Brian's Special

Bowtie or other shaped pasta
Bell pepper, chopped
Small fragment of onion, chopped
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
Thin Asparagus, fried
Baked or fried tofu, or fried tempeh
Capers
Annie's goddess or other tahini-based dressing
Black peppercorns, crushed or ground

Cook the pasta.
Fry the asparagus.
Mix all ingredients together and toss.

Can also substitute other vegetables.

This recipe by Brian B. of Pillowgoat.com

Pizza Topping Combos

Running List-Check back:

Orange, Red, and Yellow bell pepper sliced into sticks with lots of tomato sauce

Basil, sun dried tomato, and fake sausage

Mushrooms and onions sauteed in chili flakes with sauce (and/or cheese)

Butternut squash, sage, and goat cheese

Sliced tomato, lemon zest, and a little lemon juice

Potatoes and Rosemary and flavorful olive oil with lots of salt and pepper (no sauce)

Pizza #3

This is a no-big-deal pizza meant to be made quickly, but is still good.
Pizza from frozen dough.

This could be dough made from scratch and frozen, or dough purchased at Trader Joe's for a dollar a pizza. They have regular, whole wheat, and cornbread; they're all really good.

This is the pizza you make when you just want a normal night--a quick meal without big deal.

Ingredients:
Pre-made pizza crust dough
Sauce or fresh tomatoes
Onion
Whatever pizza toppings you have: mushrooms, bell peppers (red orange yellow combo is nice), basil or oregano, etc. Check "pizza topping" post for ideas, too.
Cheese, if you want

I usually saute the vegetables first but if you're in a rush, you can just put them on the pizza.

Spread out the dough on an oiled cast-iron skillet (or baking sheet, or pizza stone)
Add toppings.
Bake according to dough instructions- usually around 10-15 minutes.

Cut with a large knife applied like a guillotine with slow rocking pressure.

Cool and eat.


Notes: Non pizza type food might still work, like potatoes, canned corn, or butternut squash--If i have something like that, I usually surf the web to see how they are used by others. (For example, potatoes are usually used on non-sauce pizzas, corn is used with cheese, and butternut squash paired with sage and goat cheese.) If anyone makes a good one with no fresh ingredients, let me know, and we can post a "don't have to go to the grocery store" pizza.

Spring Rolls

Spring Roll Wrappers (Vietnamese)
Glass noodles (thin clear or white vermicelli), soaked in hot water to cook

Tofu or Tempeh, fried

Fresh herbs (basil, mint, and/or cilantro)

Raw Vegetables: Shredded carrots, bean sprouts, cabbage, celery strips, just whatever you've got...

Prepare all ingredients in separate piles so they're ready to be added into the rolls. Setting up a station where everything is ready and within reach is key to being able to get in a good rhythm making the rolls.

Lay out a clean, non-terrycloth dish towel on a half of a cutting board. This will be used to dry out the spring roll wrappers.

Heat up a skillet or pan of water. It can be boiling (then turned off) or just below a boil. You want it pretty hot but it's easier if the water is cool enough to touch. Place the stack of wrappers in an accessible place near the pan.

To make a roll, submerge a wrapper in the water for a minute or so, and remove carefully with a spatula. Place on a plate to transport it from the stove to the work area with minimal dripping. Place the next wrapper in right away so it can soften while you assemble the roll.

Spread the wrapper out on the towel and flip over to remove excess water.
Move the wrapper off of the towel and fill with ingredients. Keeping the noodles on the top will improve the look of the finished spring roll (this way, carrots or herbs will appear on the outside).

Fold in the sides and roll the wrapper as you'd roll a burrito. Roll it as tightly as possible and seal the last flap with a little water if it doesn't stick tight.

Serve with lots of peanut sauce (see recipe on this site).

Eat within a day or two.

Peanut Sauce #1: Grateful Dead Peanut Sauce

3-4 tbs. Peanut butter
Soy Sauce or Tamari to taste (a few tablespoons)
Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. grated ginger
Water to dilute

Mix into a spreadable sauce. Can still be really good if all you have is peanut butter, water, and one or two other ingredients.

This recipe is adapted from Cooking with the Dead: Recipes and Stories from Fans on the Road by Elizabeth Zipern (St. Martins, New York, 1995). This one was by someone named Greg and it is a sauce for a tempeh sandwich.

It keeps for a while in the fridge--not sure how long but I've never had it go bad.

Peanut sauce on a sandwich, on noodles, on rice with vegetables, as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, on fried tofu or tempeh...


What else can this delicious food make more delicious?