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