Easy Etouffee: For The Southerner Who's Quick On The Drawl

Happy Friday!

Labor Day weekend is upon us again and I am beyond excited for 3 days off and minimal plans. The weather promises to be gorgeous. I will be barbecuing in West Seattle and later in the weekend partaking in  homemade brunching with my book club. 

In the meantime: Southern Comfort. Not to be confused with Southern Comfort <shudder>.

I have a lot of friends who hail from the South. I don't really understand how they all ended up in Seattle, but I sure lucked out because they are all awesome. Really. So, anyway, a few weekends ago Dylan (who you may remember as the one who excels at opening champagne bottles) mentioned his desire to have a down home Southern cookin' night; minus the lard or whatever actually goes into non-vegan Southern food. Shrimp? 

We decided to make Etouffee, cornbread, collard greens and peach cobbler! What made it even more stellar was the fact that the collard greens and green onion were from the garden as was the zucchini for the Etouffee. Success!!

The Etouffee recipe is simple and delicious. Don't worry if you don't have all the ingredients, or can't find something at the grocery store. It is very user-friendly and will taste great!

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

A Gardening Ground Rule: Eat Your Greens

My roommate's garden is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Remember Fern Gully? Of course you do.

That is actually a pretty accurate depiction of me, as well. 

This is what my backyard looks like. It's amazing. And because my roommate is not a jerk he lets me have all the kale, collard greens, arugula and bok choy that I want!

With this free grocery store at my fingertips, Patrick and I have been eating a lot of greens, naturally. (Of COURSE pun intended).

Yesterday was long. I wanted dinner to materialize in front of me. I finally pulled myself up off the floor (it was so much more comfortable down there) and surveyed the kitchen trying to decide what to eat with our endless supply of greens. 

In the freezer, like a beacon of light and a choir of angels: Morningstar Hickory BBQ Riblets. 

I love these riblets like I love jerky and we all know how much that is!

Of course, then I started thinking about sides and about picnics and barbecues and summertime and bike rides and all of a sudden I wasn't tired anymore. And then I started making dinner and it turned out just like a picnic!