Rice and Beans with Hedgehog Mushrooms

I love hedgehogs. They are just so cute with their little snouts, and prickly quills, and when they yawn it's irresistible. They also belong outside, romping around in the grass and getting into peoples gardens, or sometimes washing hankies and making cups of tea, but only on their own terms. There is another kind of hedgehog though, which I gladly welcome into my kitchen, is luscious orange-brown, has soft little "quills" on the underbelly, is light and peppery and goes excellent with rice and beans, making it a perfect light dinner addition. And that is the hedgehog mushroom, my newest favorite find and a staple of late in my kitchen.

Cook rice, seasoning with chipotle chili pepper, garlic, salt, and cracked black pepper. Cook cranberry beans, seasoning with salt and cracked pepper. In a medium pan, over medium heat, saute 1 cup hedgehog mushrooms in 2 tsp olive oil, salt to taste and 1 tsp fresh chopped parsley until mushrooms are sift and cooked combine 1/2 cup rice with 1/2 cup cooked beans in a bowl and top with mushrooms. a very simple yet satisfying meal.

Stuffed Winter Squash

Cooking is as much about eating as Friday Night Lights is about American football. I'm sure everyone who knows me and reads this silly little blog just did a double take when I said "football" since I have never exhibited the slightest interest in football and often go out of my way to avoid American football to watch more civilized sports like hockey and roller derby. Yes, American football is central to the story line in Friday Night Lights, it's the glue that binds the characters together, the engine that drives the story line, but it's the character's attitudes and struggles that transpire off the field that suck us, the viewers, into this weekly teen drama with a capital D. It's like that with cooking. It's the act of supporting the community you live in buy buying from local farms. It's prepping a meal for friends, driving down to their house and having conversations in the kitchen while you spoon out the guts of acorn squash, setting the table together, laughing, debating, and yes, eating, that make cooking more about community than food itself. Food is something that makes it possible for a group to gather around a table, raise a glass of wine, and toast "Here's to good friends living large in Texas" (or where ever you happen to be).

Stuffed Winter Squash

Homemade Tofurkey with Mushroom and Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe

Well, the first Vegan/ Non-Vegan Thanksgiving to be had in half a decade has officially come to an end. There were a few hiccups here and there, but it was pretty damned successful in the end. I had good friends to help me cook some damn good food and keep good company. The power went off att my mum’s house, but our good family friends north of Seattle stepped in to host, and the in-laws, the wife, and our good friend Dee made it through the snow to a delicious meal, good friends and family, and a rousing game of Apples to Apples. 

Right out of the oven

We ended up making toast points, “cheddar bay” biscuits, roasted garlic mashed taters, roasted yams with rosemary, green beans with alder wood smoked salt, market spice tea cupcakes (after a failed attempt at a cherry torte, which shall never be spoken of again), and a bitchen’ homemade tofurkey. I will post the rest of the recipes, but I wanted to start with the star of the vegan meal: 
the homemade tofurkey 

Slice o' heaven

with mushroom and wild rice stuffing. Deedra had send me the recipe* from Chow a few weeks ago, and while it’s quite time intensive, it’s not hard, and it is by far the best Thanksgiving main dish I’ve had. The tofu takes on the taste of the sage and thyme, and the savory earthy dressing compliments. This bake will definitely be making an appearance in future Thanksgivings. 

After we had eaten our weight in food, laid on the floor like fat walruses and groaned as our bellies gurgled while processing our gluttony, and had a few glasses of wine, we ate cupcakes and I totally kick serious ass at Apples to Apples. (We have since procured said game, and I welcome some serious game nights. Bring. It. On.) Though it was a bit different from the last few Thanksgivings (no one was referred to as “Fuck Face” all evening), and some east coast faces were missed around the table, in the end, it was a pretty damned good day.

*I used vacuum packed extra firm Wildwood brand tofu, only used 60 oz., and did not drain it in a cheesecloth as instructed. If I had used water packed tofu, I would have, but I think the vacuum packed is so dry it’s a pain in the ass step that can be skipped. I also switched out brown ride for wild rice. It’s a nice change. You just have to add ¼ cup extra of wild rice, as it won’t soak up as much water as brown.

Sautéed Veggies and Rice

Tonight my friend Brooke busted her ass down to our apartment, showed me the new hair-do she’s got planned for me (I’m going back to short, with bangs. Holla!) and we spent the evening reminiscing about days long gone. I may have had one too many glasses of wine, but by no means got crapulous (seriously–it’s a word–look it up) and we talked waaaaay too much about past transgressions involving rice crispy treats. At any rate, after a day of work, and before an evening of hanging out, I had time to make a quick dinner using the excessive amounts of veggies in my fridge.

Sautéed Veggies and Rice