Mushroom Miso Soba Noodles

Mushroom Miso Soba Noodles

by Cat Bowen

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: stir-fry entree side snack vegan vegetarian

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

for the sauce

• 2 cups UNSALTED stock. (I used veg, you could use chicken or veg)
• 3 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tbsp WHITE miso
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Mirin
• 1/4 cup wakame flakes
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp rayu or sriracha or ONE thai chili, stemmed, ribbed, and seeded.
• 12 oz fresh soba noodles

for the noodles

• 12 oz FRESH or frozen and thawed soba noodles. (buckwheat or white–matters not.)
• 1, 12 oz block of extra-firm tofu, cubed into 1″ cubes or 12 oz stemmed and de-veined shrimp (or combo)
• 2 big red bell peppers, sliced into ribbons
• 6-8 oz halved and cleaned baby bok choy or Shanghai choy, lightly steamed. (2-4 minutes) barring that–broccoli or Napa
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Mirin
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock

Garnish

• chopped cilantro
• chopped scallion
• additional wakame flakes
• hot sauce
• soft-boiled egg (optional.)

Instructions

the base sauce

In a saucepan, combine the sesame oil, mirin, miso, sriracha, and stock and bring it to a simmer, stirring slowly

add wakame and mushrooms, turn to low, let simmer 30 minutes

pull out mushrooms and slice.

the noodles

in a WOK or really big fecking skillet, heat the oils until rippling

add ginger and garlic

stir in bell pepper and tofu/shrimp–toss and cook until either warmed or cooked through

add in noodles, stock, Mirin, and soy sauce and toss

add in remaining ingredients, toss

add mushrooms back to stock and pour over noodle mix.

again, toss.

cook until tender

plate.

If serving cold, you may wish to add a bit of soy sauce or Yuzu to the noodles as you eat them,

garnish and eat

Vegan Carrot Cake

Vegan Carrot Cake

by Cat Bowen

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Keywords: bake side snack dessert vegan vegetarian cake

Ingredients (1 bundt cake)

for the cake

• 7 oz by weight shredded carrot
• 1 mashed large banana
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup non-dairy milk of your choice. I like vanilla cashew milk in this.
• 1 cup brown or coconut sugar or half coconut sugar half maple syrup
• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 cup chopped nuts–I like black walnuts in this, toasted.
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp baking powder

for the glaze

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 4 tbsp vanilla soy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• shredded coconut for topping.

Instructions

preheat the oven to 350F

in a large mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients (including carrots)

stir well

set aside 1/4 cup flour

sift in flour, powder, and spices

toss walnuts in the flour and stir lightly into batter.

pour into a greased bundt pan

place on the center of the center rack

bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

let cool completely.

for the glaze

whisk together ingredients and drizzle over cooled cake

top with coconut.

Buffalo and Bacon Pierogi

Buffalo and Bacon Pierogi

by Cat Bowen

Prep Time: 1 hour of cooking and prep 20

Keywords: appetizer salad entree side snack

Ingredients (36 pierogi)

• 45 wonton skins
• 10 oz bacon
• 3 lb peeled russet potatoes
• 4 oz blue cheese plus more to crumble atop
• 4 oz butter
• 1 tsp salt plus more for potato water
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 3 tbsp finely grated onion
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

for assembly and topping

• one egg
• as much Frank’s Red Hot as you like. I like lots. and lots.
• scallions or chives
• sour cream
• onion

Instructions

boil potatoes to fork tender in salted water

add to mixing bowl

on medium, blend in salt, pepper, garlic, onion, butter, and 4 oz blue cheese

this should not be runny, it should be able to be piped onto the wonton skins, so it needs to be a little stiff

when it’s well mixed, let it come to room temp

meanwhile, bring a LARGE pot of water to boil

fry the bacon, and leave the grease in the pan.

AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE

scramble the egg and set aside

lay out a TON of skins on a counter

transfer potatoes from the bowl into a ziptop bag or piping bag

cut off tip 1″ from corner

pipe about 2 tbsp mix onto the CENTER of each skin

brush the egg around half of the edge of each skin and fold over into a crescent.

crimp the edges tightly. feel free to crimp over each crimp again, folding it onto itself.

place in the boiling water at least five at a time

heat the bacon fat on medium

remove pierogi CAREFULLY from boiling water and place in the bacon fat.

fry 2 minutes per side

top with Franks and dip in sour cream–or more blue cheese dressing if that’s your thing.

What is to read on this day?

Ok, so it’s been requested, and it’s a really easy thing to post.

I have ADHD, this is surprising to no one. This also means that I can have from 3-10 books that I’m reading at any given time. I’m completely poly with my books. I spread the love.

What I’m reading and WHERE!

Hardcover:
nothing at this minute. I just finished Barefoot to Avalon last night. So good.

Kindle Unlimited: Fairchild by Jaima Fixsen

Scribd:
Madam Secretary by Madeline Albright–on audio.
Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook–audio
Fermentation for Beginners 
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut–audio

Kindle (purchased):
Flirting With Felicity by Gerri Russel–slogging through it.
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Audible:
The Veil by Chloe Neill

iBooks: nada.
Wattpad: nada.

Yes, I’m working my way through eight books right now, and tonight, I’ll probably add a physical book to the mix. There’s nothing quite like words on pages while propped up in bed, after the children have gone to bed.

Also, I am ALWAYS reading a classic or two at any given time, because it gives me a mental break from modern slang and reminds me why books become canonical works. To me, Vonnegut is a huge part of the modern canon, and I’m rarely far from something he’s written. I mean, my dog’s name is Montana Wildhack, for fuckssake.

Montana Wildhack would like for you to gaze upon her teef. Her teef are mighty and fun.

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