Kitchen fun

This was the weekend for experimentation. After a long week of getting ready for class, I'm an accounting major, I needed a break. For me that mean being creative. So Friday I pulled out all of my jewelry supplies and made a few things and replaced a few things (VegMama tends to lose earings). Then I started in the kitchen...

First I tried Vegan Dad's Mini Irish Pies. I followed his recipe except I didn't use the crust. I didn't want the extra fat. I have a family picture in a few months and I need to lose some weight. The pies were good but too many herbs for Vore. I saw a post last week on one of the blogs I follow and I was SUPER excited. Vegan Liverwurst!!! What can I say, I'm German. And it was good!!!! I'm having some amazing lunches this week. Now if you didn't like Liverwurst or Braunschweiger in your pre-veg days, you still woun't like it. If you've never had it it's like pate, if somewhat jiggly soft meat type things gross you out ( it unfortunataly looks like canned cat food) your probably woun't like it. But, like Feta cheese, if you close your eyes and breathe through your mouth the first time you try it, it's AWESOME!!!!! And then you can go back to eating like normal. Or you can just chalk it up to the crazy Germans that try to turn every meat into a wurst, or a vegan wurst. LOL, it's probably genetic.

Next I tried some homemade pitas...they taste good, but the picture speaks for itself. They didn't puff so no pockets. I cut them in half so I could use them for my lunch. Needless to say I need more practice!

I've wanted to make good crusty bread for a while. I LOVE bread, but I don't like spending 4-6 dollars for a loaf at the store. I searched around and found that the recipe is the same recipe I learned from my mom, the raising time and baking is a little different though.

I'm going to continue playing with flavors. I think next time I'll add whole garlic cloves to the dough before baking. Crusty Bread @ Home 2t Yeast 1 T salt 3c hot water 6 c all purpose flour. I used a half and half mix of wheat and unbleached all white. Mix the water, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Slowly add the flour. Mix together until all of the flour is incorporated. Set aside and cover (I like to use a clean bath towel), allow to rise for about 2 hrs. Sprinkle flour on the dough, cut in two. Shape the loaves and set on cornmeal. Cover and let rest for 40ish min. Preheat oven to 450 Fahrenheit. Put an inverted cookie sheet on the middle rack. Allow to heat with the oven. Use the broiler pan; you will put 1c water into it when you start baking the bread. Put the bread on the inverted pan, cornmeal side down. Sprinkle with a little flour, cut 2-3 shallow cuts into the top of the bread. Bake for 30 min.