pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news

Re-runs are on TV.  Re-runs are on this blog… it’s a “slow news day” as it were, and since Thanksgiving is coming up, why not create a “best of” recipes blog?  It’ll be your one stop shop!

An all vegetarian, mostly vegan recipes list for your holiday get-togethers.  Great for Thanksgiving, Diwali, Hanukkah‎, Kwanzaa‎, Festivus, Eid ul-Fitr عيد الفطر, Christmas, or the also popular Xmas…

Here are some of my favorite recipe creations (dreamt up here)…

• S’mores Pouches – super fun, not too difficult, I’m really proud of this creation…
• Chantrelle & Gruyere Quiche – I also made it with a Cheetos crust, but don’t feel as if you have to follow suit…
• Jalapeno Brie Poppers – Great served with a blueberry compote!
• Taco Scones – How could something so easy and so delicious never have been conceived of before?  These are flippin’ brilliant (and versatile for substitutions).  Have some salsa, guacamole or sour cream on hand for dippin’…
• Savory Feta & Kalamata Pound Cake – I took an olive oil poundcake recipe and “Greek’d” it up.  It’s a fave!
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Cocktail paired with…
  Grilled Mac & Cheese Sandwiches – This was one of my favorite, unique recipes.  It took some time to test (oh no, I have to taste test vodka again!?).  The pairing with the grilled mac & cheese sandwiches worked really well.  The peanut vodka is too late to start for Thanksgiving, but I’d recommend trying it!

Here are some classics… they’d go great for your holiday noshing…

• Mushroom Dumpling Stew – brilliant for the cold rainy fall!
• Vegan Biscuits & Mushroom Gravy – I could eat this year ’round, any meal!
• Framboise Cranberry Relish – Easy, but almost a waste of beer.  Delightful – no lie!
• Cute Olive Penguins – I wish I had thought of this… I did make ’em though… super cute…
• Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake – super easy, and pretty quick (outside of the chill time).
• Pumpkin-infused Vodka Cocktail – A little too late to start for this year, but outside of time letting it sit, it’s pretty easy.
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls – Very time consuming, but oh-so-delicious!
• Bleu Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits – Sort of my own creation, but enough of a staple to include down here.  I took a biscuit recipe and added about a cup of bleu cheese to the dough.  I’m making these again for Thanksgiving 2011…
• Avocado Fries – I heard about these from Punchy, bassist from one of my favorite bands.  They’re super decadent.  The avocado fries are, too.

Desserts…

• Vegan Chocolate Pudding – I couldn’t believe how smooth & rich it was…
• Spiced Biscotti – with or without fruit – a really flexible recipe.
• Blueberry Muffin Bread Pudding – I don’t really like bread pudding.  But I looooove blueberry muffins.
• Raw Vegan Pies – apple & strawberry pies from Jónsi & Alex’s raw cookbook.  The crusts are the big takeaway here… super awesome raw pie crusts!
• Raw Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake – The secret ingredient is elementary school kids’ hopes & dreams.  Tastes as expected… awesome!
• Carl Sagan’s Simple Apple Pie – you must first create the universe…

Back to the normal music blogging shortly… have a great Thanksgiving holiday!

~Dan – np: Peter Mulvey – Letters From A Flying Machine