Day 366 Cream Cheese Danish

I made it through the year.  This is the last one.

Cream Cheese Danish

8 Ounces Vegan Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Earth Balance
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Warm Water
2 Packages Dry Yeast
Equivalent 2 Eggs*
4 Cups All Purpose Flour

*2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseeds, 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder, 2 Teaspoons Potato Starch, 2 Tablespoons Oil, 6 Tablespoons Water - mixed together.

Filling
16 Ounces Vegan Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Ounces Vegan Sour Cream

Glaze
2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Soy Milk
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1.  Heat sour cream, Earth Balance, sugar and salt in a saucepan.  Stir occasionally until Earth Balance melts.  Let  cool.

2.  Combine yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Let stand 5 minutes.

3.  Stir egg equivalent into sour cream mixture. With the motor of the mixer running, alternately add the flour and the wet mixture.  Dough will be soft.  Cover the dough and chill at least 8 hours.

4.  Filling - Beat all of the filling ingredients together at medium speed with an electric mixer.

5.  Divide the dough into 4 portions.  Roll the pieces out into rectangles.  Spread the rectangles with the filling.  Roll the long end of the dough up into a large jellyroll style log.  Pinch the ends together.  Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

6. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.  Lightly make several slits on the top of each log.  Bake at 375 for 20 -30 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and cool some.

Danishes ready to rise

7.  Glaze - Stir together all of the ingredients.  Drizzle the loaves with glaze.

Baked danishes, ready for the glaze

Soundtrack Christmas Mood - Piano Instrumental Lugn Musik for Daglig

Day 365 Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Carrots

Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Carrots

1/2 Pound Fresh Brussels Sprouts, shredded
3 Large Carrots, chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar
1 Tablespoon Molasses
Rind of 1 Orange, grated
Juice of 1 Orange

1.  Cook brussels sprouts and carrots in oil.  Cover and reduce temperature to let the vegetables steam.

2.  Bring the agave nectar, molasses, rind and juice to a simmer in a small saucepan. After all ingredients are well combined and heated through, pour over the vegetables.  Toss well.

Goes well with jambalaya and sweet potato rolls.

Soundtrack The Flying Eyes - Done So Wrong

Day 364 Buttery Asparagus

Buttery Asparagus

3 Pounds Fresh Asparagus, tough ends chopped off
1/4 Cup Earth Balance
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Pepper

1. Place asparagus in a large skillet with water to slightly cover.  Bring to a boil and cook until crisp tender.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

2.  Melt the Earth Balance, salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Pour over the asparagus and cook until thoroughly heated.  Serve immediately.

Goes well with roasted winter vegetables.

Pairs well with 2015 Alsace Pinot Blanc

Soundtrack Phish - 12/30/2015 Madison Square Garden

Day 363 Roasted Winter Vegetables

Roasted Winter Vegetables

4 Parsnips, peeled and cubed
4 Turnips, peeled and cubed
1 Rutabaga, peeled and cubed
1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeds removed and cubed
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/3 Cup Earth Balance, melted

Peeled parsnips, turnips, and rutabaga

1.  Spread vegetables in large, greased roasting pan. Sprinkle flour, salt and pepper over the vegetables and mix to coat.

Floured vegetables

2.  Drizzle the Earth Balance over the veggies.  Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes.

Goes with the Black Rice Stuffing

Pairs well with Claude Lancelot Champagne

Soundtrack Queen Latifah - All Hail the Queen

Day 362 Black Rice Stuffing

Black Rice Stuffing

3 Ounces Dried Cherries
2 Cups Port Wine
3 1/2 Cups Veggie Broth
1/2 Cup Black Rice (brown rice or wild rice will work)
1/2 Cup White Rice
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Onion, chopped
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
2 Cups Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs
1/4 Cup Earth Balance
3 Tablespoons Flour
1 Sprig Rosemary, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt

1.  Combine cherries and port; let stand 1 hour. Drain, reserving wine.

2. Bring 2 cups broth, the rices, pepper, onion and celery to a boil in a medium saucepan.   Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes,  until the rice is tender.  Stir in breadcrumbs and cherries.  The mixture will be dry.

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.   Add the reserved port and 1 1/2 Cups broth.  Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly.  Add the rosemary, garlic and salt.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.

Port Sauce

4.  Pour  the sauce over the rice mixture and mix well.  Bake in a covered dish at 375 F for 45 minutes.

After adding port sauce and ready to bake

Goes well with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts.

Used a Borges Porto Tawny Port

Soundtrack Fantasia - I Believe

Day 361 Shaved "Parmesan"

Shaved "Parmesan"

1 Cup Brazil Nuts
1/2 Cup Pine Nuts
1/2 Cup Sauerkraut Juice
2 Tablespoons Miso
1/4 Nutritional Yeast
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1.  Soak the Brazil nuts in water for at least 4 hours. Drain.

2. Place all of the ingredients in a high speed blender.  Puree at the highest setting until the mixture is smooth, about 1 - 2 minutes. Put in a covered container and set aside at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, until the flavors are nice and sharp and have deepened.

Ready to bake

3.  Preheat the oven to 250 F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Using a spatula or dough flat edge, spread the mixture almost paper thin on the pans.

4.  Bake for 30 minutes until dry and golden brown.  Let it cool,then break into shards.  Store in the refrigerator.  This is not a melty cheese like fresh Parmesan, but it is good to toss on a salad or with pasta.

Soundtrack George Michael - Ladies and Gentlemen

Day 360 Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Pound Brussels Sprouts, halved
9 Slices "Bacon" Tempeh. chopped
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

1.  Cook Brussels sprouts in boiling water to cover and they turn bright green.  Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process.  Remove the core of the sprouts then slice and chop.

2.  Add the oil to a large skillet.  Saute the tempeh and sprouts, seasoning with the salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

Goes well with Sweet Potato Rolls

Pairs well with 2013 Chassagne Montrachet

Soundtrack Andra Day - Merry Christmas from Andra Day

Day 359 Sweet Potato Rolls

Sweet Potato Rolls

1 Large Sweet Potato, peeled and chopped
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
6 - 7 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Cup Soy Milk
Equivalent 2 Eggs*
1 Tablespoon Safflower Oil

*2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseeds, 2 Teapoons Potato Starch, 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder, 2 Tablespoons Oil, 6 Tablespoons Water mixed together

1.  Boil sweet potatoes in water until tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain, reserving 1 Cup of cooking liquid.  Cool to lukewarm.

Mashed sweet potato

2.  Mash potatoes, stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Set aside.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and reserved liquid.  Make sure the liquid has cooled to warm or it will kill the yeast. Let stand 10 minutes.

Risen dough

4.  Using a dough hook, begin mixing at a medium speed.  Add 6 cups flour, salt, milk and eggs.  Alternately adding the dry and wet ingredients.  Add the sweet potatoes.  Add additional flour until the dough is not too sticky. Grease the dough in the bowl and let stand in a warm place for 1 hour.

log to cut into rolls

5.  Punch dough down and turn out on a floured surface.  Roll the dough into a large log.  Cut the dough into rolls and place on a baking sheet lined with  parchment paper.

Rolls ready to rise.  I rise my breads in a warming oven set on proof

6. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Cook at 400 F for 15 - 20 minutes.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Goes well with Jambalaya

Soundtrack David Lanz - Christmas Eve

Day 358 Easy Jambalaya

Easy Jambalaya

1 Onion, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Tablespoon Oil
4 Italian Unsausages (Day 357)
4 Cups Beyond Chicken, chopped
3 Cups Uncooked Brown Rice
24 Ounces Creamy Mushroom Soup
32 Ounces Veggie Broth
2 - 4 Cups Water
3 Teaspoons Hot Sauce
3 Tablespoons Spice Mix (Day 356)

This makes a lot, use a very large pan.

1. Saute onions and pepper in hot oil in a large pan for 5 minutes.  Stir in sausage, chicken, rice, soup and broth.

2.  Cook on the stove top, covered for 40 minutes.  Check after 20 minutes and stir well.  Add water as needed.  Cook for an additional 20 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes and adding water as needed.

3.  Uncover and continue cooking on the stove top until all the water is absorbed.  Add water if neccessary to keep from sticking.

Pairs well with 2012 Maggie Malick Meritage

Soundtrack Jimmy Buffet- Tis the Season

Day 357 Italian Unsausages

Italian Unsausages

1/2 Cup Bulgar Wheat
1 1/2 Cups Boiling Water
1/2 Cup Sundried Tomatoes, minced (not packed in oil)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Cups Onion, diced
2 Tablespoons Garlic, minced
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Tomato Paste
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Miso
2 Tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter
1 1/2 Teaspoons Fennel Seeds
1 1/2 Teaspoons Dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Spice Mix (Day 356)
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper, ground
1 1/2 Cups Vital Wheat Gluten

1.  Put the bulgar wheat and sundried tomatoes in a bowl and pour the water over.  Let soak for 15 minutes.

2.  Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic.  Saute until fairly tender.  Turn off the heat and add the water, tomato paste, soy sauce, miso, and peanut butter.  Mix well.  Use an immersion blender to roughly puree the mixture.  Put in a large bowl.

3.  Add the bulgar wheat and tomato mix to the puree.  Add the spices and and mix.  Add the vital wheat gluten and mix well. Roll the mixture into 12 sausages about 4 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.  Wrap each log in aluminum foil.

Ready to steam

4.  Place the logs in a steamer and steam for about 1 hour.  They will be very soft at first, but will firm up as they cool.  Store in the refrigerator for one week.

Goes well in Jambalaya

Soundtrack Winter Solstice - Musique pour Etudier: Musique Instramentale