Tofu Tuesday #30

Brought to you by...
Kaci@Ellyphant & Kelli@Gohn Crazy

Tofu Tuesday is the place to share all of your vegetarian secrets. If you have a great recipe to share, a product to rave or rant about, or anything that has made being a vegetarian easier for you please share it. (And vegans of course are welcome too!!) Feel free to grab the little button over there to the right. After you post come back here and link up with your address in the comments. I'm looking forward to reading all your posts!

Introducing one, er two of my new favorite foods...

Meet Eggplant, Mozzarella, & Basil and Tomato, Mozzarella, & Basil Sandwiches.

They are delicious!! Oh and easy too!

This is how I make them. First the rolls that I think are best with this are Arnold Select Sandwich Thins 100% Whole Wheat. If you are making the eggplant sandwich you'll want to heat your eggplant first. I use frozen breaded eggplant slices which I spoke of back in THIS POST. I put it in the toaster oven and broil it for a couple minutes on each side. Then I take it out and sit it on the bottom slice of the roll. Next I put one generous spoonful of sun dried tomato pesto (you can find it in the spaghetti sauce section of the grocery store). On top of those I cut enough mozzarella cheese to cover the eggplant and then stick it back under the broiler until the cheese is completely melted. Then you take it out and shake a little dried basil flakes on top and then top it with the other bun and you're done.

The process is basically the same for the tomato. Just slice a fresh tomato and place the slice on the bottom roll. Put your pesto on top of that, then your mozzarella, broil, sprinkle, top bun, done.

They are yum yum good - and healthy too!

My Turn

I've been crafting like a mad (wo)man lately. I'm opening an Etsy very very soon. I'll probably start adding things this week to be officially up and running by November 1st. I'll post here as soon as I start adding items. Keep your eyes open.

Saturday I took a break and went to our local yarn store with a friend. Looking through all the yummy yarn I stumbled on this alpaca that matched my jacket (and my hair) very well so I figured it was fate and I just had to have it. ;) When I got home I decided to take a break from the crocheting I had been doing for my Etsy and crochet something new up for myself. I decided I would make myself a scarf. And then after I finished the scarf I decided I need a hat as well. I found a really cute pattern and made my hat (not using the same yarn). I still have another skein of my alpaca though. I think I'll make a beanie with it and perhaps a headband if I have enough yarn to do both.

Here is my scarf...


A close up...


And with my hat on...


Show the detail a bit...

It's crazy around here again. I'm currently trying to get my Etsy underway, prepare for a craft show I'm doing with a friend in November, another in December. Then there's the playgroup Halloween party that I've been working on things for. Oh and don't forget the costumes for the kids for Halloween. I'm feeling a little scatterbrained trying to keep it all straight. I think after this month I'll be getting a better grip on things again since that will cross two big things off my list.

Safari

We had the opportunity twice this year to visit Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. The first time E-Man and I went alone as it was during school time with my playgroup. The second we went with another group I belong to and the whole family came since it was a weekend.

It's such a neat place. It doesn't cost very much. E-Man was free and it ended up costing me $9.00 for our day the first time. It doesn't get much better than that. They have some animals in cages/pens, a large petting zoo area, and there is a safari ride that you can take which is school busses with their tops cut off that go out in the open fields and wooded areas with the animals. The safari ride is a really neat experience.

E-Man wasn't too sure of feeding the goats at first. We went in first thing when we got there and they were really into eating. So much so that they were chewing our clothes, my camera string, and anything else they could get their mouths around. They were quite cute though.

This was one of the areas in the petting zoo. The whole stall was filled with guinea pigs. I just love them. I've had two and wanted to bring one with me. ;)

E-Man enjoying himself on the safari ride.

This was a "little" lady who came up to the bus for a snack. Yes, she really is as close as she looks. They threw corn to the bull elk so that they stay further away from the bus since their antlers are a bit dangerous.

I stole this picture from a friend that went along on the second visit. Not great, but the 4 of us in the picture doesn't often happen. There's a camel staring over my head. ;) We enjoyed feeding this guy. Well we meaning my husband and I. The kids were slightly intimidated. The goats were more their speed.

I'm sure that something was off with this little burro but he was sticking his tongue out at us the whole time we were looking at him. Silly looking little guy.

K-Man and E-Man tag teaming the goat.

I was feeding the Llama on the safari.

and also this bison.

This guy made me very nervous. The first time we went, the bus driver purposely kept the animals with such large horns and antlers away from the bus, but the second time the driver didn't seem to care. In his defense he just wanted a cracker, but I was scared of him impailing my kid if he turned too quickly.

So if you find yourself near Halifax, PA I really think you should stop in and check this place out. It's a really really great place, especially with kids. We very much enjoyed both of our visits.

Tofu Tuesday #29

Brought to you by...
Kaci@Ellyphant & Kelli@Gohn Crazy

Tofu Tuesday is the place to share all of your vegetarian secrets. If you have a great recipe to share, a product to rave or rant about, or anything that has made being a vegetarian easier for you please share it. (And vegans of course are welcome too!!) Feel free to grab the little button over there to the right. After you post come back here and link up with your address in the comments. I'm going to fore-go the Mr/Mck Linkies unless we getting more playing along. I'm looking forward to reading all your posts!

I'm playing the better late than never today. It's been a busy weekend and last few days so my meal that I had planned on talking about today hadn't been made until this evening. So now that I have made it and eaten it I feel I can share.

‛Chicken’ and Dumplings

For the Dumplings:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) margarine
3/4 cup soy milk

For the Soup:
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) margarine
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 cups vegetable broth
2 medium carrots, diced
1 lb. faux chicken, torn into small pieces (try Worthington brand Chickette or Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chick'n Strips)
1 bay leaf

• Combine the dry ingredients for the dumplings in a bowl.
• Mix the margarine with the dry mixture until crumbly. Add the soy milk, stirring until moistened. Add more soy milk, as needed, if the mixture is too dry.
• Knead the dough for 30 seconds on a well-floured surface, then roll to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 1/2-inch squares.
• Place the margarine, onion, and celery for the soup in a large saucepan and sauté until the vegetables are soft.
• Add the flour, salt, and pepper to make a thick paste. Slowly mix in the broth and bring to a boil.
• Add the carrots, faux chicken, and bay leaf.

• Add the dumpling squares one at a time, stirring gently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Serve hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out, but I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised. This recipe comes pretty darn close for me. When finished the base is very much like a gravy. I made drop dumplings rather than squares, because to me that is what this meal should be. Pot pie is squares to me. It was yummy though. Probably not my favorite recipe, but it's a darn good stand-in if you're missing recipes like this from your carnivore days. I do think that I would add potato to this if I did it again. It would just add something more to it that I think it needs. Otherwise though no complaints. I used Morning Star "Chicken" Starters and vegetable broth as it seems that my grocery store no longer carries "No-Chicken".

Enjoy!!