Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Until it tests done.


Pizza!

I made pizza last night. I used some of our turnips and the rest was a mish mash of things. I used giardiniera to spice it up (just a spoonful!) and then black olives, roasted garlic, carrots and onions. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out, although the giardiniera was pretty spicy for my family. The sauce was nice and creamy and let the toppings shine through. The crust was a little on the dense side and really crackery. The last few times I haven't been real pleased with the crust. I think I'm on the lookout for a new pizza crust- I've got my eye on a few recipes. The veggies I just put on greased baking sheets and roasted at 350 degrees for 30m.

White Pizza Sauce
1 T Earth Balance
3 T flour
1 C plain soymilk
1/2 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder

Blend soymilk, flour, salt and garlic powder in blender (no lumps!). Meanwhile, melt Earth Balance in pot, lower heat, add blender mixture and whisk constantly while bringing up the heat until thick.

Also I made applesauce cake. I guess I missed Applesauce Cake Day, June 6th- d'oh! Or June 4th- there seem to be some discrepancies... anyway, I made this for my husband's work, they had some sort of potluck going on... I think it will be good, never having made it, but all the ingredients were good and it sure smelled good. Will have to update later...

There seems to be a lot of love for the applesauce cake! I used this recipe, with a few changes...

Applesauce Cake
2 C flour
1 C sugar
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
2 t baking soda
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C rolled oats
1 1/2 C applesauce (I used sweetened 'cause that's what I had)
1/2 C shortening (or Earth Balance or oil)

Toast your walnuts and oats. Watch that they do not burn.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9 x 9" pan. Mix dry, then wet- do not overmix! Fold in walnuts and oats. Pour into pan and bake 30-45m or until it tests done.

Notes;
could add 1/2 C molasses and down the amount of applesauce to 1 C.
could try just 1t baking powder
could add 2t ginger
could lower salt to 1/2 t or 1/4 t.

Vanilla Glaze (from here, but different)
2 T soymilk
1 t canola or vegetable oil
1/4 t vanilla
1/2 C - 3/4 C powdered sugar (whizz reg vegan sugar in blender)

Warm soymilk and oil. Remove from heat and add vanilla and powdered sugar, return to heat and bring up heat until boiling, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and pour over cake.

Notes; next time try almond extract- fancy! Perhaps with almonds in the cake itself?
Also, try brown sugar frosting, but with organic cane sugar, Mmmm!

Minimal knitting, no reading- gotta get to the library, and quick!