Top Chef?

It has been 3 painful weeks since Jamie and I have been able to watch top chef. Apparently, we have been illegally getting cable and now are out of luck. It is going to be tough to catch up. Sad times. I do not really watch a lot of television but it was something that Jamie and I got into together. Instead of top chef, we ended up making enchiladas. They were good but it would have been great paired with our weekly television fix.


I have a hectic work week coming up. I work too many double shifts and have no days off until I leave for LA. I guess that is the cost of vacations. I am sure the trip will be worth the pain though. Big things!

Lentils and Veggies with Tofu

After a weekend of activities with Emily, who came down from New Hampshire, to visit on her birthday, it was nice to come back to the condo. There is nothing like a home cooked meal. I made some lentils with veggies and tofu. Eatting out is fun but it just never compares. Oh... and I got some new plates!


Jamie recently made some spaghetti squash with pesto! I am so proud of her. Over two years ago when we met, she was confident that her culinary limits were in the realm of nachos and cheese. Now, 27 months later, not only is she vegan but is making her own great food. I am gushing. I have seen this little chef grow! Great job Jamie! I really enjoy cooking with you and learning with you!

According to my contractor, my house will be ready for me to move into in a few weeks. It is very exciting. I am doing many fun things with the house now. Today I decided on the color stain for my wood floors, the color granite for my counter top, as well as picked out my kitchen sink! This is an exciting time and although I am strong, I must admit that I am a bit anxious about all the changes.

On a positive note, my mother came through like a champ and got me the documentation that I needed from the State of Maine so I can continue to pursue my real estate license. Go mum!

6 days and then I head off to Los Angeles to see my friend Laura. It has been almost two years since I have seen her and we still talk almost everyday. I miss her. It will be a nice time and I will have many food pictures for you - I know that is all you want!

9 days and I will be in Maine! Apparently there may be some punk picnic being organized while I am there. I would be really happy if that happened as I would really like to see some old friends. I get a bit overwhelmed when I go to Maine because there are too many people I want to see and spend time with and just not enough time. I am looking forward to going on a nice hike with my good friend Greta! I will have pictures to share.

Another quick shout out to a friend, I am so touched that Myrna has been reading my blog. It is nice to know that people around me (even at work) take an interest in what I am doing. Myrna is so sweet.

Halloween time in Atlanta

October is my favorite month here in Atlanta. There are many fun happenings, apple festivals, pumpkin picking, zombie parades, midnight screenings of old school horror films, and much more. Looking back at the month, I missed much of the events I generally hit. I guess there will be an October next year huh?

One of the most exciting things in Atlanta is Netherworld. This year it was rated the #1 haunted house in the country and it deserved the award. This year was zombie themed! At the last minute I thought I may not get the chance to go with anyone, then my good friend Ashley pulled through! She and I, along with her sister and boyfriend went out one night to the haunt. The 3 of them were far from the annual attendees that I have been the last several years. I like to go with fresh blood.

It was amazing! I wish that I had gone ten more times! One of the scares got me at the end and it made my night. It was such a fun time. Generally, I get to take some pictures with the monsters out in the parking lot. I had my camera with me and just plain forgot.

Halloween Bloody Cupcakes!

It is almost Halloween! I am not really a holiday person at all. I generally find them annoying and filled with senseless consumerism. Halloween is no exception. However, I do recall enjoying dressing up as Freddy for all of my Halloween years as a child. My father would go all out. He would take some hot wax mixed with food coloring, pour it on my face to resemble melted flesh. I had the glove, the hat, the sweater. The works. I WAS Freddy for the night and I loved it.

Over the last couple of years I have enjoyed going out and see the little kids dress up in costumes and trick or treat. They always look so happy but sadly, never has good as those old school costumes that I had as a child. Everything is so "off the shelf" now.

In honor of my non-participation of Halloween, I threw together some cupcakes....bloody ones! I used the recipe from the How it all Vegan cookbook (lemon cake). Tasty!


After hours of searching, I found the best deal for my November vacation. I will be heading to Los Angeles to see my great friend Laura for 3 days and then heading to Maine for the remaining 5 days. In Maine I will get a chance to see family and friends, this will be a good trip. Not 2 hours after I spend the money on the airline tickets, I get in my car to head to work only to find my brakes are completely shot. The car is in the shop now and $300 later it should be fixed. I struggle to catch a break but am still in good spirits about it.

On a side note, my mum got a hold of the documents I needed from the State of Maine and i am heading toward my next step in getting my real estate license. Go mum!

Tato and his Treats!

Tato loves his black beans. We give him these as his treats when he is good, which is rare.

Sweetwater Creek

I took a hike by myself into Sweetwater Creek State Park. This was the first place I went hiking when I got to Georgia and it has been many years since I had been there. In fact, this was a very nice day and a great day for a hike. With all the rain we had gotten recently the water was rushing and loud.

There is something about rushing water that captures me. Waterways were so influential in the creating of our world and yet, it can wipe it out at any moment. It is so raw and powerful. The water destroys and creates all in the same motion. It is honest. It offers no apologizes for its honesty. It is innocent and merciless at the same time. The water can do no wrong.

I sat on a rock for several hours with water rushing by me on all sides. Just thinking, dreaming, inspired.

Tofu Scrambler

The house has some unfinished wood floors now and things are hopefully going to start picking up again. The rain has really put a damper on what has been able to get accomplished. I am hoping that it will be only another few weeks and I will be in! Fingers crossed.

After making several thrift store scores I headed home. I made some sausages from Vegan Brunch. My own version with maple syrup and some other random things but fairly similar to the ones found in the book. I also made some pancakes, berry topping, and tofu scramble. We had breakfast for dinner!

Tofu Scrambler

1/2 pound of tofu
1 link of "sausage" (see above)
2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 tablespoons of chopped onion
2 tablespoons of oil
1/3 cup of nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons of turmeric
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

With a fork, gently crush and crumble the tofu. In a frying pan, bring the oil to a med temperate. Add the sausage, garlic, and onion to the oil and fry for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric and tofu. Fry for 5 more minutes until the onions are golden and everything is yellow. Add the remaining ingredients and fry for another 15 mins until the tofu begins to get crispy.

The berry sauce was also very good and simple. It was great as a pancake topping and would also be good over vanilla "ice cream" or even as filling for a turnover.

Roasted bandwagon

Everyone seems to be roasting veggies and tofu. I guess it is that time of the year. Nice autumn weather goes so well with garlic and potatoes. The temptation was too much. Join the bandwagon.
Brussel Sprouts are another veggie that just seems like autumn to me. The nutty flavor and crunchy texture are so good. Strangely, I first had brussel sprouts about a year ago and not they have become one of my favorite foods.

Toss some mashed creamy potatoes and you have a meal!

Peanut Butter Curry with Tofu

As it turns out, my dad will no longer be coming to visit and help with the house. It is unfortunate for me but great for him. He got a new job! I am very happy and it is a great thing for him. On a side note, it means that I have some vacation time that I need to use next month. I have been throwing around some fun ideas and hope that something great comes to fruition. Option 1 is to take a trip to Los Angeles to see my friend Laura. It has been far too long and I miss her too much. Option 2 is to trek to Maine and see my family and friends. Option 3 is a solo trip to Vancouver Canada to get in some cold weather hiking and good food. We will see what happens.

I zipped home to watch top chef only to realize that the venomous cable company has destroyed our service. It was a sad moment and Jamie and I will need to play catch up again. We thought we were finally on a weekly basis. Sad times.

In honor of the missed top chef, I made some peanut curry! This is a dish I have been making for many years and has occasionally been a staple in my diet.

Peanut Butter Curry with Tofu

1/2 pound of tofu
2 vine ripe tomatoes (diced)
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 of a sweet onion (chopped)
12 oz of coconut milk
2 cups of veggies
1/3 cup of peanut butter
1 tablespoon of oil
3 teaspoons of curry powder
3 teaspoons of cumin
2 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
2 teaspoons of jalapeno pepper (chopped)
2 teaspoon of turmeric
2 teaspoon of coriander
2 teaspoons of fresh cilantro

In a sauce pan heat the oil. Add the garlic and onion and let it begin to turn the onion translucent. When the onion is done, add the turmeric, jalapeno pepper, and curry powder. Stir well and cook for only about 2 minutes. Everything should be yellow. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.

Bring a separate non-stick pan to about low or low/med temperature. When the pan is hot, add the todu (cubed) and let it begin to sizzle. Without oil the tofu will brown up each side withing a few minutes. Be sure to stir the tofu often and gently. Add in the veggies as you see fit and cook until tender.

When the coconut sauce mixture has simmered for about 5 minutes (stirring frequently to avoid burning) add the reaming ingredients and turn your heat down to low. Bring the sauce back to a simmer and the peanut butter will melt, and the tomatoes will liquify. Let simmer for about 10 minutes and add the approprate amount of sauce to the tofu and mix.

What do you do when life give you lemons?

First off, let me apologize for not being on top of the blog reading and writing. It has been a rough few months and I have had much on my plate. I am trying to focus on taking things down one at a time and things are starting to look up. When life give you lemons, you make lemonade.

Months ago I wrote about making my nana's pie crust. It has been a feat that no one in my family has been able to completely fulfill. With her gone now, this is the time that the recipe will either live or die. It will either be her legacy or it will be left as a memory. My nana was one of the best and sweetest people I have know in my life and I learned more from her then I even realize. The farm life is dificult and she wore it well. I have been working diligently to master the nana pie crust craft. I am getting close, I can taste it.