Ok, for my last recipe for the Teese blog challenge, I decided to go with the appetizer classic potato skins. A relatively simple endeavor, but oh so good.

Potato Skins

2 large russet potatoes, thoroughly washed.
cheddar style Teese
vegan sour cream
Vegan bacon bits
Scallion, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400°. Prick the potatoes with a fork and bake, directly on the rack, until cooked through, about 45 min. Let the potatoes cool until they can be handled. Heat oven to 425°. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4″ on the shell. Brush both sides of the potato skins with oil and top with Teese. Bake on a cookie sheet about 15 min, until the potatoes are lightly browned. Top with bacon bits, sour cream, and scallion.

Continuing with the Chicago Soy Dairy Teese blog challenge, my next creation hails from our neighbors to the north. Perhaps the greatest gift the Canadians ever gave the world, poutine is the ingenious combination of french fries, gravy, and cheese curds. Traditionally poutine used a thin brown (usually beef) gravy, rather than a thicker, creamy gravy. For mine I used Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base for the broth. If you prefer you could use a good mushroom stock instead (purchased or home made). The creamy texture of the Teese lends itself perfectly to be a replacement for cheese curds, and may be the best use I found for it.

Vegan Poutine

2-3 large baking potatoes
3-4 oz Mozzarella Teese, crumbled

Gravy
2 Tbsp Earth Balance
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups vegan beef flavored or mushroom stock
salt and pepper
Oil for frying

Peel the potatoes and cut into approximately 1/2″x4″ fries. Place the fries in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan heat the Earth Balance over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for several minutes to make a dark roux (it should be a dark brown, but not burnt). Stir in the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the gravy begins to thicken. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Heat oil to 375°. Drain potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Fry, in batches if necessary, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.

Place fries on serving dishes, pour gravy over the top, and top with crumbled Teese.

This recipe is something I whipped up Thanksgiving weekend with some cooked sweet potato I had left over from making pie. A great breakfast for those cold winter mornings. I served them with a cranberry syrup made of equal parts cranberry sauce and maple syrup. This time I decided to leave the spices out to let the sweet potato shine though, but you could also add some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
1/4 cup melted Earth Balance
1 1/2 cup soy milk
Egg Replacer to equal 2 eggs
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bow. Stir to combine and set aside. Place the sweet potato in a separate bowl and mash thoroughly, until mostly smooth. Add soy milk, a little at a time, to combine with sweet potato. When all the milk has been incorporated add earth balance and egg replacer. Add the potato/soy milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix briefly with a whisk until mixture is just mixed. Do not over mix, a few lumps are OK.

Heat and lightly oil a non stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Poor the batter into the pan 1/2-1 cup at a time (depending on preference). Cook until the underside is browned and the top has started to set. Flip and cook until browned and cooked through.

The full spread.

I used my fried brussels sprouts recipe, but tossed them with carmelized onions, Bac'un bits and topped with fried onion.

Making your own craberry sauce takes mimimal effort and produced results that far outshine the canned stuff.

The sweet potato pie was my pumpkin pie recipe, but using sweet potato for the pumpkin and I replaced the glazed pecans with a pecan streusel.

Five punds of potatoes, two carmelized onions, and a head of roaseed garlic. Oh and a cup or two of Earth Balance.

]]> http://newvegantable.com/2009/11/t-day-recap/feed/ 0 http://newvegantable.com/2009/11/mashed-potatoes-with-yams-parsnips-and-pecans/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed http://newvegantable.com/2009/11/mashed-potatoes-with-yams-parsnips-and-pecans/#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:49:40 +0000 Justin http://newvegantable.com/?p=248

I love mashed potatoes, and there is certainly nothing wrong with your classic recipes, but if you want a different take on the old mashed tubers give this a try. The addition of yams and parsnips adds layers of flavor (not to mention a good deal of added nutritional value). You want to go for relatively equal proportions of potatoes and yams with a smaller amount of parsnip, about 2 parts potato, 2 parts yam, 1 part parsnip.

Mashed Potatoes with Yams, Parsnips, and Pecans

2 large baking potatoes
2 large yams (about the same size as potatoes, or use enough smaller yams to equal the same amount)
1-2 parsnips (enough to equal about one of the potatoes)
1/2 cup Earth Balance, or other vegan butter
3/4 cup vegan sour cream
1 cup Pecans, chopped and toasted
salt and pepper

Peel potatoes, yams, and parsnips. Cut into roughly equal size pieces. Place vegetables into a large pot and cover with water. Salt liberally, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until tender (should be easily pierced with a fork). Remove from heat and drain. Return to pot and add Earth Balance and sour cream. Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer, adding some unsweetened soy milk if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and fold in pecans. Serve with your favorite gravy.