Thanksgiving Leftover Pie Surprise

"Did you come in for a pie, sir? Do forgive me if me head's a little vague..."  Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

So, I survived hosting Thanksgiving Dinner at our house for the first time. I normally do quite a bit of the cooking for Thanksgiving, (desserts, side dishes) but I end up having to prep in advance, pre-cook, and then transport it all to my parents' house.  This year, my folks were living in Italy for the Fall, so my brother, his wife, kids and various friends all came to OUR house to celebrate.

And, boy did we celebrate!

My menu was pretty close to last year's, with a few exceptions.  I swapped out the green bean dish in last year's post with PPK's Green Bean Mushroom Casserole, which always gets rave reviews.  And, for a starter, I also made up a pan of my Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

One thing I never realized about hosting Thanksgiving is that even after all the guests have scooped their left-overs "to-go", I was still left with a metric TON of food.

My dear friend, Scott, and his Dad joined us this year, and during the dinner, they were talking about how they used up their leftovers in Thanksgivings past:  They make a pie!

Brilliant!  One (1) box of puff pastry later, and I was ready to roll. I decided to use my lovely cranberry stone Pampered Chef pie plate, which got no use this year because I made Pumpkin Cheesecake instead of pie.  

Assembly:  I started constructing this labor of love with a nice, thick layer of my mashed potatoes.  I thought that would make quite a suitable bottom layer.  Then, I added my remaining four (4) CHICKPEA CUTLETS, sliced into bite sized pieces, and topped that with my home made gravy. Next, came a layer of Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole, followed by a sprinkle of leftover Apple Cider Glazed Sweet Potatoes.

And, last but not least, my favorite: A thick layer of cornbread stuffing with onion, celery and sage. I pressed down gently on the layers, and then topped the pie with a sheet of puff pastry.  I crimped the sides of the pastry around the pie plate, and made two (2) little hearts with the trimmings (aw).

Then, I brushed the whole pie with some unsweetened almond milk, sprinkled the top with a bit of Old World Seasoning from Penzey's spices, and cut a few slits in the top for the steam to escape.  I then baked this (quite solid) pie in a preheated oven (400°) for 30-40 minutes, until the crust was puffed and golden brown.

So, there we have it! Comfort food made completely from leftovers, that would even give Mrs Lovetts a run for her money o_O

My lunch! (so, you could see the layers)

"HEART"

Our Thanksgiving Eats, 2011 Edition

This year, I had much to be thankful for.  My loving family and friends, my health, my home, and the delicious food that we were ALL able to share.

I am fortunate enough to be in charge of SIDES and DESSERTS on Thanksgiving, so even though there is a turkey served, I can eat the better part of the feast as well. It's a lot of work, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

You see, if you cook it well, AND it looks beautiful, no one even bats an eye that they are being served an entire feast of cruelty free vegan dishes!

Here is what I made this year:
Caramelized Butternut Squash

Always a hit, and so simple.  Peel and de-seed three (3) Butternut Squash, and chop into 1" pieces. Peel and halve 4-6 shallots. Toss everything in a single layer on baking sheets with some olive oil (or melted Earth Balance Margarine), brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg (maybe some allspice too, depending on how I'm feeling).  Roast in a 450 degree oven for 40 minutes, turning once or twice, until tender.

Harvest Green Beans

From the Penzey's Spice Catalogue! This dish is a nice change from the usual "Green Bean Casserole" we've all seen so many times. For those of you who aren't familiar with Penzey's spice blend Mural of Flavor, it is a salt-free mix of: shallots, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, coriander, lemon peel, citric acid, black pepper, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, and orange peel.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb fresh green beans
1/2 cup pecans
2 tablespoons olive oil or 2 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons Penzey's MURAL of FLAVOR, or your favorite salt-free seasoning
2 teaspoons agave nectar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash the beans, and cut the stem end off. (this can be done a day ahead of time).
2. To cook: Bring a pot of water (at least 2 quarts) to a rolling boil.
3. While the water is coming to a boil, heat the butter/oil in a medium pan and simmer on low with the pecans.
4. Once they are lightly browned, add the SESAME SEEDS and MURAL OF FLAVOR.
5. Add the green beans to boiling water and cook 2 minutes.
6. Drain and rinse the beans to stop the cooking, but leave them warm.
7. Drizzle the pecan mix with the honey, stir regularly, then when the beans have been drained and rinsed, add them to the pan and toss with the seasoned nut mix.
8. Place in a serving bowl.
9. Cover the bowl with foil and place in a warm oven until ready to serve.
 

Mashed Potatoes & Vegan Gravy (mostly for me)
Although my mother surprised me and pulled out some of her mashed potatoes that she mashed with Smart Balance instead of butter, so I had extra potatoes!

Posted by EmilyStrikesAgain @ Food.com, this recipe for Vegan Gravy is one of the simplest, BEST tasting gravies I've ever made. I use this 99.9% of the time when I need a basic, all-purpose gravy.  100% omnivore approved! I usually use shallot in place of the onion.

Broccoli Aglio Olio (With Garlic and Olive Oil)

Simple and delicious. A true Italian staple for any dinner. This recipe is just about the ONLY way my mother and grandmother cook their vegetables, and it's the way I do too!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb broccoli floret
1 -2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 -4 garlic cloves, sliced thin (sometimes I mince too)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Steam broccoli over a pot of boiling water, or in a veggie steamer, for about 5 minutes.
2. Feel free to steam more or less, depending on how your family likes their veggies cooked.
3. Keep in mind that you will also be sautéing the broccoli in the next step.
4. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
5. Add the garlic and saute for about 45 seconds to impart its flavors into the oil.
6. Before the garlic begins to brown, add the red pepper flakes and broccoli to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
7. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

AND WHO CAN FORGET DESSERT!!!!

I want to personally thank Vegan Pie in the Sky, the third installment of Isa and Terry's dessert Trilogy, for the bulk of my inspiration this year! They were truly the stars of the show ^_^

We have, Maple Pecan Pie:

And Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Crunch Topping (this literally blew my MIND it was so good)!!

And, then my version of Tarte aux Pommes, which you might remember from here:

And, there you have it!  Vegan food fit for kings and queens, that stands up to even the most picky meat-eater, and even... my family. ^_^

The Great Debate: Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Cheesecake?

Which one should I make for the big day? Here are your choices...

PIE

Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Pecan Crust

This pie is delicious, and no one will EVER miss the eggs. You can use this filling with your favorite home made pie crust, or store bought. I made this for Thanksgiving 2009 and made a home made cinnamon pecan crust (recipe below).  Because I didn't have clove, I used 1/2 tsp cinnamon PLUS from Pampered Chef, which has a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. I also used candied pecans for the top. From: Joy of Vegan Baking

Pumpkin Pie
1 pie crust (recipe below)
12 ounces silken tofu
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup light brown sugar, fimly packed
1/4 cup cornstarch or 1/4 cup arrowroot
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon clove
16 toasted pecans, for topping

Directions:
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 55 mins

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 Blind bake your pie crust.
3 Blend together the pumpkin, tofu maple syrup, brown sugar, cornstarch, and spices until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
4 Pour into prepared crust, and smooth top of filling with a spatula.
5 Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned and the outermost inch of the filling is set.
6 Don't worry is the center is still soft, it will continue to firm up as the pie cools.
7 Gently press the toasted pecan halves into the filling. I did 2 concentric circles.
8 Cool to room temperature and then chill until set, 1-2 hours.
9 Can be served chilled or at room temperature.
 
Cinnamon Pecan CRUST
This crust is magical! Perfect for pumpkin pie!! Also from Joy of Vegan Baking
 
3/4 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup quick-cooking oat
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Directions:
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Lightly spray a 9 inch pie plate with non stick spray.
3. Toast pecans on cookie sheet for 7 - 10 mintues, or until the smell of nuts fills the kitchen.
4. Combine oats, flour, toasted pecans, cinnamon and salt in food processor or blender, and pulse until mixture becomes a coarse meal.
5. Pour in oil and maple syrup and pulse until wet and dry are just combined.
6. (I used a blender to pulse the dry, and then mixed in the oil and syrup by hand in a bowl so it wouldn't get stuck in the bottom of the blender).
7. Press the mixture into a prepared pie plate. I like to use the bottom of a glass to press the crust down evenly on the bottom and sides.

OR SHOULD I MAKE CHEESECAKE?!?



I tried this recipe out last Friday...

Pumpkin Cheesecake (basic recipe from the Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook):

Crust:
1 ½ cups vegan graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full crackers)
¼ cup vegan margarine, melted (Earth Balance)

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) containers tofu cream cheese
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon rum extract** (yum)
1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
3⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
3⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil an 8-inch springform pan or coat with nonstick spray.
Place the crumbs directly into the pan, add the melted margarine and toss with fork to combine.
Press the crumbs evenly against the bottom and side of the pan and set aside.

Place the tofu cream cheese in a food processor or Kitchen Aid and process until smooth.
Add the pumpkin and process until blended.
Add the sugar, rum extract, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg and process until well blended.
Spread the filling evenly into the prepared crust.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until firm.
**Turn off the oven and allow cheesecake to cool in the oven for 30 minutes to an hour without opening the oven door. I really like this tip, NO Cracks on top at all!!
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
Refrigerate for several hours before serving. Great to make this the day before



I really liked the RUM extract flavor in the cheesecake, but I really like the pecan crust from the regular pumpkin pie!  Maybe I'll combine the best of both? WHAT DO YOU THINK?? ^_^