Better-than-Sex Chocolate Vegan Cake

Just Chocolate Cake (Leasa says, "this is a very understated name for this amazing recipe") from: Post-Punk Kitchen

1 cup almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular (or a mix of both)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F.

Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla and almond extract and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are OK).

Lightly grease an 8 inch spring form pan. Pour in the batter and bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted through the center comes out clean.

Gooey Ganache
2/3 cup almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
In a small saucepan bring the milk to a boil then lower heat to a simmer. Add the chocolate chips and maple syrup and mix with a fork. Turn heat off and mix until thoroughly melted. Let cool for about 15 minutes before using.

To assemble:
Just pour the ganache over the cooled cake and kind of tilt the cake at all angles to get the ganache to drip down the sides. Refrigerate to cool and set the ganache.

Vegan Peanut Butter Smoothie from Oh She Glows

Thanks again to Oh She Glows for this delicious dessert recipe!  Purple text indicates my modifications...

For the smoothies:

• 2 cups almond milk (we use rice milk)
• 2 large frozen ripe bananas
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ice, if desired
• Peanut butter crunch balls (below), crumbled on top

For the peanut butter crunch balls:

• 1 cup rolled oats, ground into flour (or use 1 cup + 2 tbsp oat flour)
• 1 tbsp packed brown sugar (you can cut this down/out if you want)
• 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
• 3 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp almond milk (again we use rice milk here)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup rice crisp cereal

1. In the blender, grind the rolled oats into a flour or just use oat flour. In a food processor, process together the ingredients for the crunch balls (except for the rice crisp cereal). Adjust to taste. If batter is dry, add a touch more liquid. Stir in the cereal and form into mini bite-size balls, about 20. Store leftovers in freezer.

2. In a blender, add the smoothie ingredients, except for the crunch balls, and blend until smooth. Add ice if desired. Pour into two glasses and top with crumbled crunch balls. Serve immediately with a spoon!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie (DELICIOUS!)

From the fabulous Alicia Silverstone, "Kind Life" Blog:

Tofu Pumpkin Pie
Serves 8
Ingredients:

• 1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
• 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch to firm up the pie filling
• 1 package (10-12 ounces) silken/soft tofu
• 1 9-in unbaked vegan pie shell

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 
2. Blend the pumpkin and sugar.
3. Add salt, spices, cornstarch and tofu, mix thoroughly. 
4. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 F and bake for another 60 minutes. 
5. Chill and serve.

NOTE: Don't use the low fat tofu, then the pie tastes like it was made with tofu.

Vegan Berry Crisp...

This recipe is perfect as a sensational breakfast or a sweet, comforting dessert.

Ingredients:
* 12 ounces frozen blueberries or strawberries or raspberries (or a mixture), rinsed--but save juice
* 5 tbsp agave nectar
* 1 tbsp honey
* 1 cup rolled oats
* ⅓ cup whole wheat flour
* 2 tbsp raw sugar
* Cinnamon to taste

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place berries (with juice) into 10" glass dish and sprinkle with sugar...let sit in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to allow sugar to seep into berries. In another bowl, mix oats, agave and flour together until it crumbles. Place crumbs over blueberries and sprinkle cinnamon and just a little honey over top. Bake 10-20 minutes, or until the top is crisp. Add your favorite cream (ice cream, sorbet, whipped cream, apple-soy cream, etc.)

Got Fresh Figs? Try this DELICIOUS Fig & Almond Tart.

OMG, I love when Charlie makes this delicious sweet pastry. He discovered this gem of a recipe after we received a large basket of fresh figs from the local farm. What do you do with figs? Well, here is an idea:
Accolades to the Food Network:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons ice water
• 3 1/2 ounces almond paste or almond butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 6 large or 12 small fresh figs, sliced, stems removed or 20 dried figs, reconstituted *see Cook's Note(our fig's came from a local farm, Roots)
• 1/4 cup apricot jam

Directions

Combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until blended. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, gradually add the water until moist clumps form. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and form into a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for 1 hour.
In a clean food processor bowl, combine remaining sugar, almond paste, mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract, and honey. Blend until smooth.
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
On a large sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a large, heavy baking sheet. Spread the almond filling over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Arrange the figs on top of the almond filling. Spoon the jam over the figs. Fold the dough border over the filling to form an 8-inch round, pleating the crust loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in the dough.
Bake the tart until the crust is golden, about 40 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then slide a metal spatula under the crust to free the tart from the parchment. Transfer the tart to a platter and serve.
Cook's Note: To reconstitute dried figs, simmer in water for 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool completely. Strain before using.

Date Squares – from Adamants Lodge

This recipe comes from my outdoor-Colorado buddy Christy! Every year she goes up North to Canada to kick off her shoes for a little (actually BIG, KILLER, EPIC) Canadian Rockies heli-skiing action. This recipe is from the lodge where she stays, Adamants Lodge! PHOTO: Spring skiin' (with mud) in Aspen.

Date Squares
Part 1:
3 Cups all purpose flour
3 ½ C old fashioned oats
5 ml baking soda
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
1 lb butter

Part 2: Date Mixture
1.5 gram date
2 C water
½ C orange juice
Combine these 3 items and cook until thick

Melt butter, combine with Part 1.
Put 2/3 on the bottom.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees
Then spread date mixture over and add the rest of the streusel.
Bake about 40 minutes

Berry Crisp/Cobbler

Recipe ripped from Allrecipes.com (with a few changes).

INGREDIENTS
4 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, or even apples
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, gently toss together fruit (with juice and maybe even a little extra water) and white sugar; set aside.
In a separate large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Cover with fruit. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over the berries with a little extra sugar and cinnamon on top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

Excellent served with whipped creme or ice-cream!

Eva's Baked Cinnamon Apples

2 Golden delicious apples (the yellow-er, the better!)

1 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

In bowl dissolve sugar with water then pour into the saucepan. Place apples (cut in half) face up in saucepan. Then, top with cinnamon sticks (break up sticks). Let water simmer until it looks like the peel is disengaging from the fruit. Let them cool down, place in refrigerator and when cold...eat. (Remove cinnamon sticks before eating.)

An AMAZING treat!

Compliments of: Eva from Spain, my flatmate in South Africa!

(see photo!)

Merengada Milk (from Spain)

1 liter milk (full fat)
lemon rind (peel)
2 cinnamon sticks
sugar (about 2 tablespoons)

Pour the milk into a saucepan together with the cinnamon sticks (break up sticks), lemon peel and sugar. Turn the heat on and let it simmer for 5 minutes while you stir it with a wodden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Then pour it in a bowl and let it cool down. When the milk is at room temperature remove the lemon peel and the cinnamon stick and place the bowl in the freezer until the mixture is very cold but not frozen. Serve it in tall cocktail glasses with plenty of cinnamon powder sprinkled on top. A delicious treat on a hot day!

Recipe compliments of: Eva, my Spanish flatmate in Pretoria, South Africa

Eva's Fruit Macedonia

A lovely dessert from Spain! From my roommate in South Africa...enjoy!

Guava juice (like real yummy, and thick guava juice)
Orange juice (real OJ with pulp)
Apples (peeled and cut into little peices)
bananas (cut into little peices)

Pour 1/2 c. guava & 1/2 c. OJ into lovely glass and add fruit. Put in refrigerator for at least 4 hours (for fruit to absorb some of the juice.) Garnish with pineapple/umbrella and eat with spoon. YUMMY! A refreshing and light yet tasty dessert. You can add any kind of fruit and experiment with the juices.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Cream: 1 cup brown sugar
l cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
Add: 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla
Add: 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. salt, 3 cups oatmeal, and 1 cup raisins.

Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Jumbo Raisin Cookies

This recipe is my Great Grandma Riddell's recipe. These cookies are very tasty and very moist. One tends to eat the cookie dough before they are baked because they are so tasty.

Cook 5 minutes: 1 cup water and 2 cups raisins. Than cool.
Cream: 1 cup shortening and 2 cups sugar.
Add: 3 eggs and beat well.
Add 1 tsp. vanilla and cooked raisins with any liquid left after cooking.
Add 1 cup nuts,chopped.
Lastly add: 4 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. soda, 2 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and 1/4 tsp. allspice.

Bake 400 degree for 12-15 minutes. Store in air-tight container.

If all of these spices are not available, increase the amount of cinnamon.

MAGIC COOKIE BARS

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 14 oz. can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degree oven (325 for glass dish). In a 13 by 9 inch baking pan, melt butter. Sprinkle crumbs over butter; pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Top evenly with remaining ingredients; press down gently.
Photo: Uncle Chuck with a plate full of Magic Cookie Bars. I think he REALLY likes them!

Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Store, loosely covered, at room temperature.

These bars are easy to make and a REAL crowd pleaser.

Christmas Fruit Cookies

1/2 cup margarine or butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/8 cup flour(use 3/8 of this over fruit)
1/2 tsp. cinnomon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 cup pecans,chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 lb. pitted dates,chopped
1 lb. shelled filberts, whole
4 oz. candied red cherries, chopped
4 oz. candied green cherries, chopped
2 oz. candied pineapple, chopped

Makes a stiff dough. The night before get fruit and nuts ready, sprinkle with 3/8 cup of the flour.
Cream butter and sugar, add beaten egg. Sift remainder of flour, cinnamon, soda, and salt and add to butter-sugar mixture. Add vanilla, floured fruit and nuts. Shape into balls with hands. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 275 for 10 minutes. When you take them out of the oven they do not look baked, but after remaining on the pan for a few minutes they get firm. Baking too long makes them very dry. Makes about 80 cookies.
These are my favorite cookies and they keep very good in a cool place or even in the freezer. You may substitute with any of your favorite nuts or fruits, just keep total quantities the same or they will be too stiff and fall apart.
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

My Mom's Devil's Food Cake and Never Fail Frosting

Mix together: 2 cups flour, 1 cup white sugar, 4 rounded Tbsp. cocoa, and 1 tsp. salt.

Add to dry ingredients: 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 1/3 cup hot water with 2 tsp. baking soda, and 1 tsp. vanilla.

PHOTO: Little Ryan Orris enjoys some chocolate cake, yummy!

Place in a greased cake pan and bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or when a toothpick is inserted and it comes out clean.

This was a favorite dessert on the ranch as we always had plenty of sour cream. Of course, Mom always covered this cake with Her Never Fail Chocolate Frosting.

Combine in a sauce pan: 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1/3 cup milk, and 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco).

Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute.

Remove from stove and add 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat until it loses its glossiness, than spread quickly onto cake.

Your Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Colorado Back-Country Hut...it's like peanut butter & jelly.

Cream: 1 cup butter, 3/4 cup white sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Beat and add: 2 eggs.

Mix and add: 1 1/2 cup white flour, 3/4 cup wheat flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt.

Stir in: 2 cups chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts.

Drop by tsp. onto a cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes in 375 degree oven. Makes 7-8 dozen.

I think what makes cookies the best is to use a combination of white and wheat flour. I cool them, store in airtight container, freeze, and remove as you need them. Enjoy!!!!

Ice Cream Pie

ICE CREAM PIE
(as good as your imagination!)

You can do almost any combo in this creative dessert . . . .

Andes Mint Ice Cream Pie
Crust: Archway chocolate cookies (1 package crumbled fine in a proccessor) spread and press into pie plate. (reserve 2 Tbl crumbs)
Filling:
- chocolate syrup; drizzle across bottom of pie crust
- chocolate mint ice cream; let soften a bit and scoop 1/2 onto crust
- sprinkle with crushed Andes Mints, 1 Tbl cookie crumbs, drizzle choc syrup.
- layer remaining scoops of 1/2 the quart of ice cream
- drizzle with chocolate syrup again
- sprinkle remaining Andes Mints, 1 Tbl cookie crumbs
- Refreeze till firm.

To serve: cut into slices and serve. Serves 8

Butter Pecan Ice Cream Pie:
- Molasses Archway Cookies
- Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- Caramel Syrup
- Chopped Pecans
- Heath Bar (crushed sprinkle on top before serving)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie:
- Chocolate Archway Cookies
- Chocolate Syrup
- Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Cream (alternate the scoops)
- Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, crushed
- Fresh Peanuts

Strawberry Chocolate Ice Cream Pie:
- Chocolate Archway Cookies
- Chocolate Syrup
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Shaved dark chocolate bits
- Fresh strawberries sliced to top

Be creative . . . . .

Orange-Yogurt Cake

Orange-Yogurt Cake

(one from Martha!) this is a quick one, takes 45 minutes, and is great for a quick last minute pretty desert, serves 4-8

Preheat Oven to 350'. butter an 8" round cake pan.

Gently stir together:

1 c. flour

1/2 c + 2Tbs sugar

1/2 sp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

Gently add in:

1/2 plain yogurt

1/4 c vegetable oil

1 tsp grated orange zest (thats the peel)

1 Tbs fresh orange juice

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pour into the buttered pan and bake until cake tester comes out clean. about 22 minutes. let cake cool on rack.

Fresh Orange topping, combine in a small bowl:

1 1/2 tsp orange zest

2 oranges, cleanly cut and segmented without rind or pulp

1 Tbs sugar

To serve:

Invert cake from pan and then again onto a plate.

Dust cake and plate with confectioners powder sugar.

Slice cake and garnish top with fresh orange slices.