Apr 21, 2011

cowboy bean casserole

Food Network Friday

That's right! It is that time of month again - Food Network Friday with Tami Noyes of American Vegan Kitchen.

This time around, my cohorts chose an Emeril dish to replicate: Cowboy Chicken Casserole.    It is abundantly clear that as daring as some of those Celebrity Chefs are by concocting some of these creations, we are even more so because we choose to make them. Hats down to Liz for giving this one a go. It would have slipped right under my radar.

This amazing collection of ingredients features poached chicken over tortilla chips covered by a homemade-style cream of mushroom soup, accented with a pound of cheese. Oh, and let's not ignore the six tablespoons of Paula-inspired butter. All that and some onions, peppers and tomatoes.

Wow.

Where ever shall I begin? 

The chicken was the most thought-provoking. I didn't want to use seitan, but I wanted to keep the integrity of the dish so I used what all cowboys use: pinto beans. I thought of using tortillas instead of the chips, but when I noticed that the recipe calls for an entire bag of chips, I thought better of it; maybe there was a method to the madness here.

Good call on that one; the chips were appropriate. 

Result: Odd. However, as odd as it was, it was also strangely addictive.
 Is that odder still?

Cost Breakdown

tortilla chips: $3 
beans: $4
Daiya: $4.50
onion, pepper, tomato: $3
mushrooms: $2 
Total to make 8 servings:
$16.50



caramelized onion quiche

Brunch

Brunch can be a tough meal to plan because half the family wants something sweet and the other half, savory. Unless you wind up making both, the tendency is to disappoint someone. Unless you make Caramelized Onion Quiche. The sweetness from the long caramelization of the onions can satisfy some sweet tooth.

This recipe is out of Vegan Brunch by Isa Moskowitz.

The long (longer than the author sites) cooking time for the onions is the most time consuming affair for this recipe, but one that shouldn't be shirked. It is what gives this dish the body.

We really liked this meal, but as with all vegan quiches, something was missing. The egg-y flavor. Without it, the dish falls a little out of tune and, let's face it, you are eating a tofu pie.

That used to be the case, but once you actually realize that the original dish is egg based, it becomes crystal clear that some black salt at the table can add the missing piece in a snap. Cooking with black salt tends to diminish the flavor considerably, but adding it at the table as you would regular table salt will fulfill the flavor profile. ANY Indian market carries black salt since it is used throughout the cuisine. And it is around $1 a bag.

Also, don't be afraid to add some vegan milk to the blender to help the tofu turn over easier - it'll evaporate in the oven and help to make your batter as smooth as possible.


Cost Breakdown:

tofu: $2
onions: $4
cashews: $1
dough: $1
Total to make 6 servings:
$8.00