Highline Part 2: Soy Ham Cured My Craving

I went brunching 2 weekends ago and, naturally, ended up at Highline - by way of Charlie's for a mimosa because Highline doesn't open at 10:00 AM. Supposedly it opens at 11:00 AM, but I think Saturday mornings are extra hard if you work at a bar.

This time I remembered to take a picture of the menu!

If you will recall, last time I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak. My goal was to order each item as listed, top to bottom. However, sometimes you don't WANT the Western Ohmlette. And you call yourself a Trailblazer. 

Gardein Chick'n Marsala: ImPECKable

Dinner has been pretty great these days. Patrick and I have been swamped with a lot of "life happenings" and thus we have been relying on the ease of things like quinoa, cous cous, kale and Gardein! Having limited time for creative cooking has not hindered our evening meal by any means. In fact, I think it has prepared me for the 2012 Iron Chef competition!

I recently discovered Gardein's Chick'n Marsala and not only was it on sale (yesssssssssss), it also promised to be fast and delicious and full of protein. The kitchen was running a little low on supplies (it's been a busy summer!), therefore, I had to play one of my favorite games: Make Something Out Of Nothing! Or, MaSOON.

MaSOON's of the past have included flour tortillas filled with hummus and mixed nuts, a can of chili combined with Frito's and guacamole, as well as TofuYoung (that recipe I will probably end up posting because it turned out SO GREAT!)

Anyway, the Chick'n Marsala MaSOON was fantastic. It was fast, it was delicious and it looked beautiful to boot.

Stuffed Portobello Cap: A Real Fungi!

I recently entered a contest over at the Veracious Vegan's blog and although I didn't win, Angela listed my recipe as one of her favorites! It made my day! So, for those of you who are sitting on the edge (edge, edge) of your seats, I bring you:

Stuffed Portobello Caps!

For this adventure you will need:

• 4 Portobello Mushrooms
• 1 bunch of fresh spinach (chopped coarsely)
• 3 Roma tomoatoes (or a package of cherry tomatoes) (cut into chunks)
• 1-2 shallots (I used 1 shallot and 1/2 an onion that I had in my fridge) (finely chopped)
• 1 cup Panko (or the breadcrumbs of your choice)
• 1-1 1/2 cups of Balsamic
• 3-5 cloves of garlic (you know how I am, I think I put in 14 or something) (minced or chopped)
• 1 cup Mozzarella Daiya
• 2 Smoked Apple Sage Field Roast Sausages (finely chopped)
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• Aluminum Foil

As a side dish I couldn't resist Susan V's Roasted Yellow Squash with Onions, with fresh garden squash! For the side dish you will need:

• 2 yellow squash per serving
• 1/2 a small onion per serving
• Canola or Olive Oil

There is nothing I love more than traipsing around the garden with a colander looking for vegetables (and gnomes)! It makes me feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder or like I live in Maple Town.

Garden squash and tomatoes

Daiya: Another Grate Dinner

Dinner has been really excellent lately. Part of this is because the Safeway, a mere stone's throw away from my house, now carries DAIYA! Finally.

With Daiya within arms reach I can make macaroni and cheese EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK! Except, I don't have to because one batch generally lasts a whole week.

Is anyone still reading?

Portland Queer Music Festival (and so much more!): The Cymbal of My Portland Weekend

Last weekend involved a road trip, a barbecue, live music and pirates. It was GREAT!

Jared and the other members of Noddy were set to play at Portland's 1st Annual Queer Music Fest. The weekend promised to be fun-filled and over the top, and Portland is home to some of my favorite people of all time, so the decision to go was a total no-brainer.

I arrived in Portland around 10:00 PM on Friday night and spent the rest of the evening watching episodes of the Office and  figuring out where we were going to eat the following morning. Super important stuff. The next morning I woke up early, ate a nectarine and waited for Joyce and Jeremy.

The first stop of the morning was Beaterville. This cafe was awesome and the staff was even awesomer (seriously, it's a word). Every scramble had a tofu option and they even asked if I wanted Smart Balance on my toast! I chose the Supernova Scrambler which included tomatoes, fresh spinach, green onion, garlic and mushrooms. It came with toast (I opted out of the Smart Balance and went with jam) and home fries!

At first I screamed because the tofu looked like chicken BUT IT WASN'T! Phew. 

We spent our breakfast leisurely people-watching, as there also happened to be a street fair going on that day. There was also plenty of dog-watching, too.

Sadly, Samson was unable to participate in the Dog Parade. 

Planet of the Crepes

Sometimes I like to imagine that I live in France. I use my limited French speaking skills around the house (usually directed at the dog), pour myself a glass of wine and sit on my back porch to read Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I have a dream of vegan-izing the most non-vegan recipe in that book but it's a tough choice. There are so many options! So, the other day, instead of figuring out how to make Sauce Beurre Blanc for my roasted duck I decided to keep things simple and make some crepes!

I am a huge fan of the savory crepe and also a huge fan of perfecting my crepe-making skills without the use of a crepe pan. Then came the dilemma of sweet or savory. It didn't matter that it was for dinner; sometimes I eat cake for breakfast. Crepes always surprise me by being shockingly filling, so I decided to make 8 savory crepes and serve them with a simple salad, hopefully have leftovers and save the dessert crepes for weekend brunching!

Of course, this whole idea came to me at the beginning of what ended up being a really long day. I was lacking motivation and the thought of even venturing to the store seemed devastating. Then it dawned on me that even though all I wanted to do was lay on the couch and eat a ring pop, at least I have all my limbs and I know how to cook and I have a job that means I can actually purchase groceries and why am I whining about making dinner when some people can't even boil hotdogs? So, I went to the store.

On the menu: Mushroom Medley Savory Crepes with Lemon Cashew Cream Sauce and a green salad.