Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes

I will know that I have fulfilled my duty as godmother when I have converted AM to being a vegan. Veganism starts young and for a while I was very encouraged as AM was initially lactose intolerant, she seemed to favor beans, tofu, and avocado, and was suspicious of meat. Just imagine my horror when I saw a blog post of her gnawing on a lamb shank.

Oh no.

AM stopped by last weekend. *Please note the adorably fashionable outfit picked out by me.

AM was a little confused at my apartment as I don't own any toys. I attempted to entertain her with a spatula and a wooden polar bear tree ornament.

She was not feeling it. So-I had just baked some Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes and thought she would like one.

As you can see in this photo, AM was a bit cautious but that is actually a common trait that us vegans share.

Cupcake coma coming on.....

Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup soymilk
1 TSPN apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 TBSPN cocoa powder
1/2 TSPN baking powder
1/2 TSPN baking soda
1/2 TSPN salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1 TBSPN red food coloring
2 1/2 TSPN vanilla extract
1/2 TSPN almond extract

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar, set aside to curdle
3. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder. baking soda, & salt into large bowl & mix
4. Add the oil, food coloring, extracts to the soy milk mixture. Whisk well to combine. Fold into dry ingredients until large lumps disappear.
5. Fill lined muffin tin with batter. Place in hot oven for 25 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting:

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 nonhydrogenated margarine (Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 TSPN vanilla extract
1/4 cup soy milk

Directions:

Beat the shortening & margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually. Add extract & soy milk, beat until fluffy. I added a few drops of red coloring to make the frosting pink.

March 2004: COMFORT FOOD (hosted by Christina)

T to B / L to R
Michele, Marilyn, Angela, Janet, Bonnie & Christina

Ubuntu Restaurant

I used to think that any place that had designated vegetarian items on their menu was stellar and oh so sensitive to my dietary restrictions. Then I became vegan and not only much more of a pain in the ass to my family and friends, but much more critical when it comes to quality vegetarian cuisine.

Greens in San Francisco? Respectable. New World in downtown Oakland? Consistently good but stay away from anything not Mexican or Asian on the menu. Herbivore in Berkeley? I'd rather eat meat. I kid! But you get the idea.

I can only describe Ubuntu as an experience that is preferably shared with other vegetarians or those who really appreciate stellar quality ingredients. Before our dinner reservation this past Friday night we stopped in at V.Sattui to stock up on our favorite wine. I excitedly told the wine pourer about our reservation at Ubuntu and he said that he went there recently. While he stated that it was good he summed up his experience by telling me that for the amount of money his group spent he could have made hamburgers for everyone.

I handled the situation the way any mature vegan would. I smiled at him while sipping my pour thinking, "and that is why you're fat and I'm not."

Now onto Ubuntu http://www.ubuntunapa.com/!

We started out with the 3 for $15 bites which included: castelvatrano olives marinated in pesto sauce; and marcona almonds in lavender, sugar, & sea salt. The almonds were so delicious and mouth watering that my mom and I agreed that a draft beer from a local brewery was in order. Because we are classy ladies, the server honored our request to split a pint into two separate glasses.

Not your ordinary pomme frittes, these chickpea fries with romesco sauce are a must.

Rustic Rancho Gordo "Yellow Eye" Bean Stew with torn bread, chili, and braised spigarello. Ubuntu's dishes are small plates which allows you to taste just a bit of everything so this stew-like soup was accompanied by 3 small cups for us to share. Great light starter for what was to come...

Highly recommended by our server-the Beet Tartar (check out the adorable little circle of shaved beets in the center!) with fork crushed avocado was my absolute favorite of the evening. I believe that the server twice referred to this dish as culinary art. Scott and I agreed with her analysis and turned the dish around about 4 different times just to photograph it before digging in. The dish also included ruby grapefruit, chickweed, and pistachio "soil," (those brown specks on the plate).

Today's Leaves & Things.I ordered this primarily to cleanse our palate. It was pretty but not all that exciting. Interesting fact-Ubuntu grows much of what they serve in their daily harvested bio-dynamic garden.

Carrot Gnochetti with Mimolette and Roast Oxheart Carrot. How freakin' cute are the little baby carrots poking up out of the dish? I still can't get over how creamy and rich this little bowl of heaven tasted, similar to macaroni and cheese but a million, trillion times better...

I believe the Pizza Margherita to be an Ubuntu staple but this one was designated as, "winter style," with san marzano tomatoes, black kale pesto, burrata, and bronze fennel. I could not get over the cheesy texture and actually sent the plate back to the chef because the bus boy could not describe exactly what was on the pizza to me and our server was nowhere in sight. Slightly amused, he returned with the pizza and told us it was soy cheese. For the record-cheese was not listed as an ingredient on the menu. But this only goes to show you how amazing it was and how annoying I can be.

My only option for dessert was the kiwi lime float with real tapioca balls which were interesting. While refreshing, I would have preferred to indulge in a vegan version of what my mom ordered...

See below for chocolate cake bites of heavenly explosion, chocolate paper, vanilla ice cream, and butterscotch sauce.

Recipe: Ginger-Tofu Pot Stickers with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Pot Stickers:

3/4 cup shredded green cabbage
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup matchstick-cut carrots
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp. salt
7-8 oz. extra firm tofu
Dash of hot sauce
24 wonton wrappers
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
1 cup of water, divided

Sauce:

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. chile paste with garlic (such as sambal oelek)
1/2 tsp. sugar

To prepare pot stickers, combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to prevent drying), spoon about 1 1/2 tsp. of tofu mixture in center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of dough with water; bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring remaining 2 corners to center, pinching points to seal. Pinch 4 edges together to seal. Place pot stickers on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch.

Heat 1 1/2 tsp. canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 12 pot stickers to pan; cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Slowly add 1/2 cup water to pan; cover and cook 4 minutes. Uncover and cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Repeat procedure with remaining pot stickers, oil and water.

To prepare sauce, combine 1/4 cup water and next 5 ingredients (through sugar) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve sauce with pot stickers.

Recipe: INDONESIAN CARROT SOUP

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons ground yellow curry powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup sherry
1/2 cup honey
2 cans coconut milk (16 oz each)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

-Heat a stockpot over medium heat-high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, ginger, onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the curry, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, stock, and sherry. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the honey, coconut milk, cilantro, salt and pepper. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth.Makes 10 to 12 servings

Recipe Archive: MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS

Universally revered as Christina's best dish in Cooking Club history, here's the recipe for MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS:

1/2 tsp olive oil
2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 1/2 oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo), rinsed and drained
1 (7 oz) package dried apricots, halved (about 1 1/3 cups)

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add half of chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan, repeat procedure with remaining chicken.

Add onion to pan; saute for about 3 minutes or until tender. Add ginger and next 6 ingredients (through garlic); saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return chicken to pan; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Removed chicken from pan; cool slightly. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken, chickpeas and apricots to pan. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until throughly heated.

February 2009: Secret Ingredient--Ginger!

Janet hosted 'Secret Ingredient--Ginger' on February 7, 2009. It was our first meeting without Heather, who is currently living large in New Zealand. We also missed Sabrina and Michele who had other commitments.

Ginger is a spice which is used for cooking and is also consumed whole as a delicacy or medicine. It is the underground stem of the ginger plant, Zingiber officinale. The ginger plant has a long history of cultivation, having originated in Asia and is grown in India, Southeast Asia, West Africa and the Caribbean.

Ashley started us off with ginger lemonade beer (sadly, there is no picture). It was made of hand squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, ginger, all added to beer.

Norah's dad was supposed to hang out with her during cooking club, but he had to unexpectedly go to Washington DC for work. So, even though cooking club is not a family event, Norah got to hang out anyway.

Christina made pot-stickers with tofu, ginger and veggies, with a delightfully spicy peanut sauce.

Tina made grilled shrimp in a thick and spicy ginger infused sauce/marinade. For Bonnie she brought a delicious ginger spiced salsa.


Angela made Indonesian Carrot Soup. It was hearty and delicious.

Heidi made a spinach salad with oranges and ginger and a shallot dressing. Light, refreshing, and delicious.

Janet made ginger-lime chicken (tofu for Bonnie) over coconut rice.

Bonnie ended the afternoon with a carrot-ginger cake with a coconut-cream cheese frosting. Vegan dessert never tasted so good.

Norah passed out from all the fun (and she didn't even get to eat anything!)

The best part? No one left with a stomach-ache (those medicinal qualities of ginger and all...)!

Past Meetings

2003
August: SPANISH TAPAS (hosted by Bonnie)
October: ITALIAN (hosted by Heather)
December: LA FONDUE (hosted by Angela)

2004
January: ASIAN FUSION (hosted by Michele)
March: COMFORT FOOD (hosted by Christina)
April: SUNDAY BRUNCH (hosted by Michele and Bonnie)
June: CARIBBEAN NIGHT (hosted by Tina)
August: BAY WOLF Restaurant (First Anniversary Celebration)
September: MEDITERRANEAN (hosted by Janet)
October: INDIAN (hosted by Marilyn)
December: HOLIDAY PARTY (hosted by Angela)

2005
February: FRENCH VALENTINE (hosted by Heather)
March: WORKING WOMEN (hosted by Tina)
May: OLE MEXICO (hosted by Christina)
June: WINE COUNTRY PICNIC (hosted by Bonnie at Ravenswood Winery)
August: CALIFORNIA COASTAL CUISINE (Second Anniversary Celebration hosted by Michele in Pacific Grove)
October: AFTERNOON TEA (aka Christina's baby shower hosted by everyone at Janet's)

2006
January: SOUL FOOD (hosted by Heather)
March: SEA SALT Restaurant
June: JAPANESE (hosted by Angela)
August: BBQ WITH THE SO'S (hosted by Christina)
October: OKTOBERFEST (hosted by Tina)

2007
January: CELEBRITY DISHES (hosted by Bonnie)
March: SEVEN DEADLY SINS (hosted by Janet)
June: WINE PAIRING (hosted by Michele)
September: SLANTED DOOR Restaurant (Third Anniversary Celebration)
November: ANGELA'S BABY SHOWER (hosted by everyone)
December: HOLIDAY PARTY (hosted by Heather)

2008
February: CASABLANCA (hosted by Christina)
March: MOM'S COOKING (hosted by Angela)
June: WHITE TRASH COOKING (hosted by Tina)
August: ORGANIC AND UNDER $20 (hosted by Bonnie)
September: RAGIN' CAJUN (hosted by Ashley)
December: SOUTHERN SPAIN (hosted by Michele)

Welcome to Cooking Club!

A Brief History...

Someone (okay, it was Bonnie) came up with the brilliant idea of bringing together a group of similarly minded women in the bay area for a great culinary adventure. She asked a friend, who asked a friend, who asked...and you get the idea. Accepting the challenge were some lawyers, a doctor, a social worker, an accountant, an engineer, and even an audiologist. They all liked to cook, they all liked to eat, and most importantly, they all promised to do their best to out shine the others every step of the way.

The concept is simple: once a month (or as close to once a month as possible) each member takes turn hosting cooking club in her home. The host chooses a theme and the others pick a course to prepare based on that theme. The result? A seven-hour, eight or nine-course tasting menu that rivals the best of the bay area dining establishments.

It's now almost 6 years later. Good cooks have become great; basic palates have become sophisticated; and the hyper-competitive nature of all members has not diminished a bit.
Each woman has retained her wicked sense of humor and willingness to shame and humiliate others for their shortcomings. You don't make your own vegan mayonnaise? Horrible. You don't know how to make chicken stock from scratch? You might as well give up now. You used jarred marinara sauce??? You will never, ever, EVER, get to live that one down.

Even with the criticism, however, friendships have been born and lifelong connections made. Members have seen each other through new jobs,new loves, break-ups, make-ups, engagements, weddings, and scandalous affairs. Four babies have since been born, prompting our founder to declare "you bring that baby, I'll cook that baby!"

May there be many more years of cooking club to come!