger... Does whatever a Pizza does. Wealth and fame... he's ignored... being amazing is his reward. Look out! There's a Pizza Burger.

The Betty Crocker Project : Stuffed Crust Pizza

Until this weekend if you had asked me about my immediate family - I would have told you all about my 2 loving yet willful kittens, my dashingly perfect husband and my loyal cast iron skillet. I might mention my hand mixer - a hardworking little worker bee that comes out on the weekends and special occasions for cupcakes and muffins. I may even mention our Xbox. . . always good for some Katamari or a movie. Dan and the Xbox have made the world a safer pace several times over. Together they have conquered many evil kingdoms, killed Nazi zombies, fought their way through a failed underwater utopia and captured  randomly depraved supervillians galore. This weekend we welcomed into our home a new friend. A comrade that I know will grow to become a trusted and cherished member of our little clan.

Welcome Home Pizza Stone!

To celebrate we made some of the best pizza south of The Belt Parkway. . . pizza not just topped with fake cheese but STUFFED WITH FAKE CHEESE!

And now you can make it too.

• 1 Package of Whole Wheat Pizza Dough ( we used Trader Joe's which is vegan - Betty suggests using pre-made bread dough thawed )
• 1 Bag of Daiya Vegan Cheese ( Mozzarella )
• 1/4 Cup of Pizza Sauce 
• 2 Tofurky Italian Sausages ( sliced into coins ) 
• 1 Package of Smart Deli Pepperoni
• 1/4 of Large Red Onion ( chopped )
• 1 Can Black Olives ( sliced ) 
• 1 Can of Artichoke Hearts ( Halved )
• Fresh Basil
• Nutritional Yeast
• Cornmeal 

Preheat the oven as per the directions on the Pizza Crust package.
Dust the pizza stone with cornmeal and where you are going to roll out the dough.

Roll dough into a circle ( around 13 inches in diameter ) and then move very carefully to the pizza stone. Create a little pocket/canal  along the edge of the pizza. Fill the canal with Daiya Cheese. Be careful to not use more than a 1/3 of the bag and to stay inside the pocket. Seal the cheese in by folding over the outer edge and pressing lightly.

Spread the Pizza Sauce over the dough in the center. Sprinkle Fresh Basil. Spread out a small handful of Daiya cheese. Sprinkle the Sausage coins and Pepperoni. Spread another small handful of Daiya cheese over the fake meat. Sprinkle the Onion, Artichoke Hearts and Olives over the pizza. Spread another small handful of Daiya Cheese.

Follow directions on Pizza Dough to know how long to cook. It should take around 15-20 minutes. Just wait till the crust is golden and cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with a little Nutritional Yeast and repeat after me "Meat Lovers Stuffed Crust Deep Dish Pizza Commercial - YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!"