Improv Challenge Review for December

It has been such a long time but I am back in the groove and participating in the Improv Challenge again, which is graciously hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.

The challenge this month was chocolate and marshmallows.

I knew instantly that I would have a s'mores theme to my recipe but I wanted it to be a little different.

I started out by making my own marshmallows.

They weren't photo worthy, but they were easy (when you follow Anna's instructions here).

From there I went on to make s'mores cheesecake...yes it is as good as it sounds.

Start by making your crust:

1 1/2 C crushed graham crackers (I used cinnamon but the choice is yours)
3 Tbsp Earth Balance melted

Combine the two in a bowl and then press into the bottom of a spring form pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10  minutes.

Once your crust is out of the oven place a layer of marshmallow on top.

For the filling:

16 oz cream cheese (regular or vegan)
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ener-G egg replacers
3/4 C chocolate (I used semi-sweet squares chopped)

You will want your cream cheese to be at room temperature before you start working with it, it makes mixing much easier.

In a bowl combine your cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla (a stand mixer gets this job done quickly).  Once they are incorporated add your egg replacers.

With a spatula fold in your chocolate and then pour the mixture on your crust/marshmallow.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes (or until the center of the cake is set).

Allow the cheesecake to cool and then refrigerate for 3-4 hours (it just tastes better this way).

Be sure to check out the other great tasty submissions, I think you will be impressed with how creative some bloggers can be.

Happy Thursday to you all.

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Carrots and Ginger an Improv Challenge

Happy Thursday one and all.

Today is the reveal day for the monthly Improv Challenge hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.

The two ingredients we were challenged with was carrots and ginger.

As soon as I heard this I knew exactly what I wanted to make, and then I modified it.

Carrot Donuts with Ginger Turbinado Sugar

1 3/4 C all-purpose unbleached flour
1/3 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax meal & 3 Tbsp water whipped)
3/4 almond milk
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce (I used homemade)
3/4 C grated carrots

Combine all of the ingredients together.  If you really want to put all of your dry ingredients in one bowl and mix and then put all of your wet ingredients in another bowl AND then combine the two you can.  I just don't possess a ton of patience and so I combine everything into one bowl.

You can spoon your dough directly into your greased donut pan, OR

You can scoop it into a plastic bag, nip the tip, and pipe the dough into your pan (it just makes it a little neater as long as your tip wasn't nipped too big).

I know I just said I didn't have any patience but I did pipe the dough.

To give the donuts a little extra zing I combined some fresh ginger and turbinado sugar for a couple of days.

The sugar was sprinkled on top of the donuts just before I put it in the oven.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

For a little extra love I added a vegan buttercream on top.

1 Tbsp Earth Balance softened
1 tsp almond milk
a tiny splash of vanilla extract
powdered sugar (add enough for your desired thickness)

The result was pure deliciousness and not much guilt.

Be sure to check out the other wonderful creations my fellow bloggers have come up with. 

Oh and also I would like to announce the winner of my Food Should Taste Good giveaway.  The lucky comment was # 33 from Maggie who write the fantastic blog Kitchie Coo.

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Improv Challenge Vegan Lemon Cake with Sour Cream Icing

This is Improv Challenge number 2 for me.  Thanks so much to Kristen for hosting us all here.

The ingredients this month were lemon and sour cream.

I could not have been happier with these two because as soon as I heard them I knew I wanted to make cake.

Not just any ordinary cake but vegan lemon cake with sour cream icing (yes they do make vegan sour cream).

This is just a simple, single layer, cake with mild lemon flavor.  Perfect with a cup of hot tea, or coffee.

Ingredients:

1 lemon (juice and rind)
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
water

In bowl place your flour, sugar, and baking soda.  Then mix together.

In a measuring cup put the grated rind of your lemon, juice of the lemon, and then fill the measuring cup up with water to reach the 1 C mark.

Pour into dry ingredients and then add your oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

Mix thoroughly and place in an ungreased cake pan (I used a spring form pan, but you could also use an 8" square).

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

If you double the recipe you could make a layer cake.

Sour Cream Icing:

4 Tbsp Earth Balance (softened)
1/2 C vegan sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 3/4 - 3 C powdered sugar

Mix all of the ingredients and then ice the cooled cake.

You should start out with about 2 3/4 C sugar but if you want it thicker just add a little more.  I ended up using about 3 cups because I wanted a thicker consistency.

The end result was delicious and approved by 3 out of 3 children.

The cake is incredibly moist and could stand on its own as a quick bread, but the icing just adds a little yum factor.

Here have a slice!

Be sure to check out the other tasty creations my fellow bloggers have put together with lemon and sour cream.

I hope you have a wonderful Thursday.

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Improv Challenge Vegan Eggnog Bread Pudding with Cranberry Sauce

December has been such an exciting month.

I have participated in the Mom's Crazy Cooking Challenge (here).

I made 3 dozen cookies and mailed them to fellow bloggers for the Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap (here).

Today I am participating in the Improv Challenge, hosted by Kristen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.

For the challenge we are given two ingredients and asked to either find a recipe or create a recipe with them.

This month we had cranberries and egg nog.

Now I have never had egg nog and never been one to want to drink it, yuckiness just comes to mind thinking about it.

However I decided I had to be completely open to the idea and then a stroke of brilliance hit me...BREAD PUDDING (imagine a great shining light as I realize this is my dish).

I decided to do a little reading on bread pudding, as I've never made one, and found Paula Deen to be incredibly helpful.  So I've based my recipe today on a bread pudding she made however I veganized it (so that no animals were hurt during the cooking of this dish).

Vegan Eggnog Bread Pudding with Cranberry Sauce
adapted from Paula Deen
2 C sugar
5 eggs (used Ener-G egg replacers)
2 C Silk Egg Nog
3 C cubed French Bread (left out to stale for 24 hours)
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C Earth Balance, melted
1 C chopped almonds

Mix your eggs according to the package, then add your sugar, egg nog, and vanilla.

Pour over your cubed stale bread.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl mix brown sugar, Earth Balance, and almonds.

Pour your bread mixture into a 9x13 pan and top with the almond sugar mixture.

Place in a 350 degree over for 35-45 minutes.

For the sauce:

1 C sugar
1/2 C Earth Balance
1 egg, beaten (used Ener-G egg replacers)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C frozen cranberries
1/4 C apple jack brandy

In a pot, on medium heat, combine your Earth Balance, sugar, egg, cranberries and vanilla.  Stir together until the sugar is melted.

Add your brandy and stir well.

Serve your bread pudding and top with sauce.

My children were not huge fans of the brandy sauce and prefer just to eat the egg nog pudding on its own.

Not one to want to waste the sauce I needed to find a way to repurpose it.

I happened to have 6 banana bread muffins on hand that were over cooked (sometimes I am just asleep at the wheel and I baked the muffins WAY too long).

I decided to cube the muffins and then doctor the sauce.

I blended the sauce with 1/2 C of Silk Egg Nog and then poured that over my cubed banana bread muffins.

I let the mixture sit in the bowl for 10 minutes and then poured it into an 8x6 dish.

Baked for 40 minutes on 350 degrees.

I pulled this pink concoction out of the oven.

I was a little skeptical due to color, but the flavor really is quite awesome and the kids like this combination much better.

So please try both versions they are great for breakfast, dessert, or a dish to bring to your next holiday party.

It has been so much for participating in this Improv Challenge I cannot wait to see what next month's ingredients are.

Please check out the links below and see what other crafty bloggers have made up for us.

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