Cinnabuns & Road-Trips

No. I did not make this gloriously amazing cinnamon bun myself.

Look at it sitting there all coyly, tormenting me about the fact that I'd have to drive all the way back to Pittsburgh to get another one of its kind.

And I think I would. It was that good. *wistful sigh*

Anywho, my friend P and I road-tripped to Pitt this past Friday to go see N/A and one of his bands play at a gallery opening. Since it's about 2-1/2 hours one way, we decided to make a day of it and hit up Ikea while we were out there and then grab dinner.

I, of course, got a few kitchen-usefuls at Ikea, mainly a new dish drainer in the hopes of freeing up some more counter space (since it's feeble at best).

I grabbed this two-tiered baby, and so far it's a blessing in disguise--not only is it kind of diner-cute, but it also opened up much more space for cutting and all sorts of things, such as, perhaps, doing it? Anyways:



I also have been wanting to get a spice rack for a while--right now all my spices are lined up on a built-in shelf in my entry-way hallway after a mishap in which my whole spice rack tore out of the wall while my landlord was over and sent spices everywhere on my kitchen floor. They didn't have anything that was cheap enough to suffice (and that didn't require buying THEIR stupid spice-jars in order to fit), but then I saw this little baby:



It's now hanging right over my stove with my "most frequently used spices."

I only wish I had thought to get more than one, 'cause they are really kind of wicked cool, given that you could also decorate them if you wanted since they're clear.

But ah well.

Anyways: back to the cinnamon bun.

After Ikea, we decided to grab dinner at The Quiet Storm Coffeehouse and Restaurant, a place P had randomly stumbled across on-line:

(These aren't my pics, btw. 'Cause I'm a dumbass and didn't think to take any.)



And holy crap! What a great place. If you're ever in Pitt, I highly recommend checking it out. It's super vegan-friendly, and it's retro-cute as all get-out. (It's got what appears to be an old-school soda-bar right in the middle of it):


(If you click on the pic, you can
see the soda-counter in the middle)

And the food was SO good. P and I both got their "meatloaf" dinner:

Meaty, crunchy loaf of lentils blended with sage, garlic & sunflower seeds. Topped with our killer onion gravy and served with any veg du jour (in our case, peas and carrots) & smashed red taters.

I don't think P was quiet so bowled over by the loaf as I was (which was all the better for me, since she gave me her leftovers), but goddamn was it tasty. Especially topped with their fantastic gravy which really IS killer.

I also got a glass of their ginger lemonade which I also HIGHLY recommend. And, despite being STUFFED from the mountains of potatoes and loaf, I got a cinnamon bun to go, which I gorged on the next morning, layer by gloriously sticky layer.

All in all, one of the better dining experiences I've had in a long while.

Afterwards, we headed over to the Zombo Art Gallery to see N/A play for the opening of Tim Kerr's art show.

The night was full of improvisational jazz, vibrant art, cigarettes, cheap beer, and hipsters...









We rode it out until about 11 and then headed off for the long ride home.

Ah, Pittsburgh. I will return.

If for no other reason than to again squeeze your sticky buns.

Pasta with Olives, Artichokes, and Dried Tomatoes

                          from The Accidental Vegan

New favorite food combo of lustiness:

Sundried tomatoes & kalamata olives.

They both are strange and perfumey and an acquired taste, and for that reason, they mingle like a fucking sexy hot tango.

And I don't even really LIKE sundried tomatoes in other situations. Truly.

Anyways, the recipe is from The Accidental Vegan and doesn't appear to be posted on-line.

But really, it's simple enough that a) I really didn't think I'd like it nearly as much as I did (which was enough so that I'm cooking it for my mom again tomorrow), and b) you kind of can do all the ingredients to taste really.

Kalamata olives, diced
Sundried tomatoes (maybe a dozen or so), rehydrated in boiling water and drained
Olive oil
Almonds, ground or chopped
Fresh basil, chopped
Garlic, minced
Can of quartered artichokes, drained and chopped
White wine or veggie broth (maybe 1/4 c. or so)
Fettucine or other pasta of choice

Anyone who's ever cooked pasta can probably figure out where to go from here, but essentially: Heat olive oil, add garlic for a minute or two, add the rest of the ingredients (minus the fettucine) and simmer for a little bit. Add in pasta, mix, and serve.

(Actual recipe from The Accidental Vegan)

So f-ing yum. Despite the fact that the pic above makes it look boring and albino.

White Bean Alfredo Sauce

Ok. So I'm a big fan of alfredo sauce. Actually, I'm a big fan of pasta in general, and alfredo has always been one of my favorite sauces. So I'm always trying out new alfredo sauces. (Click HERE for others.) The VwaV Fettucine Alfreda is one of my favorites still, but with the admission that it doesn't really taste like ALFREDO per se, despite the fact that it's fricking so good.

So when I noticed this white bean alfredo sauce a few weeks ago, I was skeptical (that's ALL the ingredients?!?) and yet interested. I scrounged it up this past weekend, and I've gotta confess: it really tastes surprisingly like alfredo sauce, even with the very minimal amount of ingredients.

And it takes so little time to make that it seems conceivable that it could cause a tear in the space-time continuum just for existing.

The nice part too is you can funk it up whatever way you'd like: add whatever spices and top it with delicious grilled veggies (like red peppers and portabellas, for example).

The ONLYONLYONLY down-side to the recipe is that you have to eat it fast: like most pureed bean-based dishes, once it starts to cool, it coagulates. So if you're trying to be all romantical with your significant other or something so that you can get some long overdue action, you will DEFINITELY get laid as long as you somehow get them to EAT IT QUICKLY (that's what she said).

Oh, and it would behoove you to food process the SHIT out of those beans, because the smooth consistency is key to the recipe's success. Plus you don't want the aforementioned significant other putting their mouth all over your sexy places with beans stuck in their teeth.

Moodkiller if I've ever seen one.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 c. vegan margarine


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 2 c. cooked white beans, rinsed and drained


• 1 to 1-1/2 c. unsweetened soy milk (I used sweetened and it works fine too)


• Salt and pepper, to taste


• Parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a sautee pan over low heat, melt the margarine. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the margarine mixture to a blender or food processor, add the white beans and 1 cup of soy milk. Blend until completely smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining soy milk until you reach the desired consistency.

Pour the sauce back into the pan over low heat, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Add fresh herbs, such as parsley, if desired. Cook until the sauce is warm.

Makes enough sauce for like 4 to 6 servings maybe?

(Recipe from Vegcooking Blog)