MOFO Day#23 True Grub: Favorite Entry?

We interrupt this MOFO Blog with a Voodoo Black Bean Pesto Pizza followed by a question.

It's not that I'm running out of ideas--boy howdy, I have 'em. I'm just running out of time. I'm a multitasking fool and instead of sitting in my underwear blogging, I've been at work all day. Thank goodness Miss Jeanette brought me this pizza. I don't care if she is just a clerk at the local drug store. This lady can make a pie that will make you feel like you've died and been reborn as someone way cooler.

This cilantro pesto paste recipe is here, although it lacks measurements because I honestly just throw a bunch of shit in a blender and it turns out right every time. If you want your pesto to have a little kick, throw a half cup of fresh arugula and a jalapeno in with the mixture.

I utilized pre-made pizza crust from Aver's ( a little over $2.50 for a ball of ready to bake dough). I piled on some black beans, shredded carrots, roasted zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Finger lickin' good and magical.


So tell me PITA Vegan readers, what has been your favorite True Grub entry so far? Are you prepared for an excellent last week?

Hang on to your spines. That's all I'm gonna say.

MOFO Day #22 True Grub: Lettie Mae's Hoe Cakes

It's Saturday morning and Lettie Mae feels guilty about shaming me for being Jewish, so she made me up a nice batch of hoe cakes. Vegan, even! Just like Tara says, it's all about the bacon grease. No problem, that can be made vegan too.
I scored some of this at the food pantry. There's an oil for everything. This stuff is super boss and I've used it for a cookie recipe and for the bacon grease for the hoe cakes. Satan himself approves.
As you can see, the trick is just cooking some no-bacon bitz-(tvp with seasonings or store bought) in the oil with a little liquid smoke an sesame oil.
You want the oil to cook for a bit, to bring out the bacon flavor--watch it foam. Cool the oil and drain with a fine mesh sieve.

Look, it's hoe cakes! Pay no attention to The Devil. Lettie Mae will get him on out of your house with a little sage and some singin'.

These soak up the syrup, so make sure you have plenty on hand.


Lettie Mae's Hoe Cakes

Bacon Grease

• 2 t. sesame oil
• 1/8 c. macadamia nut oil or some other rich oil suitable for frying-(NOT OLIVE!)
• couple drops of liquid smoke
• 2T bacon bitz-(look at the ingredients to make sure it is vegan)

Heat oil in skillet, and add bitz. Cook on medium for several minutes, stirring. You want to see the oil foam. Turn heat off and cool oil, setting aside to apply to the griddle.


Hoe Cake Batter

• 1 c. corn meal
• 1 c. sorghum flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1.5 t of baking soda
• 2 flax seed eggs-(2 T ground flax seeds mixed with 6T hot water and set aside)
• 1 c. Amande cultured almond milk, or plain coconut or soy yogurt
• 1 c. soy, almond, rice, --you get the idea. Non dairy milk.

Get your old Staples Singers records out to set the mood. Heat your griddle or cast iron skillet and apply the bacon grease. Mix wet ingredients together with wire wisk. Add wet to dry ingredients and scoop out the thick batter in 1/3 cup increments on your griddle/skillet. Cook on med heat for 3-4 minutes on one side, then another 4-5 on the other. They'll be nice and golden brown. Serve with your favorite syrup. Mr. J. said these reminded him of sweet tamales with subtle tones of bacony goodness. I thought they tasted like fried mush.

MOFO Day #21 True Grub: Talbot in a Jar

Okay, I'll come clean. Eric didn't kill Talbot to avenge his family, I staked him because I'm nowhere near my 1 million US hit goal. I'm pretty sure that staking a vampire isn't vegan. My demented logic tells me so the f*ck what, Talbot's a vampire and could kill me with no remorse. So I had to kill him.

As you know I can't shut up about my 1 million US hit goal for MOFO. It's important to me, because that money is going to charity. So far, I've had around 4,300 hits, and I'm not entirely sure they are all from the US. If they are that's $12 from FoodBuzz for me to give to 2 local charities, which really isn't a lot--but most certainly helps. I know we can do better, people. So start clicking and telling every one of your friends they need to visit That PITA Vegan. I don't think we'll make the million hits, but I'd really like to get as close as possible. Last year, I made $15 and my spouse matched it for a total of $30 to contribute to my local food bank. $1 buys 7# of food I think. Talbot was so gorgeous. Please don't make me kill any more vampires.

Russell doesn't know it, but I secretly replaced his Jar of Talbot with a delicious concoction of eggplant, spices, and tomato paste.

This is a gorgeous, thick, and rich sauce perfect for a Stromboli, sandwich, pasta, or calzone.
I used mine in a savory stuffed pancake. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before--that was sheer genius. Absolutely Divine.


Talbot in a Jar

• 1 c. tomato paste
• 1 c. water
• 2 t. minced garlic (dried)
• 1 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 medium eggplant (about 4 c. worth) washed n' diced--yes, you can peel it if you hate the skin.
• 1 small zucchini diced

Heat oven to three fiddy. Spray a loaf pan with some canola oil spray and set aside. In a bowl mix all of the ingredients with your**clean** hands and pretend you are cleaning up a staked vampire. It's pretty gross. Put the mixture in the loaf pan, cover with foil, and stick that in the oven for about a half an hour. Check on it, give it a stir, and bake for another half hour or until the eggplant is sort of translucent and falling apart---y'know, like a vampire that just met True Death.