Vegan MoFo Days 31: Pumpkin Ravioli with a Sage Butter Sauce

I've always wanted to make ravioli from scratch, but never got around to it. I would always just get those frozen Soy Boy Ravioli, but I wanted to try Pumpkin Ravioli and they don't have that flavor, so if I wanted it, I had to make it myself. I based the filling off the recipe for Pumpkin Baked Ziti from Veganomicon. And the dough is the one from 500 Vegan Recipes by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman, but it gave me a lot of trouble. It was so soft and fragile. Maybe I measured wrong or something? Anyway, it tasted pretty good, so maybe that's how it's supposed to be. I don't know; use whatever recipe for the dough. The filling is the really good part.

Pumpkin Ravioli 

1 cup cashew ricotta (about half the recipe, in Veganomicon or here)
3/4 cup pumpkin
1 small onion, caremelized and chopped into small pieces
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp oregano
pinch nutmeg

1 recipe of pasta dough  (I googled it and don't remember which I ended up using)

Mix all the ingredients together (except dough) in a bowl. Set aside. Roll out two lumps of pasta dough into rectangles of equal size. Spoon the filling onto one rectangle of dough, making little mounds about half an inch apart--1 or 2 teaspoons each mound. Place the other dough rectangle over the top, press along the space between the mounds to create a seal. Use a pizza cutter to cut the mounds into individual squares. Press the edges with a fork to create the fancy-looking edges.

Place them on a cutting board while you make the others. When the cutting board fills up, put it in the freezer while you make more. When they're hardened a bit, you can put them in a baggie to store them in the freezer or you can take them out to cook. I liked freezing them; I felt like it kept them from sticking together.  When you're done (or nearly done) with the rolling, set a large pot of water to boil. Place about 5-10 ravioli into the boiling water (depending on the size of your pot), making sure not to overcrowd. Boil for a couple of minutes and take them out of the water with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl while you make the others.

Between sets, work on the sauce:

Sage Butter Sauce
10 oz Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 c earth balance
2 T olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp sage
pinch garlic powder
pinch salt and pepper

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add one teaspoon of oil and the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms release moisture and are tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until heated through. Pour over the cooked ravioli.

So that's it for VeganMoFo 2011! Thanks for all the love throughout the month. I've had so much fun. I can't wait to go through all the posts I didn't get to yet.  Don't forget you have until Wednesday to enter my giveaway!

Vegan MoFo Days 29 & 30: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Okay, this ended up being a very busy weekend (or I was lazy and cranky and didn't feel like cooking, much less posting) so I missed yet another day. There goes my goal of 30 posts for the month. I did manage to get my butt up off the couch long enough to make one thing, though. I couldn't let the month end without making these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. The recipe is from Katie at Don't Eat Off the Sidewalk (make sure you also check out her recipe for Tempeh Wingz also). It was originally posted for the very first VeganMoFo back in 2007 and has gotten a lot of praise (especially on the PPK forums) since then. They've been on my "to cook" list for so long, but for some reason, I always assumed homemade cinnamon rolls would be a ton of work, but they were really pretty simple. Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water
3/4cup Pumpkin Puree
1/4 cup soy milk
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 T vegetable oil

Filling:
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chilled margarine, cut into small pieces

Glaze:
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the warm water with the yeast and whisk together with a fork, let stand for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin, milk, melted margarine, and sugar in with the yeast, and lightly mix. Sift in the first two and a half cups of flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Take the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and use it to flour the top of the dough and your surface a tablespoon at a time, as needed to keep the dough from getting sticky as you knead it. Knead the dough for about ten minutes, the dough will be elastic but soft and still a little sticky to the touch without being floured.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with oil, turning to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in margarine with a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Roll the dough into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Roll up the rectangle tightly, from the long side, pinch seam and ends to seal. Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place the slices in a 9-inch square or round baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bake the rolls for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Add the water and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. It should be thick, but easy to drizzle. If it’s too thick, add another 1/2 teaspoon of water.

Note about the pictures: There is bad lighting and no kitty because I was at a friend's house. But I'll give you a couple of bonus kitty pictures from his first weekend here:

 

Vegan MoFo Day 28: Pumpkin Cream Cheese and a giveaway!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese! It's super easy to make and makes a delicious upgrade to a plain bagel with cream cheese. To make it, you just have to mix 4 oz (half a tub) of vegan cream cheese (I like Tofutti) with about 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin and a dash of pumpkin pie spice. Easy peasy!

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the kitty with the pumpkin because he is sleeping and I can't find him, but can I make up for it by offering a giveaway instead? I got a coupon from Penzey's for a free Kind Heart gift box.

It comes with four 1/4 cup jars of four different spice mixes: Forward, Arizona Dreaming, Mural of Flavor, and Galena & 33rd.

I already have Forward and Arizona, so I thought I'd let one of you have a chance to try them out! And, since I'm so fantastically generous, I'm adding in two 1/2 cup jars of my favorite spice mixes: Pasta Sprinkle and Sandwich Sprinkle!

Pasta Sprinkle is a delicious mix of California basil, Turkish oregano, minced garlic and thyme. It's fabulous on any Italian dish, especially those last minute meals of pasta with jarred sauce. I also use Sandwich Sprinkle to spruce up many meals (not just sandwiches). It's a genius blend of garlic, coarse salt, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, black pepper. It's great on pasta as well and also  potatoes, veggies, etc. And let me tell you something--croutons have never been so easy. Just cut bread into cubes, spritz with cooking oil and then sprinkle with Sandwich Sprinkle. Bake until toasty, crunchy and delicious.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below by Tuesday, November 2! Simple as that! Unfortunately, this is going to be limited to US addresses only, otherwise shipping would be crazy. Sorry! 
The winner is Art You Dream About. Please send me your address so I can ship out your goodies! Thanks for entering, everyone!

Vegan MoFo Day 27: Pumpkin Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

I was having trouble deciding what to make for today. I got a bunch of veggies in my CSA share yesterday, so I really wanted to make some of those for dinner instead of something pumpkinny. So I thought pumpkin cookies for dessert would be terrific, so I picked up my copy of The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur by Kelly Peloza. When I saw the picture of the Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies in the book, they looked like they would be perfect with some ice cream sandwiched between.

Kelly's picture, not mine. Don't they look like they're dying to be sandwiched?

The cookies were amazing. Perfect spice, almost like a gingerbread cookie, but with some pumpkin in there as well. The only thing I'd do differently is use parchment paper underneath. I didn't use any because I didn't have it on hand. They didn't stick a lot, but my spatula isn't that thin, so a few of them ended up breaking when I tried to remove them.

Now, for the ice cream in between, vanilla seemed too...vanilla for these delicious cookies, so I fancied it up a bit. I spooned about a cup of vanilla ice cream into a small bowl, added a handful of walnut pieces, and drizzled in some maple syrup. Voilà--Maple Walnut Ice Cream.  Perfect.

Vegan MoFo Day 26: Pumpkin Saag

Who knew pumpkin and spinach were made for each other? The Pumpkin Saag in Veganomicon pairs the two beautifully. This is the the third recipe I've done (along with the Pumkin Baked Ziti and Pumpkin Crumb Cake) and all have been amazing. so if you don't have the book yet, are you crazy? Go get it!

I had some extra roasted pumpkin leftover from yesterday's dinner, so I tossed it in here as well. Also, I didn't have fresh ginger, so I just used powdered. When you make this, save the seeds and roast them with some salt and garlic powder (or whatever you like) for supreme deliciousness.

Fact: Pumpkin Saag is so delicious even cats will lick their lips when they see it.

Vegan MoFo Day 25: Pumpkin Seed-Crusted Tofu with Baked Pumpkin

Today's recipe is from Vegan with a Vengeance. It's another recipe that has been sitting on my shelf for years without being noticed. It was absolutely delicious. In VWAV, Isa suggests serving this with cranberry relish. It does sound delicious, but I didn't have any of the ingredients so I just had it without. If you're planning on doing the same, I'd suggest increasing the salt a bit.

Pumpkin Seed-Crusted Tofu with Baked Pumpkin 

3 1⁄2 pound sugar pumpkin
2 t. canola oil, plus extra for deep frying
1⁄2 cup cornstarch
1⁄4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
1⁄4 t. salt
1 pound extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, sliced length-wise into eighths
1/2 cup flour
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 300 F. Carve out the top of the pumpkin and slice in half. Remove seeds and clean them in a strainer under running water. Pat seeds dry with a paper towel to remove most of the moisture. Measure 3⁄4 C. of seeds and transfer them onto a rimmed baking sheet (if there are extras, bake them anyway because you will eat half of the roasted seeds before you have a chance to use them). Sprinkle with 2 t. of oil, toss to coat. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping occasionally. They should be toasted a golden brown to a deep golden brown. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Increase the oven temperature to 350 F. Cut the pumpkin into slices that are about 2 inches wide at the widest point. Lightly oil the slices and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.

The seeds should be cool by now so transfer them to a food processor and pulse until crumbly; the texture should range from ground to coarse and chunky. Transfer to a shallow bowl and mix in cornstarch, oregano and salt. Place the flour in another bowl, the water in another, and line up your three bowls: flour, water and seed mixture.

Heat 1⁄4 inch of oil over moderate heat in a heavy-bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron. Test the heat of the oil by dropping a pinch of the seed mixture in; if bubbles form rapidly around the seeds, the oil is ready. Dip tofu on both sides into the flour, then into the water, then into the seed mixture until the tofu is well coated with seeds. Repeat with all the pieces. Place the tofu into the oil (you'll probably have to do two batches). Fry for 3 minutes on one side and about 2 1⁄2 minutes on the second side. Line a plate with pieces of a paper bag or paper towels to drain the excess oil when they're golden. Serve with the slices of roasted pumpkin.

Makes 8 pieces of kitten leg sized tofu

Vegan MoFo Day 24: Parfaits

"You know what ELSE everybody likes? Parfaits! Have you ever met a person, you say, 'Let's get some parfait,' they say, 'Hell no, I don't like no parfait'? Parfaits are delicious!...Parfait's gotta be the most delicious thing on the whole damn planet!" 

-Donkey

That donkey sure knows his stuff. I guess you can say he's a wise ass! Okay, cheesy joke out of the way... This parfait has layers of graham cracker crumbs, pumpkin pudding, and whipped topping. I first learned about the pumpkin pudding from a woman named Michelle at a Weight Watchers meeting. I don't know if it's originally her recipe or if she was just passing it on. When you assemble the parfaits, make them within a couple of hours of serving. If they sit too long, the graham layer will get soggy. Still delicious, but the texture is not as nice.

Graham layer
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted Earth Balance or canola oil
2 tablespoon brown sugar
A splash of non-dairy milk (maybe)

Mix the Earth Balance and brown sugar into the graham cracker crumbs. It should be crumbly but clump together if you press it down. If it looks too dry add a bit of soy milk.

Pumpkin Pudding layer
1 package silken tofu
1 packet instant vanilla pudding (I used the fat free sugar free kind from Jell-o)
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Blend all the ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. That's it!

 

Vegan MoFo Day 23: Corn Crusted Pumpkin-Potato Empanadas

Holy cow these are so good. When I saw this recipe in Viva Vegan, I knew I had to make it. Pretty much anything is delicious if it's wrapped in dough. These were no exception to the rule. The filling is a combination of boiled pumpkins and potatoes cooked with a flavorful sofrito. So simple and so delicious! And the dough is even simpler, just some precooked masarepa corn flour mixed with water and salt. I found the flour at a local Latin market in the section with cornmeal and masa harina.

NOTE: I made and photographed these when I went to my mom's house for a visit, so the kitty wasn't available for a picture. But this guy was! This is Junior, he's 3 years old and he lives at my mom's house (where I used to live as well). He's always so good when he's posing for my stupid pictures.

Makes about 20 dog-paw sized empanadas (for size comparison, the kitten is about the size of Junior's head)

Vegan MoFo Day 22: Pumpkin Roundup

October is really flying by. Can you believe there's less than 10 days left? I keep seeing all the other MoFo participants posting great pumpkin dishes and I want to try them all, but there's not enough time to do them all on my MoFo, so I'm going to post a few of my favorites now in case I don't get a chance to make them myself. I haven't been able to keep up with all the posts, so please don't be offended if you don't see yours here because I may not have seen it!

Pumpkin Spiced Hot Cocoa made with DIY Pumpkin Syrup by A Vegan Food Snob

This Self-Glazing Pumpkin Cupcake at Phoenix Dreaming is pure genius. The glaze was formerly fudge!

Check out the creamy goodness of this Pumpkin Spinach Quiche by West Philly Vegan.

 Pumpkin Spice Sticky Bread by Oh, Ladycakes. OMG I want this in my mouth!

This Pumpkin Barley Risotto by Anchors & Feathers looks so creamy and delicious.

 Pumpkin French Toast Casserole at Unhealthy Vegan looks like a great dish for a fall brunch potluck.

It's hard to believe that these Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes from Meet the Shannons actually exist outside of my dreams.

These Chocolate Hazelnut Pumpkin Pancakes from Vegan Guinea Pig look amazing.

Vegan MoFo Day 21: Pumpkin Pie!

I'm way late in posting yesterday's entry. My internet decided to stop working (Only on my computer, as luck would have it. My roommates had fine connections). Last night was a friend's birthday party. I volunteered to bring pumpkin pie. I used the recipe from Vegan Pie In the Sky (it's the same as the one in Voluptuous Vegan, but without the pecan topping).  I thought maybe my high fructose corn syrup intake was a little low these days, so I used Rich Whip instead of making the Rad Whip from VPITS. It whipped up so quickly and easily and has a great taste that I may be likely to use it again in the future.

I've always been nervous about making my own pie crusts, but I knew the right thing to do was conquer my fears and make my own crust. I don't know what I was apprehensive about. It worked out great. I'd even go as far to say it was easy. The crust was sitting on the table while I made the filling. And of course, the unattended food was a kitty magnet resulting in a cute, tiny paw print in my crust.

Check out my purty scalloped edge, too!

The pie was a big hit at the party. Many omnis confirmed that this pie is as good as, if not better than, the non-vegan pumpkin pies they've had. The texture was perfect and the crust was amazing. I was surprised by how easy it was. Basically, you just have to measure everything, mix it up in a food processor, and pour it into a crust.

So pretty!

Makes one kitten-sized pie, of course.

Vegan MoFo Day 20: Calabacitas

I apologize for my absence yesterday! I chose to skip the day in order to go to a PPK meetup. Veg_Eric happened to be on the NY section of his LA to DC motorcycle trip and I couldn't miss the chance to go to dinner with him and doncherryfan. We went to Red Bamboo and had some amazing food (ending with Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Shortcake and Brownie Bottom Cheesecake).

Today, I made a recipe from Viva Vegan. Every time I make something from this book, it's fantastic and there are still so many recipes I haven't tried! Today's dinner was Calabacitas. It's a squash saute made with Calabaza Pumpkin, zucchini, and tomatoes, cooked with the sublime flavors of oregano, cumin, and lime juice. I love the combination of summer and winter squash here. You have to try this recipe!

Vegan MoFo Day 18: Stuffed Poblanos

About a week or two ago, I went to a local Latino grocery store to get the corn tortillas and salsa I used for the enchiladas (they're always better tasting and cheaper) on day 11. While I was there, I saw that the poblanos were on sale for 99 cents a pound, so I picked up a few to stuff.

I created this mainly to use up some of the leftovers I had in the fridge, so it calls for leftover chili. If you didn't make chili recently, you can use a canned chili or just some beans and tomatoes; it's a pretty versatile recipe. For the vegetables, just use a mix of whatever you have on hand. I used a small handful of frozen peas and a small head of fresh broccoli.

1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 cup mixed veggies
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup leftover pumpkin chili
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
A few pinches of cinnamon
4 poblano peppers
1 cup daiya (Pepperjack is my fave, but if you use cheddar or mozz style, I won't judge you)
vegetable broth, as needed

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add in jalapeno and veggies. Cook until all the vegetables are tender. If it starts to stick now, or at any point during cooking, just add a couple of splashes of vegetable broth and mix around. Add the rice, chili, pumpkin, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, another 5 minutes to let the flavors blend. Taste for spices (it may need more cinnamon or salt, depending on the chili) and let cool.

Meanwhile, cut a T shape into each poblano, hold it open to remove the seeds. Repeat with each pepper. Hold the pepper open once again and spoon in the filling. It should be very full so that it stays open with the filling poking out a bit. Place in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle daiya over each pepper and bake 30-40 minutes, until cheese is melted and peppers are soft.

Makes enough filling to stuff 4 kitten-tail-long peppers