participation breeds revolution

Been Busy Baking

2009-07-14T11:13:00.004-04:00

Well, I guess all of this baking and cooking took me somewhere. I usually bake as therapy. I like the measurements, organization and feeling of making something scrumptious out of a bunch of piles of ingredients. But as it turns out, people really love what I prepare. I guess it is because I love doing it so much that it has to come out in the end result, the taste. All said, I am now baking for Redhot Roasters Organic Coffee (previously Jackson's Organic). I am using my own recipes with organic and local ingredients and making them daily. So drive on thru and try some hot coffee and fresh muffins! It really is a great treat.

Currently Serving: Zucchini, Cranberry Orange, Blueberry and Banana Chocolate Chip
Test Kitchen: Lemon Poppy seed and Chocolate Muffins. Also working on a Quiche option.

Photo Booth Hogs in Butchertown

2009-05-24T11:21:00.003-04:00

Get on for a Sunday Fair!

2009-05-13T16:36:00.003-04:00

(Hey Blog Buddies, Please steal this image and re-post)

Yup, it is finally here!

All the e-mailin', phone callin', brown nosin' and elbow greasin' will show its colors this wonderful Sunday, May 17th at the Butchertown Art Fair. Please bring a smile, some cash and absolutely everyone you know.

Amongst the sea of (like 60+) vendors, you can also experience some puppy cuddles, Savvy haircuts for cash, some local herbs, kite babies in the breeze, bluegrass, organic coffee, beer and lots more.

Really, why the hell wouldn't you show up?

Derby 'n Oaks

2009-05-07T12:59:00.005-04:00

Bowties and Fancy Dresses at the 806.

Blowing My Mind

2009-04-20T14:59:00.005-04:00

I feel the same way about Paul Rudd & Seth Rogen now as I felt about Eddie Vedder and Tupac Shakur in Junior High.

This is kinda like my centerfold. I know I have interesting celebrity crushes, but at least these guys are a step up from Bill Maher.

Bunny

2009-04-14T13:01:00.003-04:00

Although we are Athiest, there is more than one reason to fly the Bunny ears.

Participate Yo!

2009-03-13T11:04:00.003-04:00

So, we're doing this Art Fair. And if we know you, you have something to offer as we do not have lazy, uninvolved friends. So far we've got some Mperfection, Some $20 Savvy cuts, Some Jackson's Coffee, Some Bejeezus, Some Sustainable Living, Some Skee Ball, Some BBC and more! Whatever you do, bring it. The economy is shit and we all need some fun and some cash - Make it happen in 2009. Because Yes You Can!

Be a better version of yourself, be involved.

Kalup Linzy: Thanks Interview Magazine

2009-03-03T09:30:00.004-05:00

Chewing Gum has been stuck in my head for days and days yo!

"Funny, funny, funny"

Ottoman Progress

2009-02-13T10:25:00.004-05:00

I've been cutting a lot of these

To make some of this beautifuness

And here it is so far

I kinda love it.

Why no Blog?

2009-02-13T10:23:00.002-05:00

Because I saw this in a window last month and decided to make it rather than spend $500 on it.

I'm being crafty.

The Long Awaited Foyer

2009-02-13T10:12:00.005-05:00

So, I finally got the party pictures and here are the best shots of the foyer. The space itself is rather tight so camera shots in the room do not do it justice. But here is a living room shot with the party-foyer in the back.

And another blurry shot with vixen, Kristen. We left the hand stamped panels up. Why not, eh? If you don't remember why you should care about our foyer, scroll down a few posts.

It really looks great. It's more fun than eight layers of chipping wallpaper and cracked drywall.

Kelso's Curried Nuts

2009-02-13T08:42:00.005-05:00

Ingredients:

Step 1
1/4 cup h2o
2 Tbl unsalted butter
2 tsp brown sugar
1 cup cashews
1 cup pistachios
1 c pecans
(used unsalted nuts)

Step 2
2 Tbl sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
(spices all ground)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl mix step 2. In saucepan bring h2o, butter and brown sugar to a simmer.
Add nuts and stir consistently until liquid is absorbed. Add glazed nuts to spice mixture. Drop in a 1/2 cup of dried fruit (cherries and apricots work well) and stir to coat

Add to parchment lined baking sheet, cook for 10 minutes. Pull out of oven, stir and then cook for 10 more minutes. Ta-da. Kelso recommends storing these in an air-tight container as your house will smell like curry for days and days!

** I altered her recipe a bit. I only used half the salt, added 3/4 cup Pepitas, 1/4 cup sliced Almonds and a handful of Brazil nuts. I probably used about a cup of dried tart cherries too, rather than a 1/2 cup. It was simple and delicious, not to mention nutritious.

First Throw Pillow

2009-01-13T16:00:00.006-05:00

So, J made the flower. We carved our own stamp. Mixed our own paint. I painted a pattern. Cut the fabric. Stiched a pencil onto it with yarn. And then I sewed it up. Ta-Da.

It's not perfect, but looks great for a first try.

Camera Pictures

2009-01-13T14:19:00.003-05:00

Jason (Kelso & Dan). Vess. Erin.

No one stole it Erin. My bad.

2009: Realer Than Real

2009-01-08T16:18:00.008-05:00

Thirteen Things I will do this year:

Write three business plans on paper
Truly consider going to Graduate School (noncommittal)
Eat Raw as often as possible
Talk less shit (outside of my home)
Spend a lot more time with nature
Have more sex (and no more babies)
Build a grow box and tend a garden
Be a high energy, focused parent
Witness two of my favorite people get hitched
Condition my body for optimum performance
Escort some virgins to the Big Apple
Beam with smiles at the homecoming of my sister
Be more loving to the people in this world

I like making lists, its so homo-sapien.

Flip the Foyer: Panel This!

2009-01-07T21:35:00.010-05:00

Seeing as how our first try wasn't all poppy and fun like we had hoped, we proceeded to spend 11 hours creating these busy babies. You see, we were in a bit of a time crunch. Our Holiday break in an empty house was coming to an end and we wanted to surprise the neighbors with a kick-ass foyer upon their return. Their return meant the countdown to the house party was coming to an end; shit needed to be right on. The foyer had been kinda last on the list of fix-its but it was also the first impression of our home (and we're house-proud kind of people). So we had planned on partying-up the foyer by hanging our hand stamped fabric panels. The finished result looked dope. If Greg The Mayor would post some pictures yo, I'd be able to demonstrate the beauty that was our foyer. Until then, here's a glimpse of the process.

Mperfect pattern.

Stamps.

Slick.

Pretty.

I'm A Sucker

2009-01-07T16:37:00.007-05:00

Bring it.

Marketing works on me. Strolling though the isles of Target two weeks before Christmas, I grabbed two 6 packs of Coca-Cola Classic in glass bottles from an end cap. We simply don't buy canned coke, plastic is out of the question. If we do happen to make a soda purchase, it's 365 Brand Root Beer or the occasional Coca-Cola Classic in a glass bottle. On to the story: as I grabbed the sodas J says " You're a sucker for target Marketing". Right then and there, I noted that I needed to give this observation a bit of thought. That thought surfaced again last night. I was talking to J about my recent literature indulgences (to remind you, I have now read all of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels in less than 6 weeks and have moved on to Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series), and I pondered wether or not HBO is owned by the same company who produced the Twilight film. It would make sense for the deeply influential parent companies to successfully market a vampire craze right in time for the holiday season. Although I have yet to research weather they are marketed with the same money, I assume the answer is yes. And this observation bums me out beyond belief and makes me mourn the day I finished Orwel's 1984. I left that book with an eye-in-the-back-of-my head sensation; I was not going to be foolish and naive of the persuasion that big money brings to the table. And although I acknowledge that living life as a sceptic can suck the bliss from almost everything, I also acknowledge how much fun it is to be willingly naive and take part in normal society type shit like drinking soda and reading soft-core porn vampire novels.

When it comes down to it, I simply need something that can help me relate to other humans. And unfortunately, that's not usually conversations about atheism and nutrition.

12.29.08

2009-01-07T15:59:00.014-05:00

It's the end of 2008 and it can be said that I took on more than I ever had imagined in one year. I made the most amount of delicious, nutritious food that I have ever made. I grew a human. We helped transform a foreclosed dump into a beautiful, historic home. I brought a human to Earth. And we moved again, one week after we had Mary Jane. As if we weren't overwhelmed by the holiday's and preparing for our party, we pulled some all-nighters creating together. It was long overdue and now I'm feelin' it. I want more!

J created a pattern.

We carved a stamp using the pattern.

Inked the stamp.

And made an interesting cloth.

Although it didn't turn out to be as beautiful as I had hoped, it was a damn good first try. Mary Jane dug it. Mperfect what?

Redless Velvet Cake

2009-01-07T15:15:00.004-05:00

I once heard that red food coloring is derived from the pigment in the shell of beetles ( i.e. ladybugs). I can no longer eat red food coloring. Hence, Redless Velvet Cake

(Recipe Coming Soon)

Christmas Kitchen

2009-01-07T14:54:00.003-05:00

Sometime around noon on Christmas Day.

I have to admit that my favorite moments around the holiday season are spent at home in moments like these. I know this time of year is focused on family and togetherness, but that just leaves me with an empty pocketbook and a load of anxiety. Christmas in the Midwest is difficult when you're a atheist vegetarian. There's nothing to eat but fattening side dishes and desserts (if you're lucky) and you're forced to nod your head in prayer to earn the right to eat them. (Side note : I usually end up sticking my tongue out at the youngest member of the family during these awkward moments, kids don't care about god either).

But in true holiday spirit, I am left to feel for my atheist/vegan/vegetarian friends this time of year. When home is no longer the house you grew up in and family doesn't feel like "family" anymore, at least I am comforted by knowing that I'm not in this shit alone.

Karma Correction

2008-12-09T14:31:00.004-05:00

Admit five things embarassing about myself to make up for talking shit in the last entry.

1.Favorite Genre of Music: Christmas
2.My leg hair is pretty much 1/4 inch long right now (gross)
3.Our house is like 800 sq. feet and we have 5 mirrors
4.I call my dog Kenny-Binny-Boom-Bah (very ridicilous)
5.I throw pizza boxes in the recycling bin even though its against the rules

Shit Talkin'

2008-12-09T11:28:00.003-05:00

People who don't pick up after their pets
George Bush
Gizzards
Losing Lottery Numbers
BOSTONS FLORAL EXCHANGE

This isn't the first time I've wanted to see a florist pushin' up daisies. Liar liar pants on fire.

Confession

2008-12-03T18:18:00.013-05:00

So, you know about this?

( Sam is my favorite. Until Alcede shows up.)

Well, I've read Dead Until Dark, Living Dead In Dallas, Club Dead and Dead to the World in less than a week. I've never read so much so fast in my life. I feel a little weird about this. I feel like now that I know I can read this much, I shouldn't be reading vampire trash. I have been to the bookstore twice in the last 4 days. I have 4 down, 4 to go. And the ninth comes out in May of next year. This is worse than Harry. I didn't know it came worse than Harry.

Making Stockings

2008-12-02T15:10:00.004-05:00

Baby steps to make stockings out of an ol' Goodwill pile. Can't wait to finish them.

Snowman.
(made with American Apparel leisure shirt, H&M red denim, H&M pin stripe vest, Rural t-shirt, Lux wool skirt)

Elf.
(made with American Apparel t-shirts, American Apparel bandeau dress, Lux wool skirt, H&M red denim).

Clementine & Blood Orange Juice

2008-11-29T15:52:00.011-05:00

I got this bad boy at the Peddelers Mall across the river for under thirty bucks. It's a brand new hundred fifty dolla' Williams Sonoma juicer and it's radddd. Since the Clementines are flush this time of year, why not juice 'em and drink 'em.

This guy +

These "lil' cuties" =

Not a lot of juice. But it was raw and refreshing.

Spoon Mixin'

2008-11-29T15:49:00.003-05:00

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, Butternutt Squash Granny Smith Soup and Cranberry Orange Chutney. One bite. Yumm tumm tumm.

Our Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T21:55:00.010-05:00

We stay home on Thanksgiving. It's nice.

On Thanksgiving 2008 we made a delicious mess in the kitchen,

Dressed Mary Jane up super cute,

Recreated our favorite meal at INO in New York City,

Listened to some of this,

And also ate waffles, asparagus mushroom risotto and apple pie.

Self indulgence is my speciality. I am thankful for my skillzz in the kitchen.

Keep 'Em Going.

2008-11-25T21:48:00.004-05:00

It takes love, time and money to create a magazine. They have love. They make time. Give them money. Come party for Bejeezus 'cause they deserve it.

12twelve12twelve12

2008-11-25T20:55:00.002-05:00

Read a 12.

Brookefast Sandwich (I am so corny. I love it.)

2008-11-25T19:44:00.009-05:00

So we only had one egg left on Saturday morning and I wanted to make my man a delicious breakfast. I scanned the fridge and saw some habanero cheese, whole wheat english muffins and some sriracha. Solution: Spicy Ass Egg Sandwich. We bought these little egg circles (totally not the right name for the utensil) at Williams Sonoma last year and, man, did they come in handy last weekend.

Ingredients:
One Egg
Whole Wheat English Muffin
Cheese
Sriracha
Cracked Black Pepper

Yum Yum Tumm.

Bloggin' for Butchertown

2008-11-21T12:46:00.003-05:00

So I know I mention Andy and Alicia a lot lot in my blog, but that's because they're like our siblings. We all live under the same roof, drink from the same wine bottle, have the same BFF's and walk the same dog (dog might be plural soon.... . .. hint hint). Well I'm not sure if I mentioned that Andy is the President of The Butchertown Neighborhood Association, which means that Alicia must be First Lady and also means that we live in the equilivalent of the White House. Anyway, he's all for removing the stink, cleanin' it up a bit down here and throwin' a big ass Butchertown Fesitval to raise funds toward neighborhood development and to bring more attention to our humble hood.

Since this week was the official blog launch, I'm asking you all to visit the blog and add yourself as a follower. There's not much to see right now but we're hoping it to be the start of something collaborative and beautiful. Also, if you are a Butchertown resident (Williary..hmhmhmhm) and want to guest blog at some time, please let us know. Community involvement is encouraged. So please, click here

Cornelius looking Presidential

Excited for Our Mantle!

2008-11-21T12:16:00.007-05:00

So J and I have these friends in Indianapolis, Tom and Sheri Battista. Aside from being amazing people and philanthropists (side note: Tom was the tour manager for the P-Funk and now tours with his pal Jimmy Buffet) they have a collection of personal portraits that overwhelms any house guest! For every year that have been married, they have had an artist/friend do a portrait of them. When J and I were delivering his Battista portrait, we were inspired to do the same while eating Tom's homemade pizza in their portrait/dining room. (I wish I had a picture of their dining room). Even though it seems somewhat egoist to have a bunch of portraits around, it was quite touching to see such a personal one-of-a-kind collection. It not only documented their life together, but each portrait is a memory and a story of a friendship (tear, sniff sniff).

So our first portrait was from our buddy Kyle Ragsdale in Indianapolis. We did an art trade with him for our first Vaughn-Pierce portrait:

The second year of our marriage was a blur with us moving to three states in less than 7 months, but I'm thinking that Hillary Harrison might need to revisit the "Ketchup and Mustard" photos if she's up for it! But alas, here is portrait number two! Thanks Dobson Family, we love it and we love you!

Anniversary Brunch

2008-10-14T15:18:00.013-04:00

(This tastes a whole lot better than it looks)

It's been 3 years since the little Asian woman announced us married by haiku in downtown Seattle. We're flying to Chicago in two weeks to really get down and celebrate the occasion, but opted to have a comfortable fall day at home this October 14th. First meal of the day is Vegetarian Biscuits & Gravy on Whole Wheat English Muffins with Cheesy Potato Casserole and some Jackson's in our french press. Although this isn't the most healthy of choices, the meal was fucking wonderful. Now I'm sitting here, completely satisfied with life and love and I blog.

Cheesy Potato CasseroleIngredients:
I bag of shredded potatoes
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup organic sour cream
1/2 yellow onion (diced)
1/2 stick unsalted, organic butter (melted)
1-2tbsp. cracked black pepper
8 oz. shredded organic cheddar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Put mixture in a casserole dish and back 45min-hour.

Vegetarian Biscuits & GravyIngredients:
1 cup green lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 of yellow onion (diced)
1 small red bell pepper (diced)
1/4 cup carrot (diced, but shredded works too)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 heaping cup of unbleached all purpose flour
1 -2 tbsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground yellow mustard seed
1+ tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp dried sage (crumbled)
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup ranch dressing (I use my extra ranch from Puccinis when we order take out, use whatever)
3-5 tbsp. sriracha (depending on your love for the hotness)

2 whole wheat english muffins (or you can do the whole biscuit thing, but my way is healthier)

Directions:
Bring lentils and 3 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer just until tender (30 min). Drain, and set aside.
Heat oil over medium in large skillet. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bell pepper, carrot, and garlic, and cook 5 to 8 more minutes. Whisk in flour, black pepper, paprika, mustard, red pepper flakes, and sage. Stir constantly for about a minute. Add half the milk. Stir until it is well combined (2-3 min). Add the rest of the milk and do the same. Stir constantly until gravy comes to a gentle boil. Remove from heat. Stir in ranch dressing, sriracha and drained lentils.

Split and toast the whole wheat english muffins. I prefer to spoon the gravy on top, but you can pile it and eat it like regular ol' b&g if you want.

Lettin' You Down

2008-10-08T17:38:00.004-04:00

So, I have to apologize. I've been cooking up a storm for the last month but our new crib has shitty light. Shitty light means shitty photos. And who wants to look at shitty food photos. The whole point of posting food pictures and recipes is so that I can share the goodness. And maybe, just maybe, some one will want to come over and visit and let me cook for them (residents at 806 E. Washington excluded as I cook for them whenever I'm feelin' it).

Recipes I have had recent success with :

Spaghetti and Meatless Balls (vegan)
(this one is awesome. no meat supplements either. the balls are made with chick peas and they taste kinda amazing)
Pumpkin Walnut Bread
Biscuits & Gravy (vegetarian)
(made with lentils. this dish is pretty much the best vegetarian breakfast item i have ever had)
Black Bean Chili
(spicy and contains soba noodles)

I'm sorry that there are no photos to tease you with. I'm not sure what this means for the future of my food blog. But I can tell you that I have a cook book coming out in early 2009. And that my food is awesome so you should come eat some.

Turtle Power: Why I love Alicia Pahl

2008-09-27T15:06:00.012-04:00

We were all sitting down watching the presidential debates last night, having some wine, eating some cookies. And as Andy makes a comment as to how weird John McCain's arms are (something about being joystick operated), Alicia says "he has baby hair." It's fucking true, John McCain's hair looks like the hair my 9 week old daughter's; thin, fine and forcefully combed to the side. Shortly following that brilliant observation, she remarked that he also resembles a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. J followed this with an astute "have you noticed how many times this dude blinks." Real life humor, right here. I'm pretty sure he sets some kind of world record for most blinks per second in a Presidential Debate. I don't think I can take this man seriously. And I'd rather have a pizza fueled "hero in a halfshell" as a president than straight lipped, blinking Mr. Robotto. Just sayin'... . .. .

Fuck Disney, Who Wants to Grow Up?

2008-09-25T18:33:00.004-04:00

So I am one of those people who believe children have a right to a childhood. And fuck Disney, Pixar and such for treating children like adults. Although sarcasm and humor has its place in life, I would much rather my daughter learn it from her family than from some computer generated image with doe eyes. Yes yes, I own a few Disney classics: Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White. But believe it or not, I have some sexist beef with even those films. Always a woman as a villan, we've all heard it before.. . . .blah blah.

But this was supposed to be a post about how excited I am about molding my daughter's mind. For those of you who don't know, film was my concentration in college. I've been planning a viewing list for my children for over 5 years; I haven't even been married that long. I have to admit, I'm much more of an academic than a romantic so my excitement always came from disecting a film, rather than indulging in the audiences perception of it. Nonetheless, I am truly excited to treat little Mary Jane to the images of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Shirley Temple.

Andy Shines in the Dark

2008-09-20T12:01:00.004-04:00

When we arrived back home on Monday night (we thought for sure that the power would be on within 24-48 hours; we live in Louisville not Houston, right? ), we opted for a candle lit game of Scrabble. Andy kicked our asses.

Indianapolis Hard Core Refugees

2008-09-20T11:50:00.005-04:00

Once the news hit that over 270,000 people in our county were without power, J, Andy, Mary Jane and I decided that we would rather eat well than fight for tea lights and ice bags at the only grocer in town with power. So we all packed up Sunday night and went to Indianapolis for dinner at Yats and breakfast at Taste. Not knowing what to do with ourselves and our spare time, we opted to play dress up.

Family Debris

2008-09-20T11:39:00.005-04:00

So, the power was gone from Sunday thru Thursday. The Ohio looked like a swarming sea as we crossed the bridge back home. Butchertown didn't smell like the sweet mixture of meth, burnt bacon and bleach for quite a few days; We actually were able to open the windows!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2008-09-04T16:07:00.006-04:00

There is this lovely bakery in Indianapolis, Indiana called Rene's. Albert, the owner, is a great guy with some amazing desserts. I fell in love with his fruit tarts a few years ago and he gifted a few hundred of them to us for our wedding reception! They were perfect little treats tucked in between the large cupcake and orchid centerpieces....mmmmm. Well once I moved past the fruit tarts, I found that just about everything he makes is as delicious as the fruit tarts. But by far my favorite item in his kitchen are the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. I have never asked him for the recipe, but here is my own attempt.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup vegan cane sugar
1/4 cup organic canola oil
2 free range eggs
1 cup canned organic pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 - 1 tsp ground ginger
1 -2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 - 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
( I didn't have clove, but that might be a great addition 1/2 -1 tsp of ground clove)

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease large muffin tin. Whisk sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl whisk together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture to dry mixture (like you would when making Chocolate Chip Cookies). Do not over mix. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill large muffin cups 3/4 full with batter (should yeild 6 muffins). Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Let cook for 15-20 minutes. Turn out and eat!

Bejeezus 12 Tease: Pac Man Ghost

2008-09-04T15:43:00.003-04:00

Well, think I'm going to make this one with sugar crystals as decor instead of icing. The colors are right, but they look sloppy. I can bake but I'm not too great at the decorating part. MIght help if I had an icing kit.....hmmmm, something to add to the Christmas list. Oooo, I am proud to say that we did make our own cookie cutters. Overall, this is a cute idea but not an ideal cookie. Trying with colored sugar crystals soon.

Bejeezus 12 Tease: Spooktacular Pumpkin Roll

2008-08-28T12:02:00.007-04:00

So, the theme of 12 is "Ghosts". My PacMan Ghost Iced Sugar Cookie is coming soon, but for now you are left with the Spooktacular Pumpkin Roll (adding a make-believe adjective qualifies this sweet treat for the ghost category, right)? I'd like to give you the recipe, but you sorta need to just buy Bejeezus 12 when it hits the stands. And you know I'll let you know when it hits the stands!

This particular roll is not vegan, but the vegan version of this recipe will be posted soon. Since I am not including the vegan recipe in Bejeezus 12, I feel no obligation to hold it back. I just need a little time to perfect it. Hold those horses!

Butchertown Yikes

2008-08-13T18:15:00.005-04:00

Kennedy, Mary Jane and I were on our morning walk around the neighborhood and we saw this.

I've seen, smelt and heard quite a few creepy things around Butchertown... but this might top them all. There was the zombie cyclist with a cocked head and unblinkable bloodshot eyes, the 'special', cross-eyed man who lives at the blue, corner Meth house that walks his trash 5 block away to dispose of any evidence, and the wife-beater wearing kid who beats on his woman in the 1300 block (he has silver balls attached to his ol' truck). Oh Butchertown, how I love your color.

Not Bloggin'

2008-08-12T13:11:00.003-04:00

So, there are a few reasons that I haven't been prioritizing my blog: First reason being Mary Jane Rebel, Second reason being the early August move to The 806, Third reason being our new booth at Crazy Daisy Antique Mall.

Since there's not piles of cash laying around the house, we decided to work our ass off and make some. Our booth at Crazy Daisy is the kick-start to our daughter's travel/college fund. We want to make sure she has enough money to do what ever her heart desires when she is 18. So, we're buying crappy old furniture and making it look a whole lot better. Forgive us, the booth is a little skimpy right now but it'll be filling up with more vintage goodies real soon. Whoo who!

But I solemnly swear to go to the grocery and cook something wonderful next week that I can share with my readers. Who knows, maybe I'll bake some goodness too.

Bejeezus Issue 11

2008-07-26T13:40:00.006-04:00

Hey hey, Bejeezus 11 has hit the stands. And to be honest, it is the best looking one yet (thank you Mperfect). If you want to buy one from J or I, holla. Or you can subscribe here. It's cheap, it's local and it's radd.

Awesome

2008-07-22T00:12:00.005-04:00

Our daughter is amazing. This shit is exciting. (Your money shot, Jessica).

Home and in Good Company

2008-07-19T21:54:00.004-04:00

Alicia and the babe.

Sam and the babe.

We're home! We have to administer IV drugs for a few days, but at least we're all home. Thank you Sam and Alicia for doing our laundry, making us meals and being amazing and supportive friends. J and I are running off of 6 hours of sleep in the last 48 so forgive us if we aren't on top of returning phone calls or e-mails. Goodnight Blog.

Mary Jane Rebel Pierce

2008-07-15T11:58:00.004-04:00

She's here! We can't believe it's a girl! But we're pretty stoked. There is some fluid in her little lungs and she has to spend some time in the NICU before she can be released to the public. But she's strong and we're hoping to have her home by Saturday.

Raspberry Nectarine Pie

2008-07-08T10:36:00.006-04:00

J's favorite dessert is a Raspberry Pie. He asked me for one this weekend. This never happens so I obliged speedily. But I, of course, had to mix it up a little and add some nectarines in the mix. The real Raspberry Pie is baking today, but the Raspberry Nectarine was last night's masterpiece. J picked up some Vanilla Gelato from Cafe Glace and we (the inseparable four who share a common goal of 806 E. Washington Street) snarfed it down while watching "Not Francy" get stuck for $15,000 on Weeds. It was a good night. (Might have been better if I would have had a baby).

Recipe: (For Crust)
2 1/2 cups Organic, Unbleached Flour
1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (cubed, cold)
1/2 Stick Earth Balance Shortening (cold)
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp (+) cold water

Put all ingredients into a mixer or food processor and mix/pulse until the mix is mealy with some pea-sized buttery lumps. Then add the 5 tablespoons of water and stir or mix until just combined (do not over mix). The dough should stick together. If not, add another tablespoon of water and mix a little. Repeat if you have the same issue. Once dough sticks together (but isn't sticky) separate it into 6 parts on a piece of large wax paper. Push in a forward motion on all six parts to spread the fat out a little. Then mix all parts back together into one ball. Last, separate into two balls, wrap each ball in wax paper and let chill in fridge for an hour.

Filling:
3 organic nectarines (cut into 1/2 inch wedges)
2 cups of organic raspberries
1/2 lemon squeezed for juice
1/8 cup granulated quick-cooking tapioca pearls
1/8 cup corn starch
3/4 cup sugar

Throw the nectarines and raspberries in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Whisk the tapioca, starch and sugar in another small bowl.

Preheat oven to 425. After an hour of refrigeration, pull out the dough balls and roll them out on a lightly floured piece of parchment with a lightly floured rolling pin. Once you roll your pastry balls out, mix the fruit with the sugar mixture and have ready to go. Put one rolled-out piece of dough in the bottom of the pie pan. It works well if there is about 1/2 inch of dough around the edges after you fit it in place in the pie pan. Pour fruit filling in dish. Cut the other rolled-out pie dough disc into long strips and weave it on the top of the pie filling. Mush all the dough that hangs over the edge with your fingers into some kind of orderly shape.

Bake the pie on a piece of foil for 20 minutes at 425. Then turn the oven down to 375. Lightly cover the pie with foil so your crust doesn't burn and bake for another 40-60 minutes. You know what a pie looks like. So, when it looks done you should pull it out. Let it cool for an hour or two. Serve warm with Vanilla Gelato. Yum.

Like a Kid in a Candy Store

2008-07-03T23:16:00.004-04:00

Beautiful knobs look delicious.

Striking
Candy
Milky

Mesa Remodel

2008-07-03T23:09:00.003-04:00

I'm getting pretty crafty. I'm almost getting so crafty that I deserve my new nickname, "Ready Made" (thank J for that one). But mostly I'm happy that I'm finally knocking out my to-do list.

Paint ugly, peeling orange table in bathroom - check.

Aunt Jemima No More

2008-07-01T11:59:00.014-04:00

So my brother and I grew up making this stuff at least once a week. It's easy.
You simply pour all ingredients into the bag,
knead the plastic bag and pour contents
into the included baking pan.

But recently I haven't been able to locate this nostalgic treat on the grocer shelves. Normally I would avoid box products and opt to make my own anyway, but pregnancy brings on nostalgic craving in full force and I've wanted this particular Coffee Cake a few times over the last nine months.

It seems that my brother and sister-in-law have recently had similar cravings and found themselves "lucky" when they discovered one of these mixes in my mother's pantry. (Side note: My Mom and David travel for a living + Mom doesn't cook + David, being the Minnesotan he is, hordes food for years = Pantry full of good intentions). Poor Ryan and Heather; It should have come to no surprise that said Coffee Cake mix was possibly older than our youngest brother.

So, as an Ode to Ryan and Heather, I created this:

But I have to be completely honest here. I also first attempted these:
These were my attempt at making a Vegan Coffee Cake. I was a little let down with the overall flavor (as I am craving a specific taste) and so I then created a homemade Coffee Cake with regular ol' ingredients. I have to say, I am rather pleased.

For the Vegan Crumb Cake Recipe I used, click here .
I will be making another Vegan attempt at this breakfast treat. I just need to do some research.

Recipe:
(For Cake)
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup vegan cane sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (I used kosher, but I think granulated salt would be better)
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature gooey)
1/2 cup soy milk
1 large egg

(For Crumbs On Top)
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached flour

Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix together butter, soy milk, and egg with whisk attachment in mixer. Then mix in flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into greased cake pan of your choice. Then make your crumb topping. Whisk together butter, sugars, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Add flour. Mix with your fingertips until looks like a crumb topping. Sprinkle crumbs over top of cake. Bake cake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Eat.

Chandelier Project: Makeover

2008-06-29T16:04:00.012-04:00

Before

After

So, we've been looking for light fixtures for over a month now. We're a little selective about home decor and prefer most furnishings to be pre-owned and quite unique. When it comes to lighting, we have always struggled. There never seems to be the perfect fix. New stuff is cheesy and looks cheap; old stuff is expensive and usually requires some amount of rewiring. So we bought this kinda ugly chandelier at Crazy Daisy last week. It was marked down 70% and was sorta a steel. We had a vision for it and we made it happen. I just wanted to share my enthusiasm for this piece.

Happy Belated Birthday Hillary

2008-06-29T15:53:00.005-04:00

Isn't this the cutest little planter you've ever seen. It's just about as cute as it's new owner, Hillary Harrison . And that worked out perfectly because we were slackin' on a birthday present for our lady. Thanks to Jo Ley for the perfect planter and to Paul's for the outrageous pink bud. Happy Belated Birthday friend. You're Awesome!

Go Go Go

2008-06-27T11:56:00.010-04:00

So,
this
event
is
somewhere
you
should
be.
It
is
free
and
20%
of
the
bar
goes
towards
Bejeezus.
Make it happen.

Bejeezus 11 Tease

2008-06-26T13:00:00.005-04:00

Hey hey, so here are a couple of pictures of the recipes that will be featured in Bejeezus 11. I've decided not to post the recipes because you need to buy Bejeezus 11 (and by buy, I mean purchase...not get a copy from a friend who works on the zine)! Trying to keep a zine going in this weird world can be quite daunting so it would be awesome if you could just support some hardworking, enthusiastic people with your five dollar bill. Keep the dream alive!

Cold Watermelon Soup:

Zucchini Banana Loaf:

I'm pretty psyched about these two because they accidentally feed alternative lifestyle eaters. This is the Zucchini Banana Loaf I've been making for years and it happens to be vegan. And it's not vegan because I use some alternative butter or egg supplement, it's vegan because it needs nothing of the sort. No butter, no dairy and no eggs. Bananas are magical and can do terrific things when called on. And I just realized that the Cold Watermelon Soup is not only vegan, but raw. Yep, absolutely no cooking was done in this process. Simply a lot of chopping and mixing. Bejeezus 11 should be out by the end of the summer. The issue is themed Second Hand. I'll let you know when its off the press.

Something Worth The Wait: T-Rex

2008-06-24T10:58:00.004-04:00

So, I love Rob Zombie more than I love Bill Maher. I think he's a genius. I love every film he has made or been involved in, including the Halloween remake. And that says a lot considering that Carpenter's Halloween is my all time favorite stalker movie. I love his wife. I love his gore. I love his cast and crew and I can't fucking wait until this film comes out.

Erin's Birthday Cake, It's Vegan

2008-06-20T16:17:00.009-04:00

As you dedicated readers can tell, spring and summer are my busy birthday cake seasons. I've been slinging cakes from the oven to the open mouths since March. But this cake was superass special. It was my first attempt at making a full size vegan cake. And it was remarkable.

Ever since my friend Erin decided to take the Vegan plunge, I've wanted nothing more than to feed her. I think it's some weird mothering, nurturing thing I have. Don't get me wrong, I love to feed everyone! But feeding a Vegan is a little more satisfying. Especially because this vegan has a developed palette and knows when she's being duped. (Side note: I also like to feed other challenged eaters - deprived, allergic to Earth, Brynne and such).

Hungry Erin:

Well, if you ever click on my links to the right, you'll notice that I link to a few vegan sites. Kittee, the woman responsible for Cake Maker to the Stars blog posted the recipe for her own personal birthday cake a while back. I thought that using a vegan baker's personal birthday cake recipe would be a great direction to bake in. So, I baked her Birthday Banana Cake with Vegan Cream Cheeze Icing. I highly reccomend trying to bake this cake if you ever desire a vegan cake. It was rather fool proof, except for that I added the seedless preserves to the cake rather than as a filling for the cake. But that was a mistake I will latch onto because it yeilded perfect results.

Cake Before Oven:

Icing Before On Cake:

Baby Shower

2008-06-20T16:09:00.003-04:00

Thanks to every one that made it out to my baby shower in Indianapolis. I know those things can be awkward and uncouth, but I think ya'll pulled it together just perfectly and it was a slam-hit-home run. I appreciate the company and all the wonderfull things you wanted to share with our baby. The food was fantastic. The company was beautiful! Really, I think I have the best looking friends in the whole world! Not to mention the most gracious! I love you all. Thank you!

Umm, Boobs!

2008-06-20T15:52:00.007-04:00

So, I was hanging out with my ladies in Indianapolis and my Mom took this picture. I think we all look wonderful and happy to be together, but pregnancy has made my chest explode.

To the left is Alicia Pahl, current Louisville BFF, landlord and godmother to our dog. She is 5'9, naturally red headed, thin and has a wonderful complexion. Her hobbies are skiing, cooking, hanging out with friends and eating great food. Alicia is a scientist and is mortgage-married to the handsome Andy Cornelius. To the right is Kelsey Cooper. Kelso is 5'5ish with a spitfire personality and a voice that carries for miles. Her hobbies are gardening, cycling, working out and eating great food. Kelsey is a teacher, the godmother to our unborn baby and is also mortgage-married to the lavish Dan Maddox.

Bill For Birthday

2008-06-20T15:12:00.006-04:00

Hey hey, I had a wonderful birthday this year. Thank you to everyone who went out of their way to love me. I truly appreciate all efforts and love. First, my awesome ass husband started the day out with 3rd row center Bill Maher tickets. In case you don't know me that well, I love Bill Maher. I know he's not the most physically attractive political comedian, but I find him rather appealing in just about every way - from the luscious black, porn star girlfriends to the shine in his leather-less shoes. He's an atheist; he's a vegetarian; he's a political science junkie; he's an animal rights advocate and he's going to be close enough to flash! (Side note: I guess all of those attributes can be applied to my husband too, but J is much more attractive and I flash him every day).

Second, J surprised me with an Edible Arrangement. I've secretly always wanted one. Flowers are rather common around our household (my man is on top of his shit). And flowers are beautiful but they die and you usually can't eat them. It was delicious and lovely to have a bouquet of fresh fruit. It was even more wonderful when I made it into a tropical smoothie for four!

Last, Dad and Kathryn hooked it up with a washer and drier and dinner at L&N Wine Bar. Now that's the best icing I've ever had on a cake. I am so relieved to have a washer and drier, it's exhaling! And to enjoy my rested and content state of being, I ate Chocolate Truffle Cake with some of my best friends in the whole world! Thanks friends, I love you.

Can I Get On For A Babysitter?

2008-06-03T09:54:00.007-04:00

Look at these wonderful men!

This is a picture from the new Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly movie, Step Brothers. I love these two men. We have seen every Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly movie in the theaters since our relationship began....it's kinda a pledge. And we're totally Opening Night people. So, this masterpiece of a film comes out July 25th. Can I please book a babysitter now?

Homemade Granola

2008-05-30T10:53:00.012-04:00

We've wanted to make granola for a long time. We have been known to order $8 one lb. bags of Milk and Honey Granola from Chicago and of course Marc and D surrender at least a lb. or two every time we visit Taste in Indy. Even though those two midwest cafe's have some tasty granola, there is no granola like our home made granola. It is fucking delicious. And if you want some, just ask. I'll stop some by your crib (until I open a tea shop/breakfast place and you have to come buy it because I've gotten you addicted).

Recipe: (these are approximations, we just throw it together)
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup coconut flakes
6 tbsp ground flax seeds
3/4 - 1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup almonds (sliced)
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 large pinches of sea salt
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4-1/2 cup canola oil
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
4-5 pinches of Love Street Living Foods 100% Raw Rare Vanilla Powder or 3-4 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 + cups dried fruit of your choice (cranberries, cherries, strawberries, apricots, mangoes, raisins, you choose)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet that has a rim with parchment paper (a large cake pan also works). Mix first seven ingredients together in a large bowl (I mix with a wooden spoon). Heat the next four ingredients on the stove on medium until you see little bubbles, stir constantly. Once you see bubbles, turn off heat. Pour the hot stuff on the stuff on the bowl. Mix it all together with that wooden spoon. If you don't splurge on Vanilla Powder, add the vanilla to the bowl last and mix it again. Once mixed, pour it on your baking sheet (sprinkle the Vanilla Powder on top) and put in the oven. You want to pull it out of the oven every 5-7 minutes to stir it like so:

After it gets to the desired browness (25-30 minutes), pull it out of the oven and sprinkle on your dried fruit. Mix it up and let it cool. Then eat and share!

Local Strawberries

2008-05-30T10:39:00.006-04:00

Strawberries are my favorite fruit. Every winter I stare at the gigantic strawberries in the grocery and count down the months until the real babes are on the shelves. Well, it is time. The local strawberries are flush and they are just perfect: petite (as in, it doesn't take 6 cuts with a pairing knife to make them edible size) and red all the way through (no white middles).

Love Street Living Foods

2008-05-30T10:10:00.005-04:00

We're in Whole Foods so much that we've established 'wink and smile' relationships with over half the staff. Yesterday must have been my day for good vibes. I had noticed the Love Street Living Foods 100% Organic Raw Vegan Chocolate Spread Sweetened with Agave Nectar spread on the shelf last week, but was on a budget and could not splurge. I was thinking of how wonderful that chocoalte spread would be on crostini with sea salt...mmmm. Well, when I was shopping for Granola ingredients yesterday afternoon I came across this wonderful ingredient:

I stopped to ask the grocer about it and he also turned me on to their line of raw chocolate bars. Yes, they are a bit pricey but I was buying Granola ingredients and had money to spare. So, I brought them all to the check out lane and was given all of these lovely products for free! I couldn't believe it. I know Whole Foods has an amazing customer service policy, but a few $3 candy bars and some $12 raw vanilla bean? Wow. Not to mention, the clerk tipped me off that Love Street Living Foods has just made a raw ice cream that the Louisville Whole Foods will be stocking. I'm stoked.

Vegan Sloppy No's

2008-05-28T17:47:00.008-04:00

J was pretty happy to title these little sandwiches as Sloppy No's. Actually, this is a PPK recipe and they call them Snobby Joe's. I like J's name better; we're not snobs, just vegetarians. This particular recipe came from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook and it is wonderful. As I've mumbled before, I'm not a fan of cooking with meat substitutes (tvp, tofu and all the other textured meatless wonders). So I was pretty psyched to find a "sloppy joe" recipe with lentils. As my friend Erin stated, lentils are little "nutritional powerhouses" and any one should be happy to include them in a delicious meal.

Here is the link to the Snobby Joes Recipe on the PPK site. The only thing I might do different is substitute brown sugar for maple syrup. I know that sugar sucks and maple syrup is packed full of good shit, but brown sugar gives me nostalgia. So, ha.

Sam's Baking Success: Banana Cake

2008-05-28T16:58:00.009-04:00

So, my friend Sam Whitaker has recently been inspired to bake (maybe I'm rubbing off on her...hehe). Past baking experiences had left her with a bad taste in her mouth, literally, but her will is strong. The woman can cook you some vegetarian soul food that'll really stick to your bones. She is an amazing cook (you've never had mashed potatoes until you've had hers), but was an intimidated baker. Well, today was a triumphant success in the Whitaker Kitchen! Just Look:

She made the Decadent Banana Cake inspired by Southern Living: Our Best-Ever Cakes & Pies. Although she did not follow the recipe step by step, the result was one tasty banana loaf and one tasty banana short cake (not shortcake, but a short cake).

Recipe:
2 1/2 cups plus 5 1/2 tbsp cake flour
1 tbsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
4-5 large, very ripe (like stinky brown) bananas
2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking soda and salt (this is an unecessary step, you can simply wisk it. Most flours come pre-sifted these days). Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium until smooth. Add sugars and mix on medium until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating mixture until blended after each egg. Add bananas and mix on low speed. Add 1/3 flour mixture and 1/3 buttermilk, mix on med-low until just blended (do not over mix). Add another 1/3 of flour mixture and 1/3 of buttermilk, mix on med-low until just blended (do not over mix). Add the remaining flour mixture and buttermilk and mix on med-low until just blended (do not over mix). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool for about an hour. Ice (or not) and eat.

Brooke Hint: Every time you add another ingredient, stop your mixer. And when a recipe says not to "over mix" or to "mix until just blended", this means that you mix the ingredients just barely. If you over mix a cake or a loaf, they will be dense and a little hard. If you want the cake/loaf to be moist and soft, you want to have little flour balls in your dough. These flour balls are your friends, they create air pockets and fluff!

For this cake, Sam used a standard Butter Cream icing. I don't feel like icing is necessary with this cake, the flavors are wonderful without the sugar additive. In fact, they would make delicious morning muffins. However, the Cream Cheese frosting on the Carrot Cake below would be a good match.

P.S. Other things Sam makes well...babies!

Andy and Alicia's Birthday Carrot Cake

2008-05-18T12:50:00.004-04:00

As it turns out, I was supposed to make this cake three times in the past three months: One for Ryan's 30th, One for Heather's 30th, and one to share for Alicia's 25th and Andy's 27th. Ryan's cake was trumped by a dinner at St. Elmo's. Heather's cake was replaced with half a Dairy Queen frozen cake since our Florida trips did not overlap. And after losing my beloved recipe to a drawer in Florida, I thought Andy and Alica were shit out of luck. But Deidra came through with her Grandma's Carrot Cake Recipe and (with a few alterations) it was a tasty delight.

Recipe:
2 cups Unbleached, Organic All Purpose Flour
2 cups Vegan Cane Sugar
1 tsp granulated salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups canola oil
4 large cage free, organic eggs
2 1/2 cups grated carrots
8 oz. can crushed pineapples
1 cup coconut flakes
3/4 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
(I added a banana and 1/2 cup raisins)

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. butter, softened
1 1/4 lbs. powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Heat oven to 350. Line two 9 inch baking pans with parchment circles. On parchment paper, sift together flour, sugar, salt, soda and powder. In large mixer with paddle attachment mix oil, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add carrot, pineapple, coconut and nuts. Mix well. Slowly add the sifted ingredients in 3 batches. Do not over mix. Divide into 2 prepared pans and cook for 25-35 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean). Remove cake from pans after 10 minutes and place on cooling rack.

For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix well with the whisk attachment.

Assemble cake after cake has completely cooled. Eat it.

Grilled Gazpacho Pasta Salad

2008-05-18T12:23:00.005-04:00

I needed to make a family friendly side dish for our Mother's Day cookout in Indy. As much as burgers and brauts tempt me, I'm just not gonna do it. So I recreated a meal that I had made last summer, Grilled Gazpacho & Tubetti Salad. It is extremely nutritious and colorful, not to mention the wonderful hearty flavors of grilled veggies. Plus, it makes a ton so leftovers for the week!

Recipe:
10 tbsp. olive oil (estimate)
1 1/2lb cherry tomatoes
3 bell peppers (I use red and yellow, seed and cut in 1/4's)
2 medium red onions
4 medium zucchini, trimmed and halved lengthwise
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsp. Sherry Vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 box tubetti pasta
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Optional: 1 cup herbed feta. Or slice a few spicy, grilled sausages for the carnivores.

Soak skewers for grill. Cut peppers and onions in quarters for grill prep. Toss all veggies with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Skewer veggies. Skewer your tomatoes 4-5 per skewer. Lay zucchini on grill. Wrap garlic in foil once oiled and seasoned. Grill it. Tomatoes grill the fastest in 3-5 minutes. Peppers take about 8-10 minutes. Onions and zucchini take 12-15 minutes. Once done, peel half the peppers and throw them in a blender with half of the other veggies (1/2 toms, 1/2 zucchini, 1/2 onion) and all the garlic. Add the vinegar, sugar and press play. Then coarsely chop the remaining veggies. Prep your pasta and mix in a large bowl with the blended ingredients. Top with chopped veggies, herbs and feta. Serve and eat warm. However, it is damn good once it is refrigerated.

Vegan African Peanut Stew

2008-05-18T11:42:00.008-04:00

I'm on the hunt for new flavors and new recipes. So, I pulled out last summer's Vegetarian Times and experimented. I was a little nervous when we decided to try the Spicy Peanut Stew. I was mostly nervous because the picture sorta made it look disgusting and the flavor combination was a little foreign to me (peanut butter and tomatoes?). But, of course it was a hit. Not only was it a one dish (plus rice maker) meal, but the sink wasn't filled with dishes afterwards, which always makes my husband (aka dishwasher) happy!

Recipe: (for stew...hold on, you should make the salsa too)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 celery stalk, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tbsp. grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks (about 2 cups +)
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 1b. butternut squash, cut into 1 inch chunks (about 3 cups)
1/2 lb. cauliflower florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I used 365 Brand, Organic)
6 cups cooked brown rice
1 head watercress, stems removed (I did not add this ingredient because mine wilted)

Heat oil in large pot on med-low. Add onion and celery and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and tomatoes. Increase heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes until sauce is thicker, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 cups of water and season with some salt and pepper (i always under salt my meals for health reasons, but this one really needs some salt). Simmer partially covered for 10 minutes or so. Add squash and cauliflower and cook 15 minutes or so, until vegetables are tender. Whisk together peanut butter and a 1/2 cup warm water. Add to the stew. Cook another 5 minutes and stir constantly. Pour over rice.

Recipe: (for salsa on top)
1 cup roasted peanuts
1 cucumber peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup cilantro
2 jalapeno peppers
4tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. salt

On this recipe, I doubled all the amounts above because there was a group consensus that the cucumber salsa was a key component to this dish. So, no need to double up because I did it for you. But simply toss all those ingredients together and spoon on top of your stew.

Vegan Bean Salad

2008-05-05T19:17:00.005-04:00

So, I've been e-mailing my lady Erin about food and life and how much I miss chugging caffeinated beverages and working out with her. She's pretty much over cooking/baking. I can't blame her. She has worked in the restaurant industry for about a decade! But, I made this little number for dinner tonight in homage to Erin. It's pretty, it's simple and it's packed with wonderfulness (just like her).

Recipe:
I bag Frozen Organic Shelled Edamame
3 Fist fulls of Green Beans (trimmed and cut in half)
2 Ears of Sweet Corn (cut off the cob)
1 15oz can Red Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)
Dressing:
1 large Shallot (diced)
1 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 tbsp Dijon
2 tbsp Honey
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/3 cup Veg Oil (I used Organic Canola)

So, boil some water for the edamame. Once its boiling, throw the edamame in and let it get back to a boiling temperature. Once you are there, throw the green beans in. Cook for 4-6 minutes. Drain. Steam your corn if it's not fresh and then cut it and mix all beans and corn together in a bowl. Then (either whisk or use a food processor) mix the vinegar, shallot, mustard, honey, poppy seeds and oil (oil last) for the dressing. I found that this made two times the amount of dressing that I needed so I saved it in hopes of making more Bean Salad later this week. Last, toss the Bean-Corn mixture with dressing and eat. I don't mind eating this dish a little warm, but its much better if you make it and then eat it the next day for lunch. It is superb when it's cold.

This meal should take you no longer than 15 minutes to prepare. It's a fast one!

Big Ol' Bump

2008-05-05T19:16:00.001-04:00

So, it's getting there. It's really getting there.

Will's Birthday Cake

2008-05-05T18:56:00.007-04:00

Well, I made our buddy Will Russell a birthday cake this past weekend for his 32nd! The chocolate cake was perfect but I totally got the consistency of the Coffee Butter Cream Icing wrong. It was too thick and wouldn't spread with any kind of flow. They, as in Will and Hillary, assured me it was tasty. But I'm still throwing out an IOU to them. I can do better and they deserve better!

On a side note, Will did tell me that Ace of Cakes is doing a cake for his Lebowski Fest this year. Unfortunately the Louisville Lebowski Fest is on July 11th and I'm expecting to have a little baby by then. But I'm sure there'll be lots of pictures and maybe they'll do an episode of Ace of Cakes devoted to this cake. We'll see? How exciting!

Help A Friend: Emergency Parfait

2008-05-02T18:43:00.005-04:00

I recently read something that said if you wish for positive things to happen to you, you should do positive things for others. This is not a new revelation, I try to live by this mantra. It's just nice to be reminded of this. I mean, I can't complain about not getting phone calls if I don't pick up the phone, you know. I believe that you should put good vibes out into the world so they can come full circle. If you haven't noticed, I cook/bake and give a lot. I do this because I love to share. But I have to say that I am a little worried that my 'cook and give' time is closing in on a long pause when this baby comes.

But for the mean time, I had a wonderful 'cook and give' experience this week. My friend Sam Whitaker, who is also a new mom, made a 8am remark about an empty fridge and a appetite. She was calling to borrow some sugar so she could bake the only ingredients left in the house into delicious Chocolate Chip Muffins (which would have taken at least an hour). So, I packed up the Vegan Cane Sugar and made her a Granola Parfait in an old jar.....something to snack on while baking! I thought it was cute so I took a picture.

The Strawberry Cake Incident

2008-05-02T18:26:00.007-04:00

So I called a few friends to let them know to expect some delicious treats later Wednesday evening. I had bought the ingredients to make my Grandmother's Strawberry Cake recipe. My Dad had made a birthday request for the cake so I decided to make some extra cupcakes to share with friends. I made the cake, success. I made the cupcakes and the events following led to some disappointed friends and no company to play scrabble with! I swear, I can't keep my word even when I actually try....we are destined to be flakes.

The cupcakes were cooling on the porch railing.

And then they were on the cement. So I went to grab our camera so I could blog about this. And while backing up to take a picture...

My barefoot stepped on this poor dead bird.

Acai & Flax Smoothie

2008-05-02T18:07:00.011-04:00

So, my friend Lindsey Dobson wrote me about a month ago asking if I had a good smoothie recipe. In true Brooke form, I was excited to share but flaked on writing her back. Lindsey, I have created many great smoothie recipes. In fact, I even have a great juice and smoothie book you can borrow too. But there are two Brooke-created recipes that I use most frequently: Vegan Strawberry Smoothie and my Acai & Flax Seed Smoothie. We make the Acai & Flax Seed Smoothies about five times a week. Acai is a superfood and is ridiculously rich in antioxidants; I use the frozen smoothie packs available at Whole Foods. And Flax Seeds, freshly ground and found in the refridgerated portion of the herb and vitamin section at your local health food establishment, are amazing in regards to nutritional qualities (especially for pregnant/nursing women).

Recipe: (not exact measurements, I just throw it in)

1 cup frozen organic berries
1/2 cup frozen organic peaches
3/4 cup organic vanilla yogurt/vanilla soy yogurt
1 package of frozen Acai
5 tbsp freshly ground flax seeds
1/2 -1 cup unsweetened organic cranberry juice
2 bananas

Just blend. Recipe yields 2 large ass smoothies seen below. Enjoy!

It Pays to be Right

2008-05-02T18:04:00.004-04:00

So, you know how I predicted that the Kansas Jayhawks were going to win the NCAA Final Four? Well, I forgot that I entered a contest for free ice cream based on the outcome of the last team standing. Awesome!

Puzzle

2008-05-02T17:58:00.003-04:00

So, I am certain that I married the perfect man for me. We had never committed ourselves to doing a puzzle before, but we were in Florida with time to spare so we bought a 1000 piece puzzle. And I'm pleased to admit that the both of us are so compulsive that we finished it is less than 8 hours. I am proud, very proud.

3

2008-04-12T14:59:00.003-04:00

Saturday morning lovin' with three of my favorite things.

New Just Babies

2008-04-12T14:41:00.006-04:00

(Sissy and Mona)

It's been a long winter and I've not created much outside of the kitchen. Realizing that my Just Babies at The Makery are getting quite lonely, I decided to make them a few friends. Introducing Mona the pregnant dance teacher and Sissy the shell collector! If you would like to purchase a Just Babies doll, the majority of my stock is at The Makery in Louisville, Ky. However, I do make custom Just Babies to resemble any person of your choice. I simply need a photo or description of the person being dolled. Also, remember that all Just Babies are made from recycled clothing and are hand made only by me. For an extra special present, I can create a doll made from an individuals old clothing (without sounding too voodoo like... . .. .. hehe).

Condoms

2008-04-12T11:05:00.005-04:00

So, today is Thunder Over Louisville and I expected to wake up to a street full of fireworks fanatics. As of 8am this Saturday morning our street was dead calm. Moreover, It seems it was my side porch that had all the action. Does anyone know why my neighbors were blessed with the condom fairy last night?

Hilarious, eh. Hilarious.

Beejeezus 10

2008-04-08T17:59:00.005-04:00

Hey all, issue 10 is out. It looks amazing (of course it does, Mperfect designed it) and reads pretty well too! So, hit me up if you want to buy one or just click here . All the cool kids know about this shit, why don't you? Plus, there are two soup recipes contributed by yours truly that are not in the blog.

Happy Birthday J

2008-04-08T17:13:00.005-04:00

With over a year of anticipation, Jason's motorcycle/scooter arrives! We are super excited (even though i can't fit on it with him right now)! With gasoline prices soaring and summer coming, who wouldn't be happy about this perfect little gift!

Homemade Cookies 'N Cream Ice Cream

2008-04-08T16:43:00.011-04:00

J, my radd husband, just turned 31 and he wanted some Cookies 'N Cream Ice Cream made by his lovely. So, I attempted home made ice cream. I had made Raspberry Sorbet this past summer with much success so I thought Ice Cream would be a breeze. Honestly, this stuff is super easy (if you have an electric ice cream maker)! The best thing about making this delicious stuff at home is that it is softer than store bought ice cream and it is completely perfect to share.

Recipe:
1 cup organic heavy cream
3/4 cup vegan cane sugar sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 vanilla bean (sliced lengthwise and scrape those beans into pan)

Simmer above ingredients until sugar melts into mixture. Stir it out while simmering. Add above mixture to bowl with:

2 cups organic heavy cream
1 cup organic whole milk
(and throw the skin of the vanilla bean in the bowl)

Refrigerate overnight (or until cold). Pour mixture into electric ice cream maker. Let it get to the consistency of a Frosty and add as many crushed Newman O's to the mix as you can! At this point my ice cream maker overflowed (too many cookies) so I had to run down the street with the over flowing ice cream and share with friends. Next I'm going to try Strawberry Sorbet and Chocolate Ice Cream.

Rock Chalk Jayhawks!

2008-04-08T16:38:00.004-04:00

Ummmm, look at the post below and know that I'm glowing. Not because I'm pregnant, but because my Kansas Jayhawks gave us NCAA fans a great game last night.

Hoosier at Heart

2008-03-19T17:12:00.005-04:00

Yeah, so we're a tall family. I'm 5'11 and J is 6'2. We're tall, thin and HOOSIERS. And what does that amount to, you say?

It's March Madness and I've got Kansas followin' that yellow brick road to ozzzzzzzz! J, believe it or not, has Purdue (the rookie team). I'd love to see them go far, but I'm not so sure they can beat Duke. But we both simply have a final game that we want to see played: Kansas vs. Pitsburgh and Indiana vs. Purdue.

Egg and Potato Salad with Sweet Relish

2008-03-18T14:10:00.006-04:00

My first authentic pregnancy craving was egg salad and sweet pickles. So, I boiled some eggs and potatoes and diced 'em up. Added the dill, mustard and mayo. Sliced up the Blue Dog Cereal loaf. Threw on some mache rosettes and topped it off with lots of sweet sweet pickle relish.

And I think I might do it again right now.

Vegan Beet Burgers

2008-03-18T13:43:00.009-04:00

Let me preface this post by admitting that I'm not a fan of the beet. In fact, before a few weeks ago I was known to have ran to the bathroom to spit out the last beet to touch my tongue.

And then Alicia called. I was home alone and they were cookin' so I was a polite guest and ate what was prepared for me...a delicious beet burger! It was Alicia's first attempt at a beet burger and we both agreed that the recipe needed to be mastered and tried again. So, last night the four of us mastered the beet burger. (Erin, only thing not vegan is that cheese on top).

Recipe:
2 beets boiled, skinned and cubed itty bitty (like egg salad cubed)
1 can black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice, cooked
1 cup (about) panko bread crumbs
1/2 red onion, diced and sauteed
3 cloves garlic, diced and sauteed
1/2 red pepper, diced and sauteed
6 tbsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. spicy mustard
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Saute onion, garlic and red pepper with 3 tbsp of ketchup, salt and pepper. In large bowl, add saute mix, beet cubes, black beans, rice, bread crumbs, mustard and remaining ketchup. Mix it with your hands and get all dirty. (Note: right after the photo below was taken I ran on the porch yelling to my neighbor Shannon that "I'm having my baby". I thought it was hilarious and she lost her appetite.)

Patty them up and grill 'em or pannini press 'em. They are fucking delicious. We ate them with spinach salad and sweet potatoes. Yummmmmmmm.

Blueberry Nectarine Muffins, Finally!

2008-03-18T13:35:00.010-04:00

Recipe:
2 sticks organic, unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
1 cup organic, unbleached granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp organic, pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (i use kosher)
1 pint of organic blueberries
2 cups organic, unbleached flour (whole wheat flour is even better)
1/2 cup soy milk or dairy milk (i use vanilla soy b/c that is what we always have in the fridge)
1 nectarine, cubed into 1/4 cubes
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar in the raw

Preheat oven to 375. In a mixer with a paddle attachment (or handmixer) cream the butter until smooth. Add sugar and mix. Add eggs, vanilla, baking powder, salt and mix just until blended. Smoosh 1/2 the blueberries with in your fists and add to the batter. With mixer running at a low speed add half the flour and half the milk, and mix until just blended. Don't overmix or your muffins will be dense like a loaf...and that's no fun. Repeat with the remaining milk and flour. Add the remaining blueberries and the nectarine. Mix by hand with wooden spoon or spatula.

Butter your muffin pan or line the pan with muffin liners. I prefer to use a pan that makes a larger than traditional muffin, but it only makes 6 muffins. Spoon the batter to fill the cups 3/4 full. Mix the cinnamon with the sugar in the raw and sprinkle over the batter in the cups. Bake about 25-30 minutes. Check them first after 20 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for atleast 30 minutes before turning them out.

My Life Has Come Full Circle

2008-03-12T23:20:00.007-04:00

Remember the wonderful teen adventure movie Adventures in Babysitting? Remember Thor? I love that scene. I secretly loved that blonde, beefy, tough-guy.

And then I found out that my childhood fetish crush = my early 20's law and order fetish crush. Interesting, isn't it.

Face

2008-03-12T14:36:00.007-04:00

Herkermer has a face and the face looks like this. I was beating on my stomach like a drum to get him/her to turn around and look at us during the ultrasound. After a few seconds of drumming, he/she finally looked at us and simultaneously put its hands over its ears. Figures.

A shy kid who cant be bothered. Like father, like baby?

C is for Cookie

2008-03-12T14:15:00.004-04:00

Hillary,
I totally lied. Those delicious chocolate chips were from Lotsa Pasta. They are like $4.00 a half pint so I only use them for special occasions (like every other batch...hehe). I forgot that I used those when you asked, oops! But, if you are not too biased, lookie lookie what I have here.

Custard Inspired Lasagna

2008-03-12T13:52:00.006-04:00

And By Custard, I mean Shannon (previously known as Heller) Custard. Yes Mrs. Jaymi Tharp, your previous staff members are still soul sisters.

When Shan, Matt, Sammy and Gracie came to stay over Christmas, they left me inspired! Not only was I completely awed by the tens of pounds they have shed (Gracie and Sammy not included in this feat) and their avid training for the spring triathalon, but Shannon baked a delicious and healthy lasagna just for us to mow on for the holidays.

Side note: I have quite a few friends who have chosen to prioritize their physical well-being in the past year. I applaud all of you. Not only have I seen complete body reformations, but your energy seems to be flowing out from you and into the lives of others. I thank all of you for being such great inspirations and motivators. Keep up the positivity. I am truly thankful to have such great friends.

Okay, back to lasagna. This was my attempt at a healthy lasagna. Whole wheat noodles, spinach, home made (vegetable intense) red sauce and then I went downhill. Unfortunately, I puts tons of low fat, organic ricotta and low fat mozzarella on this baby. Something was screaming inside of me (maybe that damn baby in there) for more cheese.
Anyhow, it was delicious and moderately healthy?

Stokes is Stoked

2008-03-12T13:43:00.005-04:00

Kristen,
I promise that the blueberry muffins are going to be up by Saturday (if not this evening). I just need a good pic. They are going to be blueberry and nectarine. I'm sitting out my butter right now. See...

Butter In Fridge (you can tell this is recent....see the jar of pickles on lower shelf)

Butter On Fridge!

Egg Strada and The Bread Fairy

2008-03-12T13:29:00.008-04:00

So, we have a bread fairy ! She strikes about two times a week and leaves us wonderful Levains, Cereals, Puglieses, Baguettes and more. So with all this wonderfuI Blue Dog Bakery bread laying around, I make strada a lot. It is super simple and it is a good use of leftover bread. Basically, strada is a savory bread pudding. I usually put whatever is in my fridge in this breakfast delight. I think my favorite combo is grape tomatoes, red pepper, green onion, sweet corn, jalepeno jack, monterey jack and cilantro (seen below).

Before Oven Insertion.

After 3/4 is eaten.

My Bump, My Bump, My Bump 2.0

2008-03-12T13:19:00.008-04:00

Vargo, you asked for a bump update. BAM!

Leap Year in Bloomington, In

2008-03-12T13:01:00.010-04:00

For those of you who were sick, cold and broke; here are some shots from the Mperfect/PlopPlop Leap Year event at the Art Hospital . Our friends, The Impossible Shapes , played some songs and it was a delightful evening. The show was received well and we walked out with hella' cash (that was spent on a bloomington b&b and baby shopping spree on the way home)! Oh well oh well oh well oh well.

Eggplant Parmesan

2008-02-23T13:40:00.015-05:00

So, Alicia and I love to cook together. We would surely open a busniess together if we could settle on an idea/won the lottery. But until that happens (cause it will), we will cook and bake and drink wine while dreaming about it.

This is the second time we have labored at Eggplant Parmesan. It's a pain in the ass to make and the recipe is a pain in the ass to recreate. So, here is what was left of our lovely dinner. It was delicious.

We all love making these eggplant chips.

And dipping the chips in our tasty sauce. Yum.

Baby Beard

2008-02-23T13:38:00.002-05:00

He says he's not cutting this thing until this baby comes. Baby beard or bust!

Just For Kicks

2008-02-23T13:36:00.003-05:00

We were trying not to laugh sooooooooo hard. And for all you who know J, doesn't he look like a crazed killah? I mean, that's hilarious right?

we love.