January 23, 2010February 4, 2012 by betsy

Vegan “Sausage” and Red Bell Pepper Puff Pastry Heart Tarts (Perfect for a Vegan Valentine’s Breakfast or Brunch)

Yield: 20 small tarts

Why not serve these savory heart-smart tarts to your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day? They are simple, special, quick and delicious, and they only look and taste like you labored for hours.

When I realized that Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, I began brainstorming brunch ideas for my vegan column, “The Veggie Table,” in The Virginian-Pilot. For it, I ultimately decided on unforgettable Red Velvet Pancakes. (I’ve posted a teaser with a photo, but will post the recipe as soon as it appears in the Pilot, as per my agreement with them.)

But these little morsels were one of my ideas and they are scrumptious. So if you prefer a savory to a semi-sweet breakfast, then I encourage you to whip up a platter of these heart tarts and serve them with a side of fruit for a very beautiful and satisfying start to the day.

The flecks of red bell pepper make them especially fitting for any of the “red” holidays, so you might cut the pastry out in the shape of stars and make tarts for a Christmas breakfast or brunch. But simple squares or circles would make them suitable for any day of the year.

Though they are especially fitting in the morning, they would also make delicious hors d’oeuvres on an afternoon or evening buffet.

Vegan Pastry:
1 box Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (removed from box and thawed 40 minutes on counter)

Vegan “Sausage” and Red Pepper Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a large red bell pepper, finely diced
3 large cloves garlic, sliced
8 ounces tempeh (I used the “garden” variety–no pun intended–with flecks of vegetables)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Amino Acids
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 “squirt” of lemon juice
1 “squirt” of Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour (white would also work)
4 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk (plain would also work)
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add bell pepper and saute for about a minute or two until it starts to soften. Add garlic and saute another couple of minutes or until garlic softens and just barely begins to develop golden color. Crumble tempeh into skillet, stir well and add next 8 ingredients, sauteing and stirring until tempeh is uniform in color, fennel seeds release fragrance, and mixture is warmed through. Sprinkle with flour and immediately add milk, cooking and stirring until flour no longer tastes raw and mixture begins to bind together. Season with salt and pepper, stir well, and remove from heat.

Cut puff pastry into 20 hearts, 10 per sheet and place on a lightly oiled or Silpat-lined baking sheet. Using a spoon or small scoop, place approximately 2 teaspoons of filling into the center of each heart. Bake on the center oven rack for approximately 16-17 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot, warm or room temperature.

January 18, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Red Velvet Valentine’s Pancakes–A Teaser

With MLK Day off from school, I had some time for morning experimentation in the kitchen. For my February “Veggie Table” column in The Virginian-Pilot, I thought I would make a special Valentine’s Breakfast since the holiday falls on a Sunday. My aunt, Bessie Weed’s, red velvet cake has long inspired my love of Red Velvet everything causing me to transform her cake into cookies, shortcakes and, now, pancakes.

First I checked online and, not surprisingly, there were a number of non-vegan iterations, including some from a particular restaurant that folks raved about, but that were unappetizingly pink. Others were thin and otherwise not what I was after. Quite honestly, only one appealed: a very romantic and lovely photo with a recipe on someone’s blog, but they were not vegan. Still, it was the look I was after and I knew it could be done.

So, I turned to the go-to pancake formula that I developed and then added the key Red Velvet ingredients. After a couple of adjustments, they were ready to cook and boy-oh-boy, can I just tell you: I ate all four from my photo shoot for breakfast. I’m off to go walk and dance them off (I have a lesson today)!

They were so pretty that I had to post the photo and a brief enticement. As soon as The Virginian-Pilot publishes my February column, I will post the complete recipe. So stay tuned!

Happy MLK Day!

January 7, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Texas Trash–the Original Chex Mix (Veganized)

No, this isn’t a new reality T.V. show. (Ouch!)

Rather, it’s my mom’s “old school” recipe for what most folks now call “Chex Mix.” She makes it every year at Christmas and stores it in the big plastic bin that you see pictured. I have to ration myself daily or I would eat the whole thing. And I’d be in good company. I tell myself it’s healthy; after all it’s made from nuts and cereals fortified with vitamins and minerals. There is the small issue of all the (vegan) butter, but…

Nowadays, what people think is the original recipe isn’t, but it’s the only one they’ve known. If you’ve searched for Chex Mix recipes in recent years–even on the Chex website–you’ve likely turned up versions with all kinds of ingredients that weren’t in the original: cheese crackers, chocolate chips and more. I’m hardly ever dogmatic about recipes–I love iterations and permutations–but this one is an exception. I only like it the way my mama prepares it. And I hope you will too.

16 ounces Wheat Chex
12 ounces Rice Chex
10 ounces Cheerios
10 ounces pretzels (sticks are best or the small ones)
10 ounces (or a little more!) mixed nuts
10 ounces peanuts
12 ounces vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
1/4 cup Amino Acids or vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 tablespoon celery salt

Melt vegan butter in small sauce pan; stir in Amino Acids or vegan Worchestershire sauce and seasoning salts. Let stand. Meanwhile in two roasting pans, divide the nuts, cereals and pretzels. Divide vegan butter mixture between both pans, pouring over cereal and mixing lightly. Bake uncovered at 225 degrees for 2 hours stirring gently every 20 minutes. Spread out on brown paper or paper towel-lined baking sheets to cool. Store in air tight container. Will keep for a long time.

January 5, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Mom’s Vegan English Butter Toffee–A Winter Holiday Tradition

Though, regrettably, this is too late for the winter holiday season just past, I still wanted to share my mom’s annual Christmas confection. (I had to wait until after it was made to photograph it. So, be sure to bookmark it for next year…but, come to think of it, it’s good any time of year.)

For as long as I can remember, Mama has stayed up late making candy the night before I leave my family’s home to return to my own after Christmas. She always tucks a canister of it into my carry on luggage for me to eat and share on the plane–there are frequently passengers I know–or when I arrive at my destination.

In 2004, after she had been making it for many, many years, it mysteriously flopped. (In those days, I was vegetarian, but not vegan, so she was using all of the ingredients she had always used and the same recipe.) I think she made it at least twice–maybe three times–and each time the sugar crystallized. We were both baffled. She ended up scrapping it all, but several days later, I received a “kit” in the mail that included a sheet of toffee that had worked reasonably well, though it was still grainy, some chocolate to melt and some nuts for sprinkling. Not perfect, it was still fun to assemble and eat.

The next year, thinking the failed attempts were a fluke, I was writing a feature about Mama’s toffee for our newspaper’s food section and the same thing happened to me. With a pan of it in thrown into the woods beside our house and a photo shoot the next day, I turned to the most scientific foodie I know of: Alton Brown. In an online recipe, he recommended combining two types of sugar–regular granulated sugar and a little corn syrup–to prevent crystallization. It worked beautifully and that’s how we’ve been making it ever since.

Now we also substitute Earth Balance for real butter. The only difference is that, as the candy hardens, some of the oil seems to separate, so we just blot it up with a paper towel before layering on the chocolate and nuts.

I hope you enjoy this holiday tradition as much as we do. Happy New Year everyone and thanks, Mama!

1 pound vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
6 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
8 ounces vegan semi-sweet or vegan bittersweet chocolate
1 cup sliced almonds (or substitute coarsely chopped slivered almonds, pecans, macadamias or hazelnuts)

Butter a baking sheet and an offset spatula. Set pans on wire racks. Clip candy thermometer to a heavy 3 quart saucepan, preventing it from touching the bottom of the pan. In saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Meanwhile, mix together warm water and corn syrup. Stir sugar into melted butter, raise heat to medium or medium-high (about a 7 or 8 on a dial) and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in water-corn syrup mixture and cook, stirring constantly until thermometer reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit (the “hard crack” stage) or until golden brown, approximately 10-12 minutes. Note: temperature may reach as high as 350 degrees before candy reaches the desired caramel color, but it scorches easily, so be careful. Pour mixture onto baking sheet and, if necessary, use the offset spatula to coax candy to edges of the pan. Cool. Heat chocolate in microwave on 50 percent power or in the top of a double boiler until completely melted, stirring occasionally. Spread over slightly cooled toffee and sprinkle with almonds. Cool completely and refrigerate. Break into irregular pieces. Layer between waxed paper in an airtight container and store in a cool dry place.

December 27, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Happy [Vegan] Holidays from Bayona Restaurant in New Orleans!

I left home on Tuesday, December 22, bound for New Orleans, LA (NOLA), to meet my family for two nights in one of our favorite cities before going to my childhood home in Laurel, MS, where I am now. (My husband and I celebrate Christmas apart, with our respective families, but then meet somewhere for our own holiday…see below.)

The days leading up to my departure were so full, as are everyone’s this time of year, that I ran out of time to post a Happy Holidays greeting before I left, nor a recipe or two. And now I have even more recipes to post that I’ve created while here: an addictive one for spiral bread (my favorite pizza dough filled with olive paste, caramelized onions and fennel, roasted peppers, and homemade tofu “cheeze“) and one for pears poached in red wine topped with caramelized onion and a rosemary-scented wine reduction. But, alas, I find myself without necessary cables or flash drives to upload photos.

So, since I also find myself with blogging withdrawal, I’ll post some Internet pix and miscellaneous related posts about discoveries on our trip plus some great vegan boots until I return to VA. I’ll be away for another week, including a trip to Miami to meet my husband and two of our good friends. (Oh, how I miss my dogs…and my husband, but I’ll see him Wednesday!)

Though known internationally for its cuisine, New Orleans is hardly a vegan haven. However, one of the city’s best restaurants, Bayona, is on the same street as our hotel, the Chateau LeMoyne, and just a couple of blocks away at 430 Dauphine Street. Chef Susan Spicer is more than accommodating of those with special diets, including vegans. My recommendation is to inform the hostess that there is a vegan(s) in your party when you make your reservation and let Chef Spicer work her magic, or rather voodoo. Last year, during my family’s first pre-Christmas trip to NOLA, she prepared something delicious that involved radish cakes. This year, the sumptuous dish of pineapple, asparagus, mushrooms and a beautifully balanced sauce over fragrant “Jazzmen” rice was Asian-inspired.

If your travel plans take you to New Orleans, I can’t recommend Bayona highly enough. Unfortunately, the restaurant’s website at http://www.bayona.com/ has a lapsed account as of today. But try it at some point in the future and, in the meantime, try this link for a dining guide listing and review.

Wherever you may be this holiday season, laissez les bon temps roulez!

Photo Credit: from the Epicurean Wine Council’s website

December 17, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

The Big White Vegan Cake–Vegan German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan-Dried Cranberry Filling and Vegan Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Annually in December, Southern Living magazine publishes what their staff has come to call “The Big White Cake” issue. And with good reason. For years, come December, a glorious confection swathed in snowy white has graced the cover of their winter holiday issue. From tiered spectacles to more humble one-pan wonders, flavors have ranged from red velvet to chocolate to peppermint and many more.

For this month’s “Veggie Table,” my column in the Virginian-Pilot, we decided to borrow a page from their playbook and create our own version of The Big White Cake, only one that is completely egg- and dairy-free. Generating ideas was not the difficult part—white goes with everything—but narrowing down the choices was.

The approach of my friend Sharon Tanner’s birthday made the decision a little easier. Tasked with bringing the cake to her party, I asked what flavor her heart most desired. “German Chocolate,” was her unequivocal response. Ah, that was easy. It’s my dad’s favorite too.

So the cake layers are deep dark, but sweet, chocolate. The recipe I chose may be made with all-purpose or cake flour and melted vegan butter or canola oil. The cake flour and oil results in a somewhat lighter cake, and the all-purpose flour and butter results in one a bit denser. Both taste delicious; just choose the texture you prefer.

Though German Chocolate Cakes are typically coconut-and-pecan filled, but not frosted, I thought the addition of my favorite vegan cream cheese frosting would be both lovely and delicious. And it is. This show-stopping dessert is so pretty that it can do double-duty as a centerpiece.

For a more holiday-ish adaptation of the traditional filling, I took my cue from Lane Cake, adding dried cranberries to the filling along with a little citrus to brighten the fruit flavor. A hint of almond extract, in addition to the traditional vanilla, enhances the flavor of the nuts and coconut. And cognac—a nip of my husband’s “good stuff” brushed on the layers and stirred into the filling—creates subtle nuances and depth of flavor.

Decorating this cake may be akin to gilding the lily, but this season of the year seems to call for going a bit over the top in the name of festivity. I created borders from piped on frosting “stars” and pecan halves. If you don’t trust yourself wielding a pastry bag, pecan halves alone are plenty pretty and lend a homespun appeal, as would finely chopped pecans or flaked coconut pressed into the sides of the cake.

Though you could stop right there and still have an extra special dessert, I decided to add a crowning touch: a little finial and a focal point on the rim of the platter made from sugar-coated fresh cranberries and kumquats. The sugaring process is so simple that you could easily prepare enough fruit to make an entire border in mere minutes (after the overnight steeping).

Easy to make, but impressive to the eyes and palate, this cake embodies the spirit of this beautiful season when it is shared with friends and family.

Happy Holidays!

Chocolate Cake:
3 cups all-purpose or cake flour (the former yields a slightly denser cake; the latter slightly lighter)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup canola oil or melted vegan butter (the former yields a slightly lighter cake; the latter slightly denser)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cognac (or bourbon)
1 recipe Vegan Coconut, Pecan and Dried Cranberry Filling (recipe follows)
1 recipe Vegan Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
Garnishes: pecan halves, finely chopped pecans, and/or flaked coconut
Optional: sugared cranberries and kumquats (instructions follow)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch cake pans. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the dry ingredients, add the wet ones except cognac, and mix until well combined. Then beat for about 1 minute at medium speed or until smooth. Avoid over-beating. Bake for approximately 30 minutes (slightly longer for the 8-inch rounds) or until a toothpick inserted at the highest point comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on wire racks. Run a knife around the edges of the pans to loosen and turn out onto racks to cool. Cover layers loosely with a kitchen towel while cooling. Note: For other applications, you may bake this cake in 24 cupcake tins for 20-25 minutes or one 9 x11-inch pan for about 50 minutes.

When cake layers are cool, place the bottom tier on a serving plate and brush with one tablespoon of the cognac or bourbon. Spread with half the filling. Top with the second layer, brush it with remaining liquor, and spread with remaining filling. Frost just the sides of the cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting. Decorate as desired with optional piped on frosting stars, pecan halves and sugared fruit. In addition or alternatively, you may press finely chopped pecans or flaked coconut into the sides of the cake. Note: There will be enough frosting to pipe on a moderate amount of decoration. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for another use.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If cake layers “dome” while baking, allow them to cool and then use a serrated knife to slice off the crown of the dome. If the center of the layers is still noticeably higher than the sides, use a pastry bag or a resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off to pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the bottom cake layer to effectively raise the outer edge of the cake and create a “dam” for the filling. This will allow you to create a flat surface for the second layer to rest on. Do the same for the top layer to prevent the filling from spilling over the edges.

Cake recipe source: Susan Voisin and the Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

Vegan Coconut, Pecan and Dried Cranberry Filling:
1 cup unsweetened soy milk (plain, vanilla or vanilla lite would also be good)
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼-1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons cognac or bourbon
Juice of one lemon
½-1 teaspoon of lemon zest
1/3 cup cornstarch
¼ cup water
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 ½ cups pecan pieces or chopped pecans
½ cup (generous) dried cranberries

In a medium saucepan, mix the soy milk, coconut milk, sugar, extracts, cognac or bourbon, and lemon juice and zest. Whisk the cornstarch together with the water and add to soy milk mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until mixture boils and thickens. Cook and stir for one minute after it boils. Remove from heat and stir in coconut, pecans and dried cranberries. Cool to almost room temperature before spreading on layers.

Adapted from Susan Voisin and the Fatfree Vegan Kitchen. I added the dried cranberries to make the cake look more festive for the holidays, and then added the almond extract, cognac, lemon juice and zest to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.

Vegan Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:
½ cup vegan butter
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup vegan cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼-1/2 teaspoon almond extract
5 ½ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons plain soy creamer (unsweetened, plain, vanilla or vanilla lite soy milk would also work)

Cream together first three ingredients on high speed of electric mixer until creamy. Beat in extracts. Turn mixer off and add a little less than 2 cups of the powdered sugar and a tablespoon of soy creamer. Slowly turn mixer to high and beat until incorporated and fluffy. Repeat two more times until all of powdered sugar and creamer have been incorporated. Frosting should be creamy-stiff and peaks should hold their shape. If piping on decoration, you will want the frosting on the stiffer side.

Sugared Fresh Cranberries and Kumquats:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries and kumquats (skin on), combined
3/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar (granulated sugar will work fine, but will lend a coarser appearance; you may pulverize granulated sugar in a food processor, if desired)

Make simple syrup: combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Stir in fruit; pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Drain fruit in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid, if desired. Place sugar in a shallow dish. Add the fruit, rolling to coat with sugar. Spread sugared fruits in a single layer on a waxed paper or parchment paper-lined baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

Source: Cooking Light, December 2003

December 13, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Spinach, Corn and Cornbread Stuffing with Vegan Tomato Picatta Sauce

Yield: 8 servings

This recipe was born of the fear of letting an extra bunch of beautiful fresh spinach go to waste coupled with the desire to use up the remainder of a package of stuffing mix I found in my pantry when doing a little purging.

Like everyone, I love stuffing and corn pudding this time of year. So, I decided to combine those two ingredients and add spinach for beautiful green color and loads of vitamins. Silken tofu binds it all resulting in a beautifully textured, almost creamy, dish with protein aplenty. Sage, rosemary and thyme provide mellow seasonal flavors and a hint of paprika gives it a little kick.

It is delicious as is, but I felt like it needed a little zip if eaten alone. So, I made a version of my go-to Piccata sauce to which I added some left-over diced tomato. The red and green is a lovely and festive color combo and the sauce is exactly what the stuffing needed to balance its flavors.

Enjoy this soothing comfort food made healthy.

Stuffing:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups frozen corn
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon dry rubbed sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
large pinch dried thyme
pinch paprika
Optional: 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (I recommend including it)
3 cups vegan cornbread stuffing mix (I used Pepperidge Farm, but you have to read labels)
8 ounces fresh, pre-washed baby spinach, finely chopped in batches in food processor
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Oil a medium casserole dish. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften. Add garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, until corn is heated through and onion and garlic are soft. Stir in next 6 ingredients plus optional nutritional yeast. In a large bowl, combine corn mixture with remaining ingredients. Spoon lightly into prepared casserole dish–avoid packing–and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Toward the end of the baking period, make sauce.

Tomato Piccata Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine (I like Pinot Grigio)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
2 tablespoons plain soy creamer
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
4 generous tablespoons canned petite diced tomatoes in juice
generous pinch of sugar
coarse sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add garlic and saute, stirring constantly, until it softens and begins to turn golden; avoid browning. Add wine and lemon juice and cook down for a minute or two. Then stir in butter and allow to melt. Follow with creamer and heat through. Then add nutritional yeast and stir to combine. Finally, stir in tomatoes and sugar and heat through. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over warm stuffing.

December 12, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan-Dried Cranberry Filling and Vegan Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting–Teaser

I’m posting this photo as a tease to entice you to return for more good things to come. Once the recipe and story are published in “The Big White Cake” edition of my vegan column, “The Veggie Table,” this coming Wednesday, December 16, in The Virginian-Pilot, I will post it all for you. (If you are local, please support the newspaper and check it out in the “Flavor” section.) Until then, may visions of sugarplums dance in your head!

December 12, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan "Christmas Curry & Cakes"–Party Menu, Vegan Recipes and Tips

Top Photo: My late paternal grandmother, Cammie Jackson’s, tinsel tree with the party favors underneath. My parents gave me the tree still in its original cardboard box from the 1950s or ’60s. Virtually all of the ornaments were gifts, many from friends who attend this party.

Bottom Photo: The Christmas Curry topped with sidecars and served with cucumber salad.

Yield: party for 20 (including some second helpings)

Welcome to one of my very favorite holiday traditions!

For nearly ten years, come the second week of December, I have hosted my vegan Christmas Curry & Cakes Party. This year’s iteration, known more recently as the Christmas/Chanuka Curry and Cakes Party (or “CC&C” for short) was held on December 10. Wednesday nights early in the season seem to work out best for my friends.

This stream-lined party is simple enough to pull together for a weeknight, especially if you invite one of the guests to come over and cook a couple of nights before, as I did this year for the first time. Unlike in years past, I had done nothing in advance other than purchase the favors because we had had weekend guests and adopted our new dog Minnie (see her sweet photo and story in an earlier post.) Mary Beth and I had such a pleasant evening cooking that I’m going to make that an annual tradition too! (Thanks, Mary Beth!)

CC&C started out as a potluck well over a decade ago in Joe’s and my first house. But I really wanted to pamper my friends, so I developed a super-easy make-ahead menu. Why curry? My Thai-inspired (but not authentic) version of this savory stew-like dish is edible aroma-therapy, not to mention delicious, nutritious, beautiful and satisfying. Served with heaping bowls of crunchy, creamy and chewy condiments, it is also a lot of festive fun for guests.

Some of my earlier iterations of this curry were far more time consuming because they involved lots of chopping. Now, however, keeping both nutrition, taste, and convenience in mind, I use a combination of high-quality prepared, frozen and fresh ingredients. For example, using frozen cubed potatoes saves lots of prep time without sacrificing their healthful properties. And canned pumpkin actually concentrates the beta-carotene and vitamin A. Fresh spinach added at the very end to preserve its color and texture also lends a just-from-the-earth taste that nothing else can.

Serve the tasty amalgamation over plain jasmine rice with a cucumber-red onion-pineapple side salad, lots of sidecars to “dress” the curry, your favorite beverage (white wine, sparkling or not, is just right), a special dessert and coffee or tea. (On a given year, “Cakes” might become other “C” desserts: cupcakes, cookies, or even pumpkin cannoli!) Toss in a few Dollar Tree favors and, presto!, you have a party to which everyone will want to return year after year. And the very thought of it won’t make you want to go lie down.

See Tips, Timeline and Stations following these recipes:

Vegan Cocktail Nibbles
(optional–I usually serve the meal fairly early and often disband with nibbles.)

Blue Diamond brand nuts now offers a “Bold” line of smoked almonds. Try the chili-lime, jalapeno, and Maui onion and garlic.

Vegan Multi-Cultural Curry

Approximately 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium-large yellow onions, coarsely chopped (buy them already peeled to save time)
5 cloves garlic, minced (these can be purchased in a jar, already peeled, as well)
1 generous tablespoon each ground cumin, coriander and curry powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
1-32 ounce bag frozen hash browned potatoes
1-29 ounce can pureed pumpkin
3-15.5 ounce cans black beans, including juice
1-18.3 ounce box Campbell’s “Select” Butternut Squash Soup
1-32 ounce box vegetable stock or broth (stock is richer in taste)
1 jar peanut satay sauce from Thai section of international isle of supermarket (size is not critical)
1 squeeze bottle of lime juice (approximately 4 ounces)
2-14 ounce cans lite coconut milk
2/3 of 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (approximately 18 ounces)
16 ounces of fresh, pre-washed baby spinach

Open all containers first to speed preparation. Then, in an 8-quart stock pot (or larger), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften. Add garlic and continue sautéing until onion and garlic are soft and beginning to turn golden. Stir in spices and salt and pepper. Stir in potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until defrosted. Stir in next eight ingredients and heat through. Remove from heat and let cool completely, which will take a while due to size of pot. Refrigerate covered. Add spinach when you reheat the curry to serve so that the spinach will retain its color.

Rice
9 cups of water
salt
6 cups jasmine rice (for Indian curries, use basmati rice)

Place rice in a colander or strainer and rinse under cool running water until water runs clear (not milky). Bring water and a pinch of salt to a boil in large pot over high heat. Stir in rice. Cover tightly, lower heat to medium to medium-high and simmer for 18-20 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand approximately 10 minutes. Fluff with a large fork. Spoon rice into a large oiled casserole dish (or two) and allow to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate. See “Timeline” for heating instructions. Check for heat all the way through. If you are not quite ready to serve the meal when rice is hot, turn off oven, crack open the door, and leave rice in oven covered for a few more minutes, or place in warming drawer.

Sidecars
Approximately 2 cups of each to serve 20

Peanuts or Cashews
Sliced Green Onions
Fresh Cilantro Leaves (rinse, dry and pinch leaves off stems)
Lime Wedges
Chutney (any flavor–this year, I was running low, so I mixed mango chutney with pear butter–delicious!)
Plain or Toasted Coconut (To toast, spread in a thin layer in a metal pan and toast at 350 degrees for approximately 8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently and watching carefully, as it burns easily. Pour into a bowl to cool. Store covered.)
Dried Cranberries or Golden Raisins
Optional: finely diced medium-hot peppers (1 scant cup should be plenty)

Place in individual bowls. Cover and refrigerate those items that should remain cold until serving time. Serve with small spoons or forks.

Vegan Cucumber-Onion-Pineapple Salad
10 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded (by scraping down the middle with a spoon), and sliced into 1/3” slices
2 medium-large red onions, diced
Approximately 20 ounces of pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained
½ cup granulated sugar
1-12 ounce bottle rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Combine vegetables and fruit. Sprinkle with sugar and pour vinegar over. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust sugar, vinegar and seasoning as desired. Stir twice during the first hour and, thereafter, a couple of times each day until party time.

TIPS
Scheduling
· Plan the party for early in the week in order to take advantage of the weekend for some of the party preparation.
· Consider you and your friends’ schedules when choosing a start-time for the party so as not to create an awkward gap between when they leave work—if they are employed outside their homes—and when they should arrive for the party, nor a party that ends too late for those who rise early. You’ll also want time to freshen up and do a little last-minute preparation.
· Ask one or two guests to come about 30 minutes early to help with the last-minute tasks like filling the ice bucket and water glasses and lighting candles. Provide them with lists.
· Make your party an annual event (spiced up with slight changes each year) in order to get the preparation down to a “science,” meaning that you become increasingly efficient and relaxed.
· If you have your home professionally cleaned, schedule your housekeeper for the day of the party. Consider splurging on a “morning after” partial cleaning, as well.

Guests and Invitations
· If your friends are computer-users, email computer-designed “save-the-date” cards, invitations and even thank you notes (for those who bring hostess gifts). It is considerably more efficient, eco-friendly and inexpensive than shopping for cards and mailing them. (Save-the-date cards are especially critical if you throw your party during the busy winter holiday season.)
· Invite no more guests than you can seat comfortably. But don’t feel that everyone must eat at one table or even in one room. Consider “restaurant style” dining, seating some people at your kitchen or breakfast room table and some at a covered card table in your foyer as I do. Allow guests to choose their seats so that no one feels balkanized.

Menu and Serving
· Make everything ahead—doing a little preparation each evening over the course of three days—and keep the menu simple: main dish, salad, dessert and basic beverages. Consider inviting one of the guests to help cook as I did this year.
· Use a combination of high-quality prepared ingredients for convenience and fresh ingredients to boost the flavors, colors and textures.
· Skip appetizers—set out small bowls of nuts—and have the meal ready to eat very soon after guests arrive, as most people prefer to eat lighter on weeknights and end the evening earlier.
· Serve everything—beverages, meal and dessert—buffet style. Save table-setting time by including silverware on the buffet. Stand the silverware up in a heavy glass to save space.
· Map out in your mind—or on paper—where you will place your serving stations and try to prevent bottlenecks.
· For beverages, offer iced water, coffee or tea with dessert (decaf is a good idea for weeknights) and, if you choose to serve alcohol, only red and white wine in order to save time, space and money.
· Using ceramic, glass and stainless or silver dinner- and flatware makes the evening feel more special—and is more friendly to the environment.

Decorations and Favors
· Consider scheduling the party soon after a major holiday—or some other kind of party—so that your home is already decorated.
· Or skip the decorations altogether and let all of your dishes, glasses, flatware, serving pieces, coasters and napkins—not to mention the food, favors and guests—provide all of the color, sparkle and visual interest necessary. But do light a few candles. Placing them on mirror tiles enhances the illumination.
· Shop for deals on favors throughout the year and stash them until party time. Dollar stores are a great resource. Pop the favors in gift bags with a flourish of colorful tissue paper–or not–and place them at each guest’s place or, for Christmas, under the tree. Or leave them unwrapped and place them in a large basket or bowl by the front door.

Miscellaneous
· Make notes after the party about what worked well and what you would do differently the next time and file for easy retrieval.
· Set the mood with music and be prepared to raise and lower the volume as the evening progresses to allow for easy conversation.
· If the evening is cold and/or wet, have a plan for wraps and umbrellas.

TIMELINE

Anytime Throughout the Year
· Keep an eye out for inexpensive favors. When you find the perfect items, purchase and stash them. (Or make them if you have time.) If using gift bags, pick them up at the same time.

2 Months Before
· Purchase or design save-the-date cards and mail or, preferably, email them.

1 Month Before
· Purchase or design invitations and mail or again, preferably, email them. Always include an rsvp deadline along with a phone number and an email address if applicable. Keep track of responses on your computer. It’s nice to have the guest list saved for subsequent years.

1 Week Before
· Email a quick “looking forward to seeing you” message as a reminder for your busy friends.
· Put favors in gift bags, if using them, and store in a spare closet or bedroom.
· Make grocery list and put it where you can find it easily.
· Plan serving stations and borrow any cooking or serving pieces necessary.

4 Days Before
· Check pantry and refrigerator, adjust list and grocery shop (allow about 1 hour for shopping and putting groceries away).

3 Days Before
· Decorate, if desired (allow approximately 1½ hours).

2 Days Before
· Make curry, salad and rice (allow about 3 hours for cooking and cleaning up kitchen unless you share the duties with a friend, which I highly recommend.) Store rice in an oiled and covered oven-safe dish. It reheats beautifully at 350 degrees in about 15 or so minutes.

1 Day Before
· Make dessert.
While it bakes, do the following:
· Cook rice.
· Prepare condiments (slice green onions, pinch cilantro, slice limes, toast coconut and chop optional peppers), place all condiments in bowls, cover and refrigerate as necessary.
· Set tables with tablecloths or placemats, napkins and coasters. Everything else will be placed on the buffet stations. Set out favors.
· Run the dishwasher when you go to bed.

Day of the Party
Wake up a little early and:
· Unload the dishwasher.
· Set buffet stations (beverage, bar, main meal, and coffee/tea) with plates or bowls, glassware, cups, flatware, trivets and serving pieces. See “Stations.”

One Hour Before Guests Arrive:
· Set curry, rice, and salad and dessert (if appropriate) out of refrigerator. Place curry on stove, rice in oven, and salad and dessert at their stations. Note: some fragile refrigerated desserts should stay cold until serving time.

45 Minutes Before Guests Arrive:
· Set condiments out on buffet.
· Transfer dessert(s) to serving platters and lacet back in refrigerator if necessary, display or, do as I do because of our big dogs and leave in the laundry room or a similar place until you can clear a little space on the buffet.
· Open a couple of bottles of both white and red wine.
· Pour half-and-half or milk into creamer.

30 Minutes Before Guests Arrive:
(This is when it helps to have a guest arrive early to help.)
· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· Begin heating curry on stove over medium-hit heat, covered, stirring frequently. When it begins to simmer, reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally. Remember to add the spinach toward the end.
· Switch on outdoor lighting.
· Put water in glasses and ice in bucket.
· Put coffee and water in coffee maker and switch on. (Pour coffee into insulated carafe and make a second pot if desired.)
· Put cocktail nuts in 2-3 bowls in various locations.
· Put on some music.
· Light candles.

15 Minutes Before Guests Arrive:
· Place rice in oven, covered.

When First Guests Arrive:
· Check rice to see if it is heated through. If so, turn off oven, but leave rice, covered, in it. If not, check again in a few minutes and, when hot, turn oven off.

Just Before Serving:
· Set casserole dish of rice onto trivet.
· Spoon curry into serving bowl on trivet and cover loosely with foil if desired. Leave remainder warming on stove. Check and stir occasionally.

At Serving Time:
· Remove covers from any dishes that are still covered.
· Invite a few guests to the buffet station to get the flow started.

Throughout the Meal:
· Replenish curry as necessary from pot on stove.
· Open new bottles of wine and refill water pitcher/ice bucket as needed.
· When most everyone has had their last serving, clear a little space on the buffet and set out desserts with small plates
· As the party begins to wind down, start loading the dishwasher, hand washing items, clearing the buffet and tidying stations and tables, without rushing guests, some of whom will undoubtedly offer to help. Let them.
· Send leftovers home with guests if desired; store the rest appropriately.
· See to miscellaneous tasks like dumping and draining the water pitcher and ice bucket, putting linens in the laundry, etc.
· Extinguish candles and start the dishwasher as you head to bed.

Morning After
Rise a little early and do the following as time and inclination dictates:
· Unload the dishwasher.
· Put away hand washed items.
· Generally tidy up anything left from the night before, saving what you are unable to get done until later.

Soon After the Party
· Write and mail/email any thank-you notes necessary.
· Return any borrowed items.

STATIONS

· Beverage Station
Ice bucket and scoop/tongs, plus a saucer to lay it on
· Ice
· Pitcher with water
· Glasses
· Beverage napkins

Bar
· Red and white wine plus bottle coasters, if desired
· Wine Opener
· Small Bowl (to contain corks and seals removed from bottles)
· Wine Glasses
· Wine Charms, if desired, for identifying glasses
· Beverage Napkins

Dinner Station
· Plates
· Trivets and Serving Bowls (in this order: rice, curry, condiments, salad)
· Serving Utensils (lay in front of each trivet/bowl)
· Forks/Spoons (stand them up in a short/heavy glass)

Coffee Station
· Coffeemaker plus coffee, filter and water (borrow a large one if needed)
· If serving tea: a pot for heating hot water, tea bags
· Insulated carafe(s) if necessary (e.g. to offer caffeinated and decaf, coffee and tea, or if making two or more smaller batches of coffee)
· Cups (and saucers if desired)
· Soy creamer, sugar and artificial sweeteners plus dispensers
· Saucer with one spoon (to save clean-up time, everyone stirs with the same spoon)
· Beverage Napkins

Dessert Station
· Serving Tray or Bowl (depending on dessert)
· Trivet (if necessary)
· Serving Utensil(s) (knife, pie server, etc.)
· Optional: small saucer on which to rest serving utensil to keep it off counter
· Forks or Spoons (stand them up in a short, heavy glass)
· Dessert Napkins

Dining Tables
· Tablecloths or Placemats
· Coasters
· Dinner Napkins
· Salt and Paper Shakers
· Candles
· Favors (if not placing them in a basket or bowl near the door or under the tree)