Calabacita Pizza Casserole with RECIPE!

To all the Bad Kitties out there!

 

How is everyone! It has been fun and busy over here. I am in the process of starting a third blog (I know, I know) and I have been working on content for that. It will be dedicated to two of my other great loves, make up and crafting. I am also finally getting the tail end of the great waterpipe explosion cleaned up in my room, and lastly, I am working slowly on unpacking our very full kitty room so it can get turned into a studio. When you add in the fact I am on a diet and getting ready for my second great travel class, (to Akron Ohio) it has been busy! I have still been in the kitchen, making great food for myself and my family. Recently, Jason and I have been trying to cut down on our gluten, and having many gluten free days. I the process of this, I devised this great casserole. You could easily make this, feed your family, and have left overs for lunch.

 

If you do not have a large family, and having a 9X13 sized pan of anything is daunting, then I suggest that you cut the amount of ingredients in half, and just use an 8X8 baking dish.

 

Calabacita Pizza Casserole

Serves 6-8

 

4-6 cups of cooked quinoa

6 cups of vegetable broth
1-2 large yellow crookneck squash
1-2 large zucchini
3 large ‘beefsteak’ tomatoes
1 cup of vegan chorizo
1 can of diced tomatoes, 15 oz
1 can of tomato sauce, 15 oz
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 cup of vegan cheese, shredded (I used Daiya)
 

In a pot, combine the vegetable broth and quinoa.

Use a medium heat until simmering rapidly, then turn down and allow to cook, about 15 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked.

Meanwhile, slice the zucchini and squash into rounds.

Slice the tomatoes into rounds, discarding the very tops and bottoms.

In a bowl combine the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes with the oregano.

Line a 9 X 13 baking dish with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the cooked quinoa in the bottom of the baking dish.

Top with a layer of the yellow squash, then a layer of the tomatoes, then a layer of the zucchini.

Top with the chorizo. Spoon the tomato sauce over the top so it makes an even layer.

Top that with the vegan cheese, and place in the oven.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the squash is tender to being pierced with a fork, but not mushy.

Allow to cool, then cut into slices and serve.

 

 

 

Chorizo Broccoli Baked Potato with RECIPE!

 

 

Sometimes, you just need a dinner that is a little sinful. After all, life is about being alive. That means that there are those moments when you want to go big, or go home. This twice baked potato is my creation for those moments.

 

This uses soy chorizo. I recommend the brand from Trader Joes if you can get it. It is both delicious and inexpensive. I also used Tofutti Sour Cream, Earth Balance butter, and Daiya cheddar if you want the exact brands.

 

Enjoy!

 

Chorizo Broccoli Baked Potatoes

4 servings

4 large russet potatoes

½ package or 8 oz of vegan chorizo

¼-1/3 cup of plain vegan coffee creamer

½ package or 4 oz of vegan cream cheese

2 tablespoons vegan butter

2 cups of lightly cooked broccoli florets

1/3 cup of vegan cheese, such as Daiya Cheddar

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Wash your potatoes and place on a cookie sheet. I also cover mine with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Being careful not to go through to the other side, scoop out the middle of the potatoes, leaving a shell on all sides except the top. Place all the scooped out potato into a bowl then add the vegan chorizo, butter, cream cheese, cheese (shredded) and mash until light and fluffy. Carefully stir in the broccoli, then use the mixture to refill the scooped out potatoes. Replace them on the cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for an additional 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

 

Quadruple Caramel Cupcakes!

All Packaged Up for the Party!!

 

 

What inspires you?

 

I love being surrounded by inspiration, but I find it in many places. The urge to get in the kitchen and make something fabulous can be triggered by tasting something wonderful in a restaurant, seeing a beautiful picture in a cookbook, or in the pages of a worn recipe booklet from the 1940’s. However, a cool retro apron can make me want to bake, or the colors of the new fall make-up from Kat Von D can inspire a new cookie creation.

Right now, I am working on a host of new desserts. Some of them are full calorie, and some are low calorie. Some are quick for when you need that fix in a hurry, and some are complicated. I will start posting those up soon.

In the meantime, maybe this will give you some inspiration! Everyone knows I catered a wedding a few weeks ago, but it is high time that you see some pictures! These are my quadruple caramel cupcakes. They were a rich caramel cake, filled with a spiced caramel flan, topped with a sweet, rice caramel butter cream, and topped with a homemade salt and pepper vegan caramel. Love! More than anything this creation reminded me that my dream is to open a bakery some day. I would love to see someone bite into one of these!

Off to finish my baking and recipes for my cooking class tomorrow. If you happen to be in the Phoenix area, I have a dessert class going, and it will be 9/20/12 at 3pm and there will be samples of everything! Hope to see you there!

-Madelyn

Sweet Lime Kabobs with RECIPE!

Kabobs on the Grill

I’m back!

 

Sorry everyone about the break. I had a huge wedding cupcake project to do (which turned out quite well) and then I needed some creative time off. Now I am back to creating great recipes and providing inspiration.

 

This weekend I created a bunch of meals that last well in the refrigerator, are easy to prepare, and tasty! One of these were kabobs marinated in a tangy, sweet lime sauce. The recipe is super simple.

 

You will need –

 

1 package extra firm tofu

1-2 zucchini

1 package of crimini mushrooms

½ a yellow onion

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

Kabob sticks (I used 4 ½ inch sticks) (you will need about 12-15)

 

1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons agave

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

2-3 cups cooked quinoa

 

A small grill, such as a hibachi

 

Combine the vegan Worcestershire sauce, agave, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Wash your vegetables and cut them into thick chucks. You don’t want anything to be small or delicate when it will be on the kabob, or it can easily fall off.  Skewer your veggies on the sticks, and marinade in the sauce. Light up the grill if needed so it can come to temperature. Cook the quinoa if needed. Once the grill is ready, grill your skewers!! Save any leftover marinade, and use it to dress the quinoa. Cook the kabobs for about 10-15 minutes, so the vegetables are slightly tender, and the tofu is cooked. Remove from heat and serve on a bed of the dressed quinoa.

 

 

Almond Mexican Vanilla Burbon Cupcakes

Hi Everyone! What have you been cooking up in the kitchen? I did a whole class on grains with Jason this last Thursday, finished the meal service for this week, and now I am going to get started making the cupcakes. What cupcakes? I am catering a wedding and a reception. All told, I developed 7 new cupcakes, including the one pictured – Almond Mexican Vanilla Burbon. The filling is a cinnamon Mexican vanilla flan, the cupcakes have ground almonds as part of the flour, and the frosting is cinnamon Mexican vanilla.

 

Now anyone who wants to tell me that vegan food is tasteless can officially kiss my… cupcakes.