Summer Dinner Party

Last night we had friends over for dinner. It rained all day and drizzled most of the night, so we couldn't eat outside. Other than that it was a fun night, and all the food was great.

Because I had a race in the morning and knew I wouldn't have a ton of time to prepare, I decided on a simple pasta dish as the main course and then added Italian-themed food to round out the pasta.

Appetizers:

White Bean Spread with Truffle Oil. I made it once before and loved it, and it was just as good this time. I think I let out an "mmmmm!" every time I had a bite. This time I didn't have time to cook the beans, so I just used two cans of beans and then boiled the garlic on their own without the beans. As before, the truffle oil really makes this spread special, so if you decide to make this, splurge and get the truffle oil (I found it at my local grocery store.) I served the spread with crackers. See the recipe I posted a few years ago.

Olives. I don't like olives so just picked out a few different kinds at the Whole Foods olive bar.

Strawberries. A big bowl of sweet, juicy, organic strawberries is always a great appetizer!

Drinks:

Ruby Red Sangria. I made this recipe for Ruby Red Sangria which pairs ruby red grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice, and sugar with red wine.  I added apples, blueberries, and strawberries. This sangria wasn't strong or super sweet. It was actually a little tart. I liked it but drank way too much!


Dinner:

The main meal was Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce by Vegan Yum Yum (recipe). The sauce is very simple and fresh, and the creaminesss comes from cashews. This sauce is by no means light or low calorie. Between the cashews and the olive oil, it's pretty decadent. But so delicious! I had based this whole meal on getting fresh pasta from Penn Mac in the Strip. When I walked to the Strip to get it, I discovered that the fresh pasta is not vegan but is made with eggs. Darn! I bought the egg fettucine to serve to everyone else and then made myself some whole-wheat spaghetti. It was still delicious!

My friend bought a salad with a lime-oil vingaigrette. She also brought a plate of salad add-ons so that everyone could add what they wanted, which was a great idea. I also had crusty white Italian bread and olive oil and balsamic to dip it in.

Dessert:

The best part, as always! I was super excited to make the vegan Lemon Bars from Veganomicon/Vegan Cookies Take Over Your Cookie Jar (see the recipe at No Meat Athlete). I had never made them before and thought they'd be the perfect summer dessert.

Most vegan desserts I make use basic ingredients, but this one called for agar agar flakes, which are a gelatin substitute. I had to make a trip to Whole Foods to pick up a bag, and they were pricey...but well worth it!

The crust was something like a big sugar cookie. I could have eaten just the crust and been happy!

The filling was made by dissolving the agar agar flakes in boiling water, then adding lemon juice mixed with arrowroot powder (another thickener that I already have in my pantry), sugar, and lemon zest. You whisk it until it thickens then pour it onto the crust and let it refrigerate until it sets.

Absolutely delicious! We all loved it. I'd absolutely make it again...and just might have to so that I can use up those pricey agar agar flakes!

Cajun Beanballs & Spaghetti

Yesterday I made a spicy, Cajun version of spaghetti and meatballs from Appetite for Reduction that was fantastic.

First I made the Cajun Marinara Sauce, which was super simple and perfectly spicy. Isa is right: Why buy sauce when it's so easy to make? Her sauce starts out by sauteing minced garlic in olive oil (I added red pepper flakes for the Cajun variation), adding thyme and oregano, and then mixing in a can of crushed tomatoes. The Cajun variation called for Cajun seasoning and hot sauce. Mmm!

Next I made the Black-Eyed Pea & Tempeh Balls. My only other attempt at cooking with tempeh failed, but this seemed fool-proof: just steam the tempeh and mix it in to the mashed black-eyed peas, seasonings, and other ingredients.Roll them into balls, spritz with cooking spray, and bake for about 25 minutes. Last I tossed the beanballs with whole-wheat spaghetti, zucchini, and the Cajun Marinara Sauce and topped everything with scallions. The beanballs soak up the spicy sauce, and the end result is completely slurp-worthy. The recipe made a ton, so I'll be eating this for a while--lucky me!

Veganomicon Review: Spinach Linguine with Cilantro-Basil Pesto and Artichokes

Veganomicon has convinced me that pasta doesn't have to be boring. Since I started eating vegan, I rarely make pasta because it seems so easy, expected, and not creative. The two pasta dishes I made from Veganomicon, Pasta Della California and last night Spinach Linguine with Cilantro-Basil Pesto and Artichokes, have been outstanding.The Spinach Linguine recipe is a happy mix of contrasting flavors. The pesto, made with cilantro, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, lemon juice, and almonds, was divine. The cilantro adds a surprisingly delicious and bright flavor, and the almonds make it a little creamy. Sliced red onions cooked in olive oil with garlic lend a wonderful sweetness, countering the saltiness of the pesto and artichokes. The linguine itself (I used Trader Joe's Spinach and Chive Linguine) is flavorful.
Each bite of this dish made my tastebuds dance. I LOVED it and would give it over five out of five stars. It may be one of my favorite recipes in the book. My omnivore husband really liked it too.

And it was super easy to make. The hardest part was dismantling the cilantro leaves from their stems. It took about a half-hour so would be perfect for dinner after work.

I found that someone else posted the recipe on their blog. My advice: Make this! You'll love it! I know I'll be making it many times again.

Another recipe down for Cook Vegan Lover's Cookbook Club! Lots more I still want to try.