Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Needed a quick dessert that didn't require much effort.  I've been up since 3:30am and I'm tired.  Not too tired to want dessert though!

3 cups Very Vanilla Soymilk
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup Skippy Natural peanut butter
Dash of salt

Heat the Soymilk until hot in microwave.  Add the sugar, peanut butter, and salt.  Stir until peanut butter is melted.  Blend until smooth with immersion blender.

I made a nice frosty cup with my Zoku freezy cup but you can use your ice cream maker too.

Easy Easter Colors

The creamiest and easiest potaotes you'll ever eat!  And such pretty colors.  Jennie pointed out they even looked like Easter eggs.  These were much easier than dying eggs though.

This is a Colombian dish called Fried Papas Criollas.

I used 2 lbs of tri colored heirloom potatoes but you can use any small potatoes like red baby bliss or baby goldens.

Wash and air dry the potatoes and make sure they are totally dry.

Preheat your filled to the full line deep fryer to 350.

Gently lower about one pound of the clean and dry potatoes into the hot oil with a spider.  Place the lid on the fryer.

Fry the potatoes for 15 minutes.  The skins will be wrinkled but not split.

Remove from the oil onto paper towels.  Generously salt, and pepper if you like.  Repeat with the rest of the potatoes.

So creamy.  Not greasy.  Very good!

Oh My Oreo

Josef's makes a gluten free, vegan Oreo than Len loves.  Too bad they haven't been producing them lately for some reason and she can't get them!

Like a good mom, I just had to make them for her!  I adapted the recipe on Food Networks website. I will say that they are really delicious but I am exhausted.  They are worth the effort, I promise!

Filling:

1 stick Earth Balance Margarine, softened
1 stick Earth Balance Shortening, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, Trader Joe's brand is corn free, sifted or given a good once over with a fork
1/4 teaspoon maple syrup

Beat the margarine and shortening until light and fluffy.  Switch to your whisk attachment.  Add the powdered sugar and whip tip smooth.  Add the maple syrup and whip until blended.

Scrape into a bowl with airtight lid and set aside.

Cookies:

1-1/3 cups cocoa powder
1-1/4 cup GF baking mix
Dash of salt
2 sticks Earth Balance Margarine
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons potato or tapioca starch

Preheat oven to 325.

In a medium bowl, combine the baking mix, cocoa, and salt with a fork to get lumps out of cocoa powder.  Set aside.

In mixer, cream together the margarine and sugar.  Add the potato starch and combine.  Add the dry ingredients and blend just until moist.  This is a thick, dense, dough.

With a spatula, divide dough in half.  Shape each half into a ball and place each on its own piece of parchment paper.  Place another piece of parchment on top of each.  Roll into a rectangle about 1/4" thick.  Place in the fridge for at least an hour.

Cut into 2" circles with a cookie cutter (or a lid to a jar of vitamins like I did).  Please 2" apart on cookie sheet.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes before baking.

Repeat this process until both rectangles are cut into circles and baked.  You may re-roll the scraps once.  I also baked the scraps after the second rolling!  Still delicious no matter the shape!

Bake for about 15 minutes or until edges are crispy and set.  Cool completely on wire racks.

Assemble the sandwich cookies with the frosting and enjoy!  I got 24 circles from each half of the dough.  That makes 2 dozen full sandwich cookies.

Pastaaaaaa Salad

Heading to a party tomorrow and decided to make Bub some pasta salad.  I've been in the kitchen all day!  Dishwasher is running for the third time today and I'm finally sitting!

Pasta salad can contain whatever veggies and meats or meat alternatives you like really.  Growing up, we typically had tomatoes, olives, pepperoni, and a variety of cheeses tossed with a vinegar based dressing.

While Bub uses lots of vegan products because of his milk allergy, he is not a vegan. This salad contains bacon but you could easily use bacon substitute or leave it out completely.

Half pound Tinkyada gluten free spaghetti, or whatever pasta you like
Half bag of frozen edamame
Small can of sliced olives
10 strips of bacon, cut in bite sized pieces (we use Market Day pre-cooked)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, Daiya
1/4 cup avocado purée, Hass sells these in little 4-pack cups
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Vegan shredded cheddar, Daiya

While your pasta is boiling, put the frozen edamame, olives, bacon, and olive oil in the bottom of a large container with a lid.  Set aside.

In a small microwaveable bowl, heat the Daiya cream cheese until just warm.  Add the avocado purée and stir until combined.  Add salt, pepper, and cumin to taste.

With your spider, lift the pasta from the water into the bowl onto the edamame, bacon, olives, and olive oil.  Add the Daiya cream cheese and avocado combo and stir to coat all the noodles and distribute the edamame, olives, and bacon.  Refrigerate until cold.  Add the Daiya cheddar shreds when cold, before serving.