Not cookin food!

Hellllo I haven't updated in awhile. But I guess I will inform all of my, ahem, followers. This is mostly (only) for you Ma :) I'm busy cookin' up a passing grade and a new job so the food will have to wait. It will start again in a few days. I'm sure my "roommates" will be happy too :)

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Coconut Almond frosting

Happy 9th Anniversary Sarah and Robb!! Here is... a slight variation of the chocolate cupcakes from before, a fully vegan cake/frostings, and my first attempt playing with fondant! (It's funnn, but it sort of looks like a small child's art project. And it kind of looks like turkeys too. But, still fun.)

CAKE

Ingredients

3 3/4 cups flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 1/2 tablespoon agave nectar

1/2 cup coconut oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add water, syrup, agave, oil, and vinegar. Mix it up real good.
4. Grease two round cake pans.
5. Bake 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 

COCONUT ALMOND FROSTING (Loosely based on this recipe)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup soy milk 

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

  

3 1/2 coconut

2 1/2 sliced almonds

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, Before heating, mix together milks and cornstarch, until it is all liquid with no chunks.

2. Turn heat on to medium-high and add sugar and extract. 

3. Stir until it is smooth and thick

 

FONDANT

I borrowed this recipe from right hurr: Fondant Recipe from AllRecipes.

I substituted almond extract in place of the vanilla extract. I'll say it was because I thought the almond extract would really compliment the almonds in the other frosting, but really it was because almond extract is all I could find. Either way it worked, and I'm sure vanilla would be delicious too :) Also, I used all-vegetable shortening for vegan-ness. Yummmm

**EDIT** I made these into cupcakes for my friend's birthday (Oct 10) and they turned out cute so I wanted to show them off :)

 

Stuffed Pork Chops with Roasted Apples

Yay meat! Finally a meal centered around animal! The picture may not do this meal justice, but I promise you it was tasty. 

Ingredients

3 thick pork chops, thawed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 medium onion

1/4 cup flour

1 egg

1/2 cup Seasoned bread crumbs

1 hunk of broccoli

Cubed brie- I used half of a triangle

Cubed manchego cheese- I used like a fist sized hunk. (Sorry, I don't know the exact ounces... You need enough broccoli/bri/manchego to fill the 3 pork chop pitas.)

1 large apple

1 tablespoon red cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Slice each pork chop lengthwise, not all the way through. If that does not make sense to you, make the pork into a pita-like pocket.

2. Brush each chop with flour, dip in egg, and then cover in bread crumbs.

3. Put oil in pan on medium heat, add garlic and half of the onion.

4. Once the onions are clear and the oil is sizzling, put in the chops.

5. When the bottom side turns golden, flip over the chops. After both sides are golden and beginning to cook, take out and set aside. (Don't worry, the meat on the inside of the pocket does not need to be cooked through yet.)

6. Mix the good parts of broccoli, with the cubes of cheese, with the second half of the onion. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the mix. Set that aside too.

7. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

8. In a ceramic dish, cover the bottom with apple slices, vinegar, salt, and garlic powder.

9. Stuff the cheese and broccoli mixture into the pork chops and close them with toothpicks (REMEMBER TO TAKE THEM OUT LATER. Seriously. If you don't, you will cause injuries to your family and they will hate you.)

10. Place stuffed chops on top of the apple slices and cook for about an hour, or until the inside pita pocket part of the pork (say that ten times fast) is cooked.

 

Sometimes when food is really pretty, the taste ends up being disappointing. Trust me, this is the opposite. (Take the toothpicks out!!! :) )