befores and afters

Before Josh left to shoot his music video for Farewell Continental, I made him a batch of vegan ginger cookies to take on the road with him to share with the band. Though I didn't plan very well and didn't have soymilk on hand, so I didn't actually make them vegan, but YOU could :)

they're softer than traditional ginger snaps--don't be alarmed. they're still incredibly tasty.

recipe is from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's book Vegan with a Vengeance

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baing soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (I had to grind mine in my coffee grinder)

1/2 cup canola oil (I use whatever vegetable-based oil I have)

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup soymilk (I haven't noticed a difference really, using whole or 1 percent milk instead)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons turbinado sugar ( I use regular granulated sugar) for "sparkling" the tops.

preheat oven to 35 degrees. lightly grease two cookie sheets.

mike the dry and wet indredients in different bowls, then mix together.

roll into 1 inch balls, press flat and place into turbinado sugar (or regular sugar) in a seperate bowl to "sparkle" the top.

place on cookie sheet, sugar side up, one inch apart.

bake for 10-12 minutes, let cook on cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.

I love to eat these warm or cool--so good either way!

after Josh came home, and I was having some friends over for an early dinner Sunday night, I made this:

The picture kind of sucks, but the dish is cheesy stuffed pasta shells. I made up this recipe:

Mix in whatever porportions you desire:

ricotta cheese

parmesan cheese

romano cheese

mozarella cheese

asiago cheese

mix with one egg combined with one tablespoon water.

cook shells until al dente (or slightly before)--get Jumbo shells at grocery store. you can get even bigger ones at specialty stores, but these work perfectly. two-three bites and these babies are goners.

douse shells in olive oil.

prepare large baking pan or pyrex pan by laying a layer of spagetti sauce (canned or store bought) on the bottom. (I needed 2 jars worth, you may need more or less depending on brand and taste--or make your own with diced tomatoes and tomato paste.)

stuff each shell with a large spoonful of cheese/egg mixture. it's okay if the shell is slightly broken or split because it's just going to sit in a pan, not move around. It's also ok if you over stuff your shells. I've never heard complaints from overstuffing.

layer stuffed shells on the base of sauce. then cover with sauce. Layer another layer of shells if desired. then cover with sauce. top with parmesan cheese.

bake for 30-40 minutes at 325-350 degrees for 25-40 minutes, depending on how cooked you like your baked pastas. I like mine slightly crusted and cooked for nearly and hour on low heat.

for my sauce I did a half and half--1 jar of ragu traditional sauce, cooked with 1/2 diced and sauteed white onion and 1 can petite diced tomatoes with sweet onions. I'll admit that I wanted to buy the plain diced tomatoes and got the one with onions on accident, but it turned out very nicely. sautee onion and tomatoes with a teaspoon or so of garlic and salt and pepper to taste. stir in canned sauce until heated through, then you're ready to layer your pasta!

Josh and my friends loved this--not bad for an on-the-fly-recipe :)

you could add other veggies, types of cheese, omit the egg and just use a little water to bind your cheese, or do variations of the sauce. No limitations to how you could make this--that's why I love it!