TACOS DE PAPAS!

potato tacos???
yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup.
check it:

¡OLÉ, lil bihhhhh!
you got your soft flour tortillas.,
rules is rules,
and those are what we use here at the Folk Life & Liberty Fortress.
there's purple cabbage shreds,
a punch of cilantro,
slivered red onion,
tomato,
lime,
and fire roasted tomato salsa all ready to activate these little lovelies.
but,
the big action resides in the black bean hash, and those crissssspy potatoes.
yeah, neighbors-

these are dope.
the beans were easy as heck:
1 cup rinsed black beans,
1/2 cup tri-color sweet peppers;
1/4 cup sweet onion;
salt, pepper, GPOP, ground coriander, cilantro leaf, and a dash of cumin.
all of that, in a skillet over high heat with a dab of coconut oil.
mmmmmmmmm.
-
and then there's the red skin-on superfire potatoes.
yes!
boiled cubed potatoes,
fried up in coconut oil,
with GPOP, salt, pepper, guajillo pepper, cayenne pepper, smoke paprika,
lime, and ground coriander, sizzled up to a shiny, crunchy crust on each piece.
daaaaaaaaaammmmmmn.
that's dope.
potato tacos are a thing.
and they're a good thing, too.
*
i hope y'all are ready for july.
it's got, like, three big berfdays in it.
america, breezy, and embry, in that order.
i'm excited about all three, for the record.
i'm also excited about cinnamon buns for breakfast tomorrow, bro.
that's what we do on the first,
and that's what's gonna happen.
it has to.
without 'em, is it even the first?
right?
you get it;
never quiet, never soft.....

BROWNIES!

how about a batch of seriously chocolaty brownies?

yeah?

yeah!

check the teleport:

if you like chocolate, you'll like these.

if you love chocolate, you'll love these.

if you hate chocolate, well, you aren't very cool and nobody cares what you think.

so, there's that.

would you like to make these?

ok!

here's how:

-

*

BROWNIES!

-

preheat your oven to 350℉

-

grease a brownie pan (duh) 9" x 11"

-

in a 2 quart sauce pot, on low heat, melt

1 stick vegan butter ( 8 T );

1/2 tsp salt;

1 cup brown sugar;

1/2 cup sugar;

1/3 cup cocoa;

1 cup non-dairy milk;

2 tsp vanilla.

-

add:

2 1/4 cups flour;

1 tsp ea baking soda and powder;

3 T cacao.

stir it up to thickness,

and add:

1/2 bag dark chocolate chips.

pour it out evenly into the pan, add a handful of chocolate chips across the top,

and bake it for 30 minutes.

-

now you've got deep, moist, thick chocolate brownies.

all you gotta do to turn it up?

MORE chocolate.

too much is the right amount, y'know?

yeah you do.

1/2 cup melted chocolate chips, with 2 T non-dairy milk is all there is to it.

stripes of exxxtra chocolate are good for you.

and when you're eating brownies,

there's really no such thing as enough chocolate anyway.

...

it's all very straightforward.

add a lotta chocolate.

bake it in the oven.

eat too many.

that's kind of my thing already;

never quiet, never soft.....

GRILL'D EVEN MORE!!

dudes!
a cheeseless, sauceless pizza on the grill?
YES!!!
holy sh!t-
with grilled tomatoes, and grill-roasted potatoes, red onions,
alllll the garlic, and radishes, and fresh-plucked herbs from my garden?
everything expert is all i'm even dealing with right now.
check it out:

YEEEEEEEAH!!
do you even know what i'm talking about?
i mean, you see it- but do you know, bro?
this is IT.
the grill was raging with high intensity hot fire.
the coals were glowing,
the whole scene was set for big drama.
and out comes this rich, crisp, chewy-centered crust.
that's tight.
dressed with olive oil to start-
plus the lightly-fried garlic slices that are my grilled pizza signature.
i roasted the potatoes in foil, with oil, black pepper and pink salt,
then unloaded the whole pouch onto the pizza.
i got myself a couple of grillin' trays, so i used one to blacken up those tomatoes, too.
neighbors, that's dreamy-
smoky, burst tomato hottness turns up the pizza game to eleven.
no jokes.
and the red onion? smart.
the radishes? c'mon. you weren't expecting it......but you like it.
and the fresh oregano, and basil, and rosemary?
y'need sprankles, bruh.
get with it.
i gave you the dough recipe.
i told you about the fire.
all that's left is for you to try it yourself.
i s'pose you could use a propane jaun, if that's all you have-
but it won't be as dope......not even one little tiny baby bit close to it, even.
fire is the way to go.
that's a thing.
pizza is the best.
grilled pizza tastes like summer.
that's it;
never quiet, never soft.....

GRILL'D AGAIN!

with the success of one tasty pizza pie over wood fire on the grill
under my belt, and inside my bellyhole,
there was nothin' else to do but get right into another 'nother one.
uh-huh.
no way to know if i'm good at it unless i can reproduce the results, right?
right.
so, with the dough made the same,
and the same grill with a similar fire of charcoal and split wedges of maple,
i got back into the groove of flippin' dough, toppin' it,
and rotating the edges towards the open flames.
and it was a success, again.
check the teleport:

GRILLED PEE EYE ZEE ZEE AYY!!!
big brussels sprouts, quartered and sauteed in oil,
with a splash of both tamari and balsamic vinegar to caramelize those little weirdies.
caramelized onions, of course.
grape tomatoes, spinach,
and those fat fried garlic slices- about two cloves worth- to turn up the flavor.
and there's crushed tomato sauce and minced daiya mozzarella on there, too.
neighbors-
MINCE your chee'. it melts nicer when you do that.
just a friendly reminder, for your sake.
and i mean, how dope does that pie be lookin'?
right?
i know!!
forty five seconds on each side to get those good grilled corners,
and then the raging fuego does it's job with the lid closed and the flames lickin'
at the interior of the grill, and the exterior of the pizza.
there's just something really summery about that smoky, crunchy crust,
and it's honestly a little faster than if i made it with my tired old oven.
yeah.
i'm excited about finally getting into this grilling business.
i wanted some of this, and the only way i was gettin' it was to do-do that sh!t myself..
ha.
so, it's pizza season outdoors at the Fortress.
you're invited, maybe.
unless you hate good food, and fire, and flavor.
in that case, stay home and go to bed or somethin'.
i want warrior poets munchin' up meals with me, man.
that's a thing.
if you know what's up, however, there's always room on the grill for one more pie.
too much is the right amount.
that's just the way it is;
never quiet, never soft.....

GRILL'D

pizza on the grill.
it's not the same as a crunchy-crusted crisp oven-baked bad boy-
but,
it's still pretty F*ing expert.
no joke.
i tried it out,
then i tried it again,
and then, i fired up one more, just to be sure.
and now i know with certainty that grilled pizza is really freakin' good.
check it out:

RIGHT?!
i mean, c'mon, man. that's lookin' good.
that's crushed tomatoes, caramelized onions, kale, MINCED daiya chee'
(rules is rules),
grilled tofurky italian sausages, and a whole lotta lightly fried garlic slices.
word up.
-
now, you need dough, and it needs to be strong.
you need fire, and it needs to be hot.
and you need a baking peel and tough hands and maybe a pair of tongs, too.
yeah.
i happen to have a verrrry manly charcoal grill.
hmm?
yeah, that's right.
i use lump charcoal to grill on those rare occasions
that find me needing outdoor blackened food.
for this pizza business, tho, i also chopped up some maple logs from my woodpile.
what?
ummmm, are you kidding me?
i live in the woodsly goodness of new hampshire, bro.
OBviously i have a woodpile.
i'm sayin'...what are you?
an A*-hole?
don't be dumb.
fresh chopped 2" thick kindling sticks get the flames roaring over the coals,
and that makes the grill, with the lid down, go to 11....hundred degrees.
probably not that hot, in reality, but it had heatwaves emanating everywhere.
-
the dough is strong, like i said-
i still use a stand mixer (it's worth it), with the dough hook on it,
to beat the heck outta:
1 1/2 cups king arthur flour;
2 T olive oil;
1/2 tsp sugar;
1 tsp sea salt;
1 pkg fast-actin' yeast;
1 tsp wheat gluten;
2/3 cup warm water + 2-3 T as needed.
knead it for 11 minutes, and let it rise while you get the fire up and running.
now, not everybody does it,
but i dip my dough in flour, and carry it out on the paddle to stretch on site.
- y'gotta direct fire that thick circle to seal it up, but you also gotta be careful-
if you burn it, you're F*ed.
so pay attention, and use your eyes and your instincts,
and maybe don't put it over leaping flames.
i keep 1/2 of the grill uncoal'd, so there's that indirect firing going on.
a flip, and a rotation, and your dough is ready to top.
grilled soysages were a nice touch on this one.
MORE smoky flavor is a good thing.
in fact, with the blackened crunch of the exterior,
and the chewy center of the crust, i was living at the taste apex until it was all gone.
the garlic sprankles were a triumph.
i'll be doing that from now on.
-
pizza is my favorite.
new ways of making it are always invited.
and cooking outdoors, with fire and woodsmoke just feels like burly barbarian sh!t.
i'm thrilled to add this to my arsenal of techniques.
and i've made a few since then, just to keep up with my mantra:
too much is the right amount.
you know it;
never quiet, never soft.....

TATTOOS!

emily gets cool tattoos,
and they're big and detailed and she sits through them like a champ.
see:

yep.
i want more of y'all to be like emily.
you won't regret it,
and neither will i;
NQNS.....

THAI THURSDAY!

THAI THURSDAY!
fast actin' activation for my face:

yeah!
with jasmine rice, and cilantro and scallion sprankles.
and cucumbers and radishes and purple carrots and red onions all fresh as F*.
that's how you make a magic curry in a hurry.
look:

...delicious.
 and here's the way to make the other other stuff:
1 T coconut oil.
2 T minced onion;
1 chopped potato.
plus,
1 teaspoon of turmeric;
1/2 tsp ea/ Garlic Powder Onion Powder;
1/4 tsp black pepper;
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper;
3 T sriracha;
2 cloves sliced garlic;
1/2 tsp ground coriander;
1/4 cup cilantro;
1 cup of cherry tomatoes;
2 T lime;
2 T tamari;
1 tsp cumin;
2 tsp minced skin-on organic ginger;
one cup of broth.
one cup of unsweetened coconut almond milk.
simmered up with 1 T tapioca starch to thicken it.
-
sesame and coconut oil, 1 tsp each, plus 1/2 block exxxtra firm tofu,
browned on all sides.
in the same pan, toast up 3 T peanuts.
then, 2 heads of chopped baby bok choy, plus 1 tsp tamari, and lid it, to wilt 'em up.
uh-huh.
one pan, three shifts, all the flavors.
expert.
you don't need to put so many things in you pot.
but you should.
too much is the right amount,
and i didn't leave any leftovers.
that's the key-
eat it all and bury your feelings under a spicy mountain of hottness.
yeah.
there's no better way to feel than full;
never quiet, never soft.....

NO MOUTH!

look at this little dude:

actually, he was big.
but he had an effed up wing,
and no mouth that's their whole thing, btw-
they don't have a face, they only exist to do sex and die.
which isn't so bad, maybe-
but,
unless this fella had a great night, he died unfulfilled-
some lady ran over him in the parking lot right after i took this picture.
yup.
i ran into the town offices, and returned to see him flat as heck.
yuck.
it's not exactly nature at work.
but, it's for sure a real bummer to see a smooshed one.
i didn't move him, so i guess it's my fault?
me, and that lady's car.
maybe he was hoping to get crushed?
sitting by a puddle, in the daylight, looking 0% like gravel.
terrible camouflage, in my opinion.
ANYway,
he looked really cool until he didn't;
never quiet, never soft.....

ROASTERS!

potatoes.
they rule the roost.
and they rock the breakfast socks off.
and the new way of doing 'em is the best yet-
look:

BREKKIES!!
hahaha.
parsley sprankles and some ketchup with sriracha and liquid smoke.
fancy ketchup is barely better than bummer ketchup,
but i thought i'd try somethin'.
i might not do it again, but these potatoes are ON the regular rotation for sure.
tossed with olive oil,
Garlic Powder and Onion Powder and turmeric and black pepper and pink salt
and smoked paprika and cayenne.
laid out on parchment, and baked at 450℉ until crisssssssssp.
Das Ittttt!!!
***********
hanging out with so many little bitty kids is pretty great.
they don't know much.
they don't know what they even like.
...and that's awesome.
a taco or a waterpistol or a karate kick can change their whole world for the better.
and i love it.
i'm just pretty psyched when we're all doing stuff together.
their little new eyes and my old dumb ones work well together.
i dunno, man.
i just like 'em.
they're sweet, and they're soooo enthusiastic,
and sometimes, that's all you need, nerds;
never quiet, never soft.....

TACOS!!

smaller tacos just means more tacos.
right?
you wouldn't eat less tacos if they were smaller, would you?
not me, man.
i'm on some of that taco overkill, as hard as i can.
check it:

see?
with from-scratch fire-roasted tomato salsa,
and lime,
and avocado,
and pickled jalapenos,
and diced-up hot peppers,
and cilantro,
and red onions,
and vegan lime-cilantro sour crema...
dudes,
i also had the spicy crOMbles all up in 'em-
like:
-
*
FILLIN'!
-
1 1/2 cups of vegan crumbly stuff;
and 3 T minced onions;
and 3 T minced poblano;
and 3 T bell pepper;
and 2 cloves sliced garlic;
and 1 cup cherry tomatoes;
plus Garlic Powder, cayenne pepper, Onion Powder, black pepper, oregano,
dried chipotle pepper, cumin, and coriander...
all sauteed with a lil raw unrefined coconut oil.
-
i mean, it's not a big deal, it's just a bunch of stuff in a pan-
covered in leaves and stuff,
and shoved into my face.
also, purple cabbage, and lettuce and stuff.
look:

BRO.
c'mon.
and that salsa?
too freakin' delicious.
-
*
F'ROASTY SALSA!
-

15 oz fire roasted tomatoes;
2 cloves garlic;
1 cup mixed peppers: bell, poblano, jalapeno;
1/4 red onion;
1/3 cup cilantro;
3 T scallion greens;
cumin, ground coriander seed, GPOP, pink salt, black pepper, lime juice.
pulped up in a food processor.
i'm just sayin'-
it's not complicated.
but it's dope.
-
hmm?
soft flour flappers only, neighbors.
i can't have the crispy jauns.
it's harder to eat a lotta those.
i can tuck all the softies into my body though no prob.
yup.
tacos are good for you.
a lot of them are even better for you;
never quiet, never soft.....

SOURDOUGH PIZZA!

naturally fermented crust?
CRISP!
homemade pizza?
expert.
sourdough magic and from-scratch activation together are the team.

THAT'S THAT THANG, BRO!
crushed tomatoes,
MINCED daiya chee', of course-
i mean, c'mon- rules is rules.
caramelized onions, naturally.
kale under the sauce, too.
that's smart.
homemade vegan sausages, pepperonified with smoked hot paprika,
and GPOP, and black pepper and liquid smoke and crushed red pepper flakes.
y'know.
you take this
and cut up two of 'em and add all that other stuff with half a cup of water in a pan.
easy as heck dudes.
baked at 480℉ on a stone in my convection oven.
and then upgraded with parsley sprankles,
and two tone freshie-fresh basil hottness from the future.
thanks to dylan for that leafy delivery.
the dough recipe?
you got it:
-
*
SOURDOUGHPENESS!
-
in your upright stand mixer, with the dough hook attached, combine:
2 cups king arthur flour;
1 tsp wheat gluten;
2 tsp sea salt;
2 T olive oil;
1/2 cup sourdough starter;
1/2 cup warm water;
1 tsp bread machine yeast.
...now you got it going on.
beat it up, and add water if necessary, to get that good thang poppin'-
but give it eleven minutes of hot lumpin'.
and then cover it and let it rise for like, 36 hours in the fridge.
it gets lively, it gets tangy, it gets powerful.
and when you stretch it out? it's so strong.
guys,
it's dope.
and it does what it does perfectly.
if you don't eat pizza, i don't know what the eff you even do.
and also, pizza time is all the time.
and also also, pizza is SO good for you.
it's dope.
it's delicious.
it's perfect.
it's what you need.
eat more pizza.
you'll be better as a person if you do;
never quiet, never soft.....

L.A.M.B.

yoooooo,
look at my bread!!
yeah!!
from-scratch, fresh-baked, from-scratch, naturally-leavened sourdough bread.
that's something i do.
a LOT.
check it:

homemade

tastes

better.

i'm sayin'.
if you can have bread, you should.
celiac is a terrible thing, if you like bread.
and everybody likes bread...
sorry about gluten being dope as F*,
but i promise to make something wheat-free for you, man.

good

bread

makes

better

people
that's a fact.
and shoutouts to double loaves, too:

yeah!

hell yeah!
i just wanna make sexxxy loaves of pure white mountain wild yeast wonders.

but i get a lotta blowouts.

like, a lot.
but i also get some pretty expert ones too.

right?

y'can't go wrong with bread, bro.
for real.
look at it:

you wish you had some?

just ask, man.

i might get you a loaf fresh out of my oven.

if you're really nice.
too much is the right amount.
so here's three more:

word up.

this is it.

and that's that;
never quiet, never soft.....

SUMMERCAKE!

lemon, brown sugar, and vanilla?
yes, y'all.
cake with those things in it is almost always expert.
this one was, for sure.
check it out:

CAAAAAAKE!!!!
i want pretty summertime fun and flavor for my face, neighbors.
that's no joke.
and if i need cake, the very best way to ensure maxxximum awesome?
make it myself.
yeah.
homemade from-scratch AND vegan as F*?!
that's what's up.
i went to the longest dance recital on the planet.
there was jumping and swinging and crawling and leaping
and a ton of girls standing on their tippitytoes.
to prepare i made cake.
is that the same as watching cute little kids be so proud of their achievements?
no.
watching the kids beam as very cool.
however, beforehand i needed to get my blood flowing and my face activated.
cake was the only option, really.
and it WORKED.
you wanna know what's IN it?
i got you, b.
here it is:
-
*
CAKE!
-
preheat your oven to 375℉
-
grease a 9" springform pan
-
in a big ol' mixin' bowl, cream up:
3/4 cup brown sugar;
1/3 cup sugar;
2 tsp vanilla;
1 stick ( 8 T ) vegan butter;
1/2 tsp salt;
2 tsp lemon zest.
add in:
3 T non-dairy yogurt;
1/2 cup vegan sour creme and mix it well;
next, stir in:
2 1/2 cups king arthur flour;
2 tsp baking powder;
3 T tapioca;
1 tsp baking soda;
2.3 cup non-dairy milk.
whisk it up thoroughly, spooning it evenly into the pan,
and bake it for 30-45 minutes.
huh?
i know. that's a long variety of minutes.
how about ths:
remove it from the oven when a tester comes out clean from the center,
and let it cool completely before you even think about icing it.
the frosting is the same as usual-
3 cups powdered sugar;
1 stick vegan butter;
1 tsp vanilla;
1/3 cup s'milk.
boom, in your mixer with the whisk poppin'
you'll have the fluffiest stuff there is in no time.
i clearly added magenta and then yellow, in order of use, to the plain white frosting.
then i freaked it off to eleven with those coordinated flowery sprankles.
i mean, c'mon- it's summer, bro.
rules is rules.
y'gotta have sweets for the big days.
and now, the days are getting slightly shorter before we even fully
get into the warm swing of warm things.
we'll just need more cake, probably.
i can live with that;
never quiet, never soft.....

SUMMER!!!!

this is it!
summer 2019 is HERE.
i mean, for sure it's raining; but still, the time is upon us.
today is the day, and that's a big ol' deal to me.
summertime is pretty frickin' tight,
and i wish the schedule allowed for more enjoyment of the season.
instead i'm all up on that AMPERSAND TATTOO work grind.
but at night?
it's hot fire and great vegan food.
check it:

NOODLES?
*ahem*
NOODLES!!
yeah.
thai black rice jauns with sesame-ginger-garlic chili sauce!
that's right.
the goooooood stuff.
i even used a wok.
ha. yeah, i did.
coconut oil fried crissspy chili tofu.
i mean, c'mon-
a few dried chilis and a lotta coconut oil and those lil bad boys are fresh as hell.
-
how about the SAUCE?!
i got a cup of baby grape tomatoes;
two cloves of sliced garlic;
1 1/2" skin-on sliced and diced organic ginger;
3 T lime juice;
3 T tamari;
2 tsp sesame oil;
2 T coconut oil;
2 T chili paste;
3 T agave;
1/4 tsp black pepper;
1/2 tsp cumin;
2 T cilantro;
1/2 tsp coriander;
1/2 tsp cayenne;
1/2 cup water...
plus 1 T non-GMO organic cornstarch slurried in to thicken it up.
-
i had a couple of potatoes, cubed, boiled, and fried up in the leftover chili garlic sauce.
plus, shredded purple cabbage, red onion, scallion chunks, one stalk of celery.
and coriander all tossed up together.
maaaaaan,
that's fresh as fresh can be.
cucumbers, avocado, and a lil lettuce to pop it off.....
*
bye bye spring.
it's summertime now.
a huge bowl of noodles was a good way to get into a rainy night.
i know, the recipes aren't precise these days....
i'm sorry?
SIKE.
i'm busy.
it's summer.
there's things happening.
all of 'em, really;
never quiet, never soft.....

'TZLES!

my older kids love a soft pretzel,
especially with scallion butter,
or seeded creamchee'.
i know this because i made all of that and they got into it.
i want a pretzel stand, man.
how awesome would it be to make a couple hundred pretzels every day before
most folks even wake up?
i think that'd be expert as hell, actually.
i also want a taco truck, a pizza wagon, a bakery, a cafe,
a coffee roastery, and on and on-
however,
since i started with the pretzels, there's been no chance of going back
to an un-pretzel reality.
that's a fact.
the newest batch had poppy seeds and sea salt,
and i made them with rye flour and oat bran and wheat germ,
because rules is rules, and exxxtra hottness is always invited.
that's a thing.
check the teleport:

FAMILY PRETZEL TIME!
that's the right time.
the recipe?
right here:
-
*
PREZ!
-
in your upright stand mixer, knead up:
2 cups of king arthur flour;
1 cup dark rye flour;
1 tsp sea salt;
1 pkg fast rise yeast;
2 T wheat germ;
2 T oar bran;
1 cup warm water;
2 T real new hampshire maple syrup;
1 tsp bread machine yeast;
1 tsp baking soda.
beat it all up for eleven minutes...
let it all rise, and while that's gettin' big,
bring a pot of water, with 3 T baking soda and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil-
divide the dough into eighths, and roll it out to twist it up.
you've seen a pretzel, man.
do that.
- boil 'em thirty seconds on each side,
arrange them on parchment and seed and salt 'em,
before baking them for 14 minutes.
mmmmmmmhmmmmm.
you're welcome to improve upon it.
in fact, if you do, tell m all about it.
a good idea is a good idea no matter who thought of it;
so share the wealth and the info, and lets get this bread to be even bigger and better.
that's a thing.
*
i want more pretzels.
i want more pizza.
i want more time.
i want more of everything.
too much is the right amount.
this summer is gonna be the one.
more love more fun more happiness and more of all the best things-
and maybe some salty pretzels;
never quiet, never soft.....

SHAWARMA!

...and just like *that*,
i'm on that new-new dinnertime creation sorcery.
uh-huh.
i didn't feel like cooking.
not one bit.
but, then, something awesome happened-
the spirits of the pan-fried yeast-risen dough possessed me,
and i had to make something with that ill naa-naan bread, y'feel me?
f'real.
big fat fluffy buttery flaps of wrappable soft floury magic,
straight outta my memory banks, directly onto a plate for a big ol' batch of
hottness that hadn't ever been made by me before-
mmmhmmmmm.
you know about shawarma?
donner?
kefta?
well, look it up, neighbors.
and then recognize how tiiiiiiight these veggie bombs really are:

VEGAN WIZARD DINNER CREATION!
yup.
i did it.
i'm psyched about it.
no, but, for real, though.
look:

C'MON!
fresh veg, awesome sauce, potatoes and tomatoes out of the oven,
hummus, and veggie balls of the meatiest magic i've had in some time.
you want all the recipes?
i'll happily share:
-
*
NAAN!
-
combine 1 3/4 cups king arthur flour;
1 tsp sea salt;
1 pkg fast-actin' yeast;
1 tsp sugar;
2 T olive oil;
3 T unsweetened coconut yogurt;
2/3 cup warm water;
1 tsp wheat gluten.
knead it, preferably in your stand mixer with a dough hook attached, for 11 minutes.
let it rise for thirty minutes, divide it into 4 balls;
roll 'em out into circles on a floured work surface;
now heat up a large and in charge skillet on high heat until it's haaaaaaaaht as hell.
with a lil pat of vegan butter greasin' it up, add those naan one at a time and let it puff up
for like a minute per side or so.
they're soft and supple and pliably reliable for wrappin' up sandwiches.
basically they're totally expert, and that's no joke.
-
those potatoes?
well, man, they're oven roasted at 450℉.
that's three potatoes, fat french fry sliced, tossed in a bowl with:
GPOP, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, coriander, black pepper,
pink salt, turmeric, guajillo and cayenne pepper, and a tablespoon of olive oil.
laid out on a parchment-lined tray and baked until they golden and crisp.
once you have potato magic on the sandwiches?
y'can't really go back to feeling as good without 'em.
-
i halved up a cup and a half of my favorite sweet baby grape tomatoes,
and tossed them around in the leftover spices in the same bowl,
and roasted them the same as the potatoes.
that roasty flavor is incredible.
like, why haven't i always been doing that?
on the ones, something as simple as changing the technique on a vegetable
can be a total game-changer at dinnertime
-
the sauce?
man, it's basically tzatziki, y'know?
-
*
TZATZ!
-
mix together:
1/2 cup unsweetened plain coconut yogurt;
1/4 tsp dried dill;
1/4 tsp dried parsley;
two shakes of black pepper and cayenne and sumac;
2 T finely minced cucumber;
1 T lemon juice.
you could add a clove of crushed fresh garlic to make it marginally more authentic.
i'd be fine with that even though i skipped it.
dudes, it's F*ing awesome though.
like, literally awesome sauce.
you want it on your naan. you want it on your fries.
you just want it.
it's dope.
-
i laid out a shmear of hummus, and shredded purple carrots,
and shredded purple cabbage, AND shredded purple onion.
i dropped a handful of mixed salad greens and a few pea shoots over the tops, too.
the colors make me wanna eat more of all of it.
and then or course, there's the meaty, magical, manly kebab nuggets.
guys, that's where the real hot fire came into play-
-
*
SHAWARMA BALLS!
-
in a pan, with olive oil, on high heat, saute:
1/2 block minced tempeh;
1/4 cup sliced sweet onion;
1 large clove crushed garlic;
as the onion gets clear, add:
1 tsp thyme;
1 tsp sage;
1/2 tsp black pepper;
1/2 tsp trader joes umami mushroom powder;
1 tsp ea Garlic Powder Onion Powder.
stir it all together,
and add in:
2/3 cup vegan broth;
1 T tamari;
1 T lemon juice;
2 shakes of liquid smoke;
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.
simmer that until it's thickened and softened and soaked full of the flavors-
in a mixing bowl, sift together:
1/3 cup chick pea flour;
1/2 tsp salt;
3 T fresh minced parsley;
2 T scallion greens;
1 T wheat gluten-
add the tempeh to the flours, and mash it all well-
add extra chick pea flour if it's too sticky, and form up about twenty small balls of
bean-based burly mediterranean meatball masterpieces-
i fried and flattened mine in coconut oil, and got 'em all toasty on both sides.
......y'all ain't ready for this much hottness.
you could just get take-away food,
but it wont have the same level of expertism as all of this.
all told, this whole meal took about an hour to make.
that's not that wild, considering i had nothing panned when i started.
*
today is the last day of spring.
it's gonna rain.
that's appropriate.
are y'all ready for summer?
for big fun and sunshine and hot weather?
we're getting ourselves all braced for tourists and traffic
and every restaurant being totally clogged up,
and all the sights becoming unsightly for all the lookers out there.
yeah.
the woodsly goodness is beautiful, and it draws all the people in.
if they aren't getting tattoos, though?
they can get lost and i'd be fine with that.
f'real.
i need a day to just do all the things,
but i don't know where or when that'll be.
i get up early, that's true, but by the time i get going,
that window is closed.
there's more to every day than what i'm getting accomplished,
and i doubt making a suckier meal is the secret to unlocking a substantially better time.
i want to find some time, and take it, too.
that's the next expedition i'm setting out on;
never quiet, never soft.....

TORTELLINI!!!

i made pasta pouches with the kids.
yup.
and they were freakin' DOOOOOOOPE.
that's no joke.
me and my little half italian homegirls making a magical meal
in the Folk Life & Liberty Fortress test kitchen laboratory was expert.
and so was our finished dinner.
check it:

that's what's up, bruh.
fried slices of garlic!
spinach leaves!
parsley sprankles!!
fire-roasted tomato sprankles!!!
yeah, man, the hottness was fired up on all cylinders or whatever that means.
and the broth?
dudes-
i surprised myself, even.
three tablespoons of minced onion,
one and a half cups of halved baby grape tomatoes,
and a tablespoon of olive oil,
plus pink salt and black pepper, seared until the onions started to color,
then there's GPOP and fire-roasted tomato flakes and three cups of broth.
uh-huh.
when you bubble that up?
the tomatoes and the onions make it thicker and better
than just plain-ol' bummery water, bro.
mmmmm.
the soup is separate from the tortellini.
that's important.
and the pasta itself?
homemade, obvi.
-
*
PASTA POUCH DOUGH!
-
in your doiuugh-hooked stand mixer combine:
2 T olive oil;
1 tsp sea salt;
1/2 cup semolina flour;
1 cup king arthur flour;
1 T fire-roasty flakes of tomato;
2/3 cup warm water, s'nicey nice-
beat it up and keep it frisky, so that it forms a fiurm shiny ball of dough-
at least 11 minutes of hard styled kneadin'...
-
rolled out on a well-floured surface, and cut up into 2.5" circles.....
we folded and crimped a freakin' mountain of 'em.
and that filling was turbo-elite and expert as heckfire, for real.
-
*
TEMPEH FILLING!
-
in a medium skillet, saute:
1/2 block shredded tempeh;
plus 2 T minced onion;
1 full bag of baby spinach (that wilts down to almost nuthin';
salt, pepper;
three cloves of crushed garlic;
a splash of tamari;
a dash of Onion Powder and Garlic Powder;
and a fat punch of nootch-
when the tempeh starts to brown,
y'gotta add a quarter cup of water,
and watch it quickly absorb.
that's that goooooood thang.

-
friends-
a spoonful of that in a circle of semi-semolina,
and you've got yourself some kind of mystical italian activation.
my kids said i could TOTALLY open a vegan italian restaurant,
and i got wet eyes about it a little.
they had a good time,
we had a good time,
there was a magnificent mealtime for all of us,
and it meant a lot to make it happen with them.
i'm grateful for the chance to share what i love with the ones that i love.
that's real.
boilin' those little crescents until they float,
and tossin' on 'em in olive oil and parsley?

it just felt good to do the thing.
i'm forever grateful for the time i've been given;
never quiet, never soft.....

POTATO PIZZA!

mashed mutha-'ucking potatoes on top of a thick-A* pizza??!
dudes,
apparently, there's a pizza with mashies on top at BAR in new haven.
this ain't that, but it is derivative.
i heard about it, so i took the reference and made it expert af.
look:

C'MON!
deep dish-style hottness for your face.
that's three red skin-on potatoes,
mashed with a tablespoon of vegan butter,
and a tablespoon of olive oil,
and a tablespoon of water (because i only had coconut milk),
and GPOP and nootch and pink salt and black pepper...
plus a little thyme and rosemary to keep 'em so sexxxy with that herb-activation.
how good are they?
tooooooo gooooooooood.
i mean it.
there's daiya mozzarella SHREDDED on that dough, over a spoonful of olive oil.
rules is rules.
and if you don't mince it?
F-.
-
steamed broccoli and caramelized red onion bits
AND homemade sweet smoky spicy tempeh bacon for the maxxximum
dopeness and deliciousness all at the same time.
hmmm?
tempeh bacon is really damned good-
that's half a block of sliced and diced tempeh,
with olive oil and GPOP and black pepper and smoked hot paprika,
and agave and liquid smoke and tamari and half a cup of warm water,
heated up and caramelized and that's just some incredible stuff to eat by itself
or especially on a pizza...
did i add scallion sprankles?
of COURSE I DID.
too much is the right amount....duh.
and the dough?
it's elite.
-
*
DOUGHSKI!
-
preheat the oven to 480℉
-
in your trusty, dusty, hook-affixed stand-up mixer, combine:
1 pkg fast actin' yeast;
1 1/2 tsp sea salt;
2 T olive oil;
1 1/2 cups king arthur flour;
2/3 cups warm water;
1/2 tsp wheat gluten.
that's the stuff.
beat it up for 11 minutes, and it'll be shiny and tight and wet and perfect-
let it rise thirty minutes or so,
then stretch it out across a greased 9" x 11" brownie-style pan.
y'gotta bake it a little longer than a thin crust, of course-
but i had that convection circulation whipping around,
and it was HOT as heck in there, giving a tasty crust to that dough.
mmmmmmmmmhmmmm.
man, that's what i needed.
what a triumph.
-
guys,
f'real though-
this is the TRUTH.
like, the effing future just got here, and there's no going back now.
a thick crust deep dish mashed potato jaun is exxxactly how much hottness you need.
make one.
eat the whole thing.
feel better about life.
it's a thing;
never quiet, never soft.....

CONNECTICUTIONERS!

it's never enough.
these two are the first ones.

that's something special.
they got a wild ride from the premier to the present,
but they became decent people, with good hearts and better personalities.
i'm grateful for the time we spanned, maing food, and sharing stories and laughs.
they're grown ups,.
they are.
and our relationship is something to be enjoyed.
i like them.
and i want to spend time with them.
when i was their age, literally NObody could stand to be around me.
(these days, there's maybe three people who last more than an hour)
so,
you can bet your bottommost buck that i'm super grateful they turned out
substantially SO much better than i would've guessed.
there's never enough time.
that's the thing i feel the most;
never quiet, never soft.....

PANCAKE BRUNCHING!

roasted red skinned potatoes,

tossed in olive oil, and smoked paprika,

and GPOP (Garlic Powder and Onion Powder)

plus pink salt and black pepper and especially turmeric,

because my old man bones are sore all the old man time, neighbors.

hmm?

yeah, i do that thing where you toss them out of a bowl and catch 'em in the same bowl

a whole bunch like on a tv commercial for shrimp or some sh!t.

hahaha.

i doo-doo that tossin'-type stuff.

then i arranged 'em on a parchment lined pan and baked those baddies

in an oven that rose up to 450 luscious fahrenheit degrees.

i fired up five smaller spuds, and let 'em get golden, and crisp,

and then i tossed 'em in a pan with some sweet onion and oil,

and got 'em all activated with exxxtra excellence.

f'really real.

that's how you do it.

wait.

what's this all about, anyway?

it's all about fathers day pancake breakfast for harvest and maple and i.

mmmhmmmmm.

check it:

WORD.

the potatoes are very necessary,

and those blackened tomatoes turn it up to eleven,

but it's the 'cakes that take the, um, y'know....

with real maple syrup, obvi,

because rules is rules,

and coconut whipped creme because we love to take it to the next level,

AND powdery sugar sprankles because the sweet tooth is hereditary,

and we LOOOOOOVE that sugar, neighbors.

mmmhmmmm.

but it's the actual pannieboi action that had us shook, son.

f'real.

-

*

PAPA-DAY PANNIES!

-

in a medium mixin' bowl, combine:

1/4 cup coconut meal;

1/2 tsp salt;

1/2 cup oat flour;

2 T brown sugar;

1 T sugar;

2 T oil;

1 1/2 cups king arthur flour;

2 tsp bakey kapowder;

1 tsp baking soda;

1/2 cup vanilla non-dairy yogurt;

2/3 cup non-dairy milk, + more if needed....

stir it up, make it thick, get it ready,

and watch it thicken.

this is the batter that matters, man.

and if it rests while you heat up a hot griddle,

that's even better, for sure. 

the thing about expert vegan pancakes is:

too much is the right amount.

100% fact.

i fried 'em up in a fat spoonful of vegan butter,

and it kept the outer shell of each cake hella crisp,

with that caramel note of cooked brown sugar keeping it real af.

have you ever flipped a pancake and just known in your heart that it was gonna 

be a life-changing experience?

these might be the ones that do it for you.

for realsies.

i love cooking for the children.

it's good for me, and it's good for them, and it only adds to a sense of belonging,

and open-mindedness,

and family togetherness at it's best.

that's no joke.

and while i'm the only vegan in the group,

most of the time everybody is pretty tolerant of my compassionate, considerate,

clearly-superior method of earth-friendly life-sustaining nutrition,

since everything else is basically planet-and-love-destroying selfishness.

so, whenever a pancake can come through and save the day,

you'd best believe i'm there with an open heart and a spatula to make it happen.

i'm actually pretty glad to share these experiences with ALL these young ones 

who matter so much to me.

and they ALL love my pancakes.

all five of the six who've had 'em.

lilli only gets that human mamasyrup so far, 

but i'm sure she'll be psyched when the time comes to have a pancake with us.

i don't know it that's too many pancake eatin' young ones,

or not enough of 'em all told,

but i DO know that with just the three of us here at the Folk Life & Liberty Fortress

we had leftover 'cakes,

and that's practically a sin;

never quiet, never soft.....

'TATOES!

potatoes for dinner?
yeah, i do that.
check it:

YUUUUUUUP.
i've been busily busting out a whole big bunch of broccoli.
it's got all the nutrients and stuff you need, so i make the most use of it i can.
those potatoes, though.
i boiled up three rough chopped red-skinned potatoes in some salty water.
then i sizzled 'em up in a hot pan with oil, and fire roasted tomato flakes,
plus GPOP, and black pepper, and red pepper flakes...
how freaking easy is that?
with scallion sprankles
and red onions for added expert flavor exxxplosivity.
that's how you make it rad as heck.
and it was.
...and i also added in those savory seared tempeh cubes, bruh.
that's half a block of rough chopped tempeh, with olive oil, a cup of broth,
salt and pepper, thyme, sage, and a little rosemary,
plus just a splash of soy sauce and agave...
simple?
so simple.
heavy-duty, hearty, and full of POWER.
that's the stuff, man.
easy meals aren't the worst thing that ever happened.
that's real.
sometimes you have all the feelings, including hunger,
and that means you need a LOT of interior hugs.
this is what that is;
never quiet, never soft.....

BOWLS!

when i'm just making dinner for myself,

and i don't really feel like making dinner for myself,

i do things like this:

bowling is good for you.

broccoli is super good for you.

eating broccoli is a good idea, and frankly, i love it.

quinoa and scallions and red lentils together is my go-to grain combo these days-

a quarter of a cup of each and a cup of water, a little pink salt and some GPOP?

expert.

that's a meal all on it's own.

coconut-oil fried tofu?

i like my coconut oil unrefined for the full tasty taste of the thing-

and exxxtra-firm tofu, sizzled until crispy is really my favorite way to have the stuff.

cucumber and avocado?

c'mon.

crunchy coolwater cukes make my face feel psyched.

creamy avocado is what all the smart people want, right?

right!

that's a lot of stuff in one place,

and with scallion and cilantro sprankles, too?

damn, duders.

too much is the right amount.

and when i add in a whole other 'nother spicy chick pea jaun in there??

jeez.

it's an overload of awesome, and it all only takes under half an hour.

-

i had red onion, chick peas, garlic, jalapenos, and cherry tomatoes,

with coconut oil and turmeric and smoked paprika and pink salt and black pepper

and toasted cumin and coriander all together,

plus Garlic Powder and Onion Powder to season it all up.

do you ever just toss all your stuff in a pan and cross your fingers?

that's what's good, neighbors-

making it up as you go,

and going all out with as many different textures as you can.

it's like rainbow braille for my tongue.

i don't always need a theme,

but i DO always need to have it be delicious.

sometimes, this is what happens when those are the only requirements;

never quiet, never soft.....