Zucchini Pie

This is a recipe my mom used to make in the summer to get rid of the zucchini that grew in our garden. I've adapted it, and it remains one of my favorite summer dishes.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups diced or grated zucchini
1 chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 cup baking mix (e.g. Bisquick or other such mix. I use gluten-free bisquick or Bob's red mill gluten-free baking flour. if using a standard flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder)
3/4 cup extra firm silken tofu, blended
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds whisked with 3 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup vegan "cheese" (I use Daiya cheddar shreds)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Turn oven to 350 degrees (f). Mix tofu, flax seed mixture, oil, baking mix, and seasonings until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir until vegetables are evenly coated. pour into deep dish pie pan and cook for 30-40 minutes, until top is nicely browned and middle is cooked through.

“Cheesy” Potato Gratin

I finally fed my craving. See, I've been craving scalloped potatoes since Thanksgiving. The warm cheesy bubbles that pop with steam on the way from the oven to the table, the crisp browning edges that crunch, the perfectly laid rows of thin potato slices that are soft when you bite down, yet not mushy... yeah, that's what I've been craving. 

I fought the craving off for a while until Christmas rolled around and we had dinner with my wife's family and my mother-in-law served up a potato gratin, looking like the angels had made it and placed it down right beside me to tantalize my olfactory senses. And it was made with bacon. As quickly as the angels had laid down this dish beside me, the Devil was there to enforce the steadfast law that if you want something done your way, you better just do it yourself. So I begged for the recipe, veganized it, and bestow upon you the holy grail of potato gratin.

“Cheesy” Potato Gratin

Fried "Turkey" Balls

The main meal idea for last years Thanksgivingpalooza came to me like a shot in the dark. There I was, lazing about on the couch, watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and Guy Fieri was in Milwaukee, WI at The Comet Café. The Comet has a dish called “AJ’s Compact Turkey Dinner” which, essentially, is a thanksgiving dinner in a croquette. How could I see that and not immediately need to veganize? And I had to change the name, because saying “balls” is just a lot more fun than saying “compact faux turkey dinner.” Everyone deserves to indulge in crass 3^rd grade humor once in a while. The balls were a hit at thanksgiving, and we kept returning to the deep fryer for a few days to make more until our arteries begged us to stop. On another note, if you’re ever in Milwaukee, stop by the Comet, and grab a vegan Salisbury steak, or deep fried vegan ribs. I’ve never had them, but their menu makes me drool. 

The Main Course: Fried “Turkey” Balls