Anyway, as someone who loves cooking -- except tonight, when I had a bit of a meltdown after I realized that my cilantro had gone bad and then my effing tortillas kept ripping, which caused my eyes to well up with tears as I began cursing at the dog shit dinner I was preparing, (the latter of which I completely blame on hormones. Thank gawd Jim is always so understanding when I have these moments of temporary insanity... and also thank gawd they don't happen very often.) Wait... where was I? Oh yeah... *ahem*, anyway, as someone who normally loves cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, I always want to share my favourite recipes with everyone. So, I decided to use Meatless Mondays as an excuse to start sharing 'em in my blog.
Even though the whole point of Meatless Monday is to obviously go sans animal flesh one day a week, most recipes I make are very easy to convert for carnivorous pallets just by lengthening the cooking time.
That being said, I really do encourage you to try some of the great meatless substitutes that are available out there. And no, I'm not talkin' tofu. (I can't say that I'm a big fan of it myself...) Actually, I think that's part of the problem. There's this stigma that faux meats taste like crap. And yes, I'll be the first to admit that not all meatless substitutes are created equal. Ever tried cooking any brand of veggie dogs over a campfire pit? Maybe it's just me, but blegh... No thanks. However, Yves spicy Italian sausages are very tasty! (And better for you than the "real" thing. Or what I like to call, lips n' assholes. ;)
Other good products I'd recommend include Yves Veggie Ground Round and President's Choice World's Best Meatless Chicken Breasts which are both staples in our kitchen, because they taste great and are healthy too. I've even cut the meatless breasts in half, stuffed them with cheese n' faux ham slices, breaded them up, and served them as chicken cordon bleu - and the carnivores didn't know the difference! That is until Jim told everyone, and then suddenly one or two people were like, "Oh!? Really? Well, yeah... I could tell that there was something different about it. Yeah... I knew it wasn't meat..." *cough-cough-bullshit-cough* The rest enthusiastically admitted to not having a clue.
Anyway, that's my two cents in regards to giving some of these alternatives a whirl just ONE day a week. I'm sure our little farmyard friends will thank you. :)
To recap, here are some of my favourite veggie products that don't taste like crap.
Roast this over your camp fire....
Instead of him...
Fill your taco with cheese n' Yves...
Instead of cheese n' momma.
This tastes just as good...
As they do!
Now, here's the recipe for this week's Meatless Monday. Actually, this is more of an appy - not that I'm stopping you from eating it as a meal. I know I would ~ and have!
I call it BEST BRUSCHETTA because it really is the best bruschetta I've ever eaten. Unless you don't like olives, then you probably won't like it at all. But it is pretty popular at potlucks!
BEST BRUSCHETTA
*slightly revised version taken from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book*
Start to finish - 40 minutes
Oven 425'
1 cup pitted ripe olives
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon capers, drained
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/3 cups chopped tomatoes (2 medium)
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (3)
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or oregano or 1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 8 ounce French loaf
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup light feta (the original recipe calls for grated parmesan, if you prefer)
1. For olive paste, in a food processor bowl or blender container combine olives, garlic, vinegar, capers, and the 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cover and process or blend till a nearly smooth paste forms, stopping and scraping the sides as necessary.
2. For the tomato topping, in a small bowl stir together chopped tomatoes, green onions, feta, basil or oregano, the 1 tablespoon olive oil, and pepper.
3. For the toast, cut bread into 1/2 inch thick slices. Use the 2 tablespoons olive oil to lightly brush both sides of each slice. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 425' oven about 5 minutes or till crisp and light brown, turning once.
4. To assemble, spread each piece of toast with a thin layer of olive paste. Top each with about 2 tablespoons of the tomato topping. (If you've opted to use parmesan instead of feta, you may prefer to sprinkle it on top instead of mixing it in with your tomato topping in step 2.) Return slices to the ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 425' oven for 2 - 3 minutes, or until cheese starts to melt and toppings are heated through. Serve warm. Makes 24 appetizers.
* Make ahead directions: Prepare as above, except cover and chill the olive paste and tomato topping for up to 2 days. Place the cooled toast in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Assemble and bake as directed.
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