Gratifying Garlic and Oil Sauce pleases your pasta
I remember having garlic and oil sauce when a friend made it for me when I was about twenty years old. I fell in love instantly. It seemed too simple to be that rich in flavor and goodness.
It consisted of just two main ingredients, garlic, and oil. The problem is, I tried recreating it off and on through the years and could never get it right. I couldn’t figure out how I could mess up a recipe with just those two items.
Finally. it came together when I googled it and Ina Garten‘s recipe for Spaghetti Aglio E Olio appeared in my search results. At last! Gratifying garlic and oil sauce, found!
[ UPDATE: the Ugly Sweater Holiday Party 2017 was so much fun. For all the info on that fundraiser read our past post below…]
2017….
‘Tis the Season…for warm fuzzy fundraisers like…
Our Hamptons Vegan Ugly Sweater Holiday Party!
(A Benefit for the Lewis Oliver Farm Sanctuary)
The Hamptons Vegan Ugly Sweater Holiday Party is almost here! Yes, it’s time for a little party fun with our friends, while helping out Lewis Oliver Farm Sanctuary. We’re excited to welcome you on December 16, to our big event with all the proceeds going to the Farm Family Residents (see their photos and names at the end of this post.) What could be more warm and fuzzy than sweaters and furry farm friends?!
So, come on down on Saturday, December 16th from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM to The Little Nook Cafe at 14 Washington Avenue, West Sayville, NY 11796. And come right at 6:00 for the start of our Holiday Bingo Game complete with prizes!
Then at 7:00 PM, you’ll be entertained by music from HypnoSmoothie so don’t hold back, dancing is encouraged! 🙂
Wait, there’s more! Because around 8:00 PM we will be calling out the winners of the Raffle Drawing that will be on display throughout the night.
You won’t want to miss getting in on all the excitement when we tell you about the fantastic prizes available, thanks to our generous donors so keep reading!…
The Hamptons Vegan Ugly Sweater Holiday Party Event **** NOW EXTENDED TO 10:00 PM TO ACCOMMODATE MORE GUESTS!****
Our Righteous Raffle Donors:
Who are these charming contributors? Well, let us introduce you to our list of Charity Champions!:
Good Westhampton has provided our group with an awesome vegan culinary gift set! And what could be better than a gift from Good Westhampton?! 🙂
Good Westhampton
Lotto trees donated by another charity champion!: Tina Nystedt …thanks, so much, Tina! Not one but TWO lotto trees to bid on. What a fun prize! Hey, You never know!…will you be the lucky winner of a lotto tree and then the lucky winner of the LOTTO?! You can’t win if you don’t play!
The Little Nook has gone above and beyond to help sponsor our event by supplying the venue. Thanks soooo much, Little Nook Cafe!
A gift basket awaits the winner from It’s Only Natural Food and Wellness Store
A generous donation for Norwex Products was donated by JeanMarie Kent. Thanks, Jeanmarie, for those great natural cleaning products!
All natural Norwex Products, improving quality of life
Another big thank you to Tracie White for the generous donation of an “Artistic Supplies Gift Basket”….This will definitely make one winner very happy!
A Sweet Annabelle’s stand-alone contribution is a sweet vegan ice cream indulgence generously donated by Sweet Annabelle’s. Many an evening have we wished one of their ice cream sandwiches could magically appear in our mouths, so yummy! The “Gentle New Spin On Tradition” prize looks amazing!
Sweet Annabelle’s vegan ice cream creations
Harmony Holistic Healing is donating a 30-minute professional massage to the winner of the raffle… sounds heavenly! Thank you, Heidi Cohen and Harmony Holistic Healing!
Bumblevee Cookies is donating a mouth-watering platter of holiday cookies for the fundraiser. Thanks so much, Bumblevee!
Ruth McDade has donated a beeeaauuutifulll 24 x 18-inch close-up portrait of Ezra the Alpaca from the Lewis Oliver Farm Sanctuary. What a pretty picture of a real cutie!! Check out Ezra:
The one, the only, Ezra, the Alpaca! (Professionally photographed!)
We have a generous donation from Wendy Dann and Mark, too! The winner will receive a stainless steel pet water filtration system gently used to improve the quality of your pet’s daily hydration water bowl. Thank you, Wendy and Mark!
Island Pet Organic of Sayville has contributed to our cause, as well, by donating one free pet grooming for the lucky winner. Thank you, Island Pet Organic!
Island Pet Organics
Here’s a fun new experience you’ll surely what to try! The Float Place of Patchogue and Dix Hills has donated a gift certificate for a 90-minute float session to experience relaxation by floating. What a great way to help unwind after a stressful day! Really appreciate that, The Float Place!
the float place
Plantwise has one lucky winner covered with a 25.00 gift certificate to their healthy, delicious establishment in Dix Hills. You’re awesome, Plantwise, thank you!
PLANTWISE
You have to check out Terri NYC‘s website. So much Food Porn to drool over! OMG, it looks amazing! And they have donated a 25.00 gift certificate to one very lucky winner in the raffle. Many thanks to you, Terri NYC!
If you are craving a great vegan pizza, look no further than Frankies East Side Pizza! And you could be the lucky raffle winner of a 25.00 gift certificate if you come out to the ugly sweater party and put your raffle ticket into their bucket! You rock, Frankies East Side Pizza!
Frankie’s Eastside Pizza
313 Main St, Farmingdale NY, 11735
Thank you so much, Marty’s V Burger, for the 25.00 gift certificate! You will surely make one lucky winner very excited! But even though not everyone can win this prize, everyone should check them out for a fantastic vegan burger! Thanks a bunch, Marty’s V Burger!
Marty’s V Burger
For an exceptional dining experience, head to P.S. Kitchen in NYC. You will love their many gourmet vegan entrees and if you win their raffle prize you will receive a 50.00 gift certificate for a wonderful night out at P.S. Kitchen. P.S.- We love you!
P.S. Kitchen
Lieb Cellars has donated a gift certificate for four wine tastings to one lucky winner! A great prize from a great winery. Thank you Lieb Cellars!
Thanks to our friend, Cherryl at Adventure Paddleboards for donating a “Quickie for $50” package for the upcoming 2018 season that includes all the rental gear for a 30-minute lesson and an hour of free paddleboarding in the bay by the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays. How awesome is that?! Thanks so very much, Cherryl and Adventure Paddleboards!
Michael Strahl of Sweet Soul Bakery has given our fundraiser another raffle prize! A delicious box of homemade breakfast bars. You know you will be so happy to wake up to those on Sunday after the party if you are the lucky winner of Sweet Soul Bakery‘s yummy treat! Thank you, Michael!
Sweet Soul Bakery
AND our favorite coffee company…The Hampton Coffee Company has generously donated a beautiful gift basket with coffee, tea, a mug, AND a gift card!
Great big thank you for the terrific donation, Hampton Coffee Company!
Hampton Coffee Company
SOOOO……..
Would you like to help this important cause??
Please email us at The Hamptons Vegan and we can provide a tax donation-merchant letter. Also, consider a donation to this worthy sanctuary on Long Island even if you can’t make it. I promise you’ll feel that warm holiday happiness knowing that you’re giving from your heart and helping out the gang at Lewis Oliver!
We’ll see everybody at The Little Nook on December 16th! “May the force be with you” when the games begin!
NOW, FOR THE INSPIRATION/MOTIVATION FOR OUR FUNDRAISER:
(trumpet sound please): da, da, da dah!, THE RESIDENTS OF THE LEWIS OLIVER FARM SANCTUARY!
( FYI, 100% of the proceeds go directly to these guys at the Sanctuary 🙂 )
Adelaide
Annabelle
Ezra
Fannie
Lucy
Mama Mia
Pepper
Thomas Alexander
All these beautiful faces deserve our support, as well as:
Molly/Clarice (two inseparable hens)
Cindy -the hen
Willie – the rooster
Junior -the rooster
Princess -the duck
Little man- the duck
Sheila- the sheep
Cookie- the bunny
Star- the turkey
Cheech- the peacock
Nina- the peahen
Mike- the goose
Swan- the goat
Oreo- the Gangsta goat
John- the goose
Zack- the rooster
and Burt- the rooster.
So, please come out on the 16th to have some fun and share your love for the Lewis Oliver Farm Sanctuary.
There’s nothing so cheerful as waking up to a batch of cranberry orange muffins. Because what’s better in a muffin than the bright red tart cranberry paired with the bright cheery sweet orange? Well, it’s even nicer if you add walnuts, too! (unless you don’t like nuts, then, leave those out!) These little guys will make you want to get right outta bed with a smile on your face….
"Mashed potatoes in the sky, in the sky, in the sky.
Mashed potatoes in the sky, the sun is the butter."
This was the song I sang with my grandfather when I was very small. It was our swing set song. We sang it while swinging back and forth, looking at the sky. And I imagined all those fluffy clouds as mashed potatoes. They were my favorite food.
A lot of changes have taken place since way back then but I still love mashed potatoes. Of course, now I make them vegan!
And celeriac mashed potatoes take my favorite food to another level altogether!
Okay, so you’re finished with dinner and you sit down in front of the TV to watch your favorite show. You’re in your comfy clothes and you’re cuddled up in your comfy chair. But you just need a little somethin’ somethin’ for the perfect comfy, cozy finish to your day. And, you want somethin’ chocolate.
There are many uses for this brown sugar frosting but you must give it the respect it deserves. Because this is no ordinary frosting. And you don’t just throw this together like any old icing treat. This coddled classy confection needs attention or it won’t come to your party.
And if bougie brown sugar frosting feels its non-dairy milk mixture isn’t cold enough or the non-dairy butter isn’t room temperature then it will bounce. A broken bougie brown sugar is not what you want!
Oh Behave, baby!
But this frosting will behave as long as you give it what it needs to be happy. And when that happens, brown sugar frosting is a beautiful thing. A brown sugar whipped cream dream. So it’s worth the extra attention you must give this high-class creation.
Favorite frosting – no powdered sugar required
I knew this recipe was a keeper when Don tried it and said we had to make this one again. That is your guarantee that this frosting is the real deal. Hey! It has the Big Guy seal of approval!
The Bougie Brown Sugar Requirements
So here’s the deal: temperature is key. But, if your brown sugar frosting isn’t happy with the temp and decides to split, as in separates, literally, you can coax it back by warming or cooling the mixture, depending on the problem. It’s best to make sure the milk mixture and the vegan butter and shortening mixture are at room temperature before mixing together to avoid problems.
Also, I found it’s best to use this frosting as a topping, not a filling. Bougie Brown Sugar Frosting likes to be showcased, not squeezed between layers as I tried here:
LAYER CAKE FAILURE (but it still tastes great!)
Layer cake fails with Brown Sugar Frosting. It’s best on top, not in between, I’ve found out! 🙂
No powdered sugar, no problem!
This frosting has saved my day when I make a cake and realize, too little, too late, that I don’t have enough powdered sugar for the frosting. An online search provided an answer and I heart eating is my hero. It requires no powdered sugar and tastes amazing. And I veganized the recipe. Kate’s frosting, made vegan, is the best. Love, love, love.
Bougie Brown Sugar Frosting benefits
Swirly clouds of light and fluffy frosting, with just the right amount of sweetness, while saving the day when you’re short of powdered sugar, make the best frosting ever! Mic drop…
Especially Espresso Chocolate cake for the holidays!
espresso chocolate cake in cupcake form
Espresso Chocolate Cake. Enough said.
But of course, there’s always something more to say about vegan cake, right? I mean, what’s not to love about this perfect dessert? And to think it involves no eggs, no dairy, hence no cruelty!
Miss Trunchbull’s punishment
If you saw the movie Matilda,you must remember the punishment Miss Trunchbull gave to Bruce Bogtrotter, right? Eat an entire chocolate layer cake in one sitting. OMG so how is that a punishment?! Well, I guess Miss Trunchbull did make everything seem scary and torturous but, chocolate cake?! That was a thing of beauty! That kid got off easy, IMHO.
Can you imagine just sitting down to a whole chocolate cake without any reservations? No thoughts of calories, getting sick, having to share? Just eating and eating as much as you want. Hmmm. Give me a minute.
Real life with Espresso Chocolate Cake
Okay, I’m back. And yeah, that’s only good for dreaming about but not really doing. But what a fun dreamy moment it was!
So whether you want to recreate the scene from Matilda or you just want to make a beautiful chocolate cake to share, our Especially Espresso Chocolate Cake is your go-to recipe.
This cake is a tried and trusted recipe that we make often at our house. And whether in cake or cupcake form, it has never failed to turn out perfect every time. Because the espresso (or coffee) addition gives a depth of flavor that makes this cake stand out from the rest.
Okay… I said the cake has never failed but I didn’t say my attempt at a layer cake with squishy filling was always successful… I was going for the Matilda cake, but…
So this recipe is from a cookbook I’ve had for years that came from The Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. Several years back, our family was travelling in upstate New York, visiting our oldest son Bryan in college. Finally an opportunity to eat at one of the iconic vegetarian/vegan friendly cornerstones of the restaurant world! We drove a bit out of our way that day to make a stop at Moosewood. But it was a delicious experience and now a fond memory. And in a perfect world, Moosewood’s vegan selections would take the place of all McDonald’s restaurant foods. Because we’d all be the better for it. Daydreams are a beautiful thing.
Keep making cake
But until that perfect world becomes a reality, we’ll all just have to keep pushing forward, making positive changes wherever we can and encouraging others to join us. And I will just keep making vegan cakes for everyone! You can too! (No Trunchbull force-feeding necessary!)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 round 8 or 9-inch cake pans or 1 9×13-inch cake pan by greasing and lightly coating with flour or cocoa powder. Or prepare 24 cupcakes liners in a cupcake tin.
Sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Combine the vegetable oil, cold espresso or coffee, and vanilla.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and blend until smooth. (1-2 minutes by hand)
Add the vinegar and stir quickly to combine until the vinegar is evenly distributed. Don't over-blend it.
Pour the batter into the pan right after blending.
Bake for 25-30 minutes for 8 or 9-inch pans, 30-35 minutes for 9 x 13-inch pans, or 20-25 minutes for cupcakes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Cool on a wire rack.
If making cupcakes, pop the cupcakes in liners out of tins after 3-5 minutes to prevent liners from peeling away from the cupcakes.
Frost as desired. Try our better buttercream frosting. Link in notes.
Notes
If you don’t have coffee or espresso, you can still make this cake with an equal amount of water. It just won’t have the same depth of flavor. But still good!Better Buttercream Frosting
Banana cake is great because you can make it any time of the year. There’s no special season you must wait for to enjoy this confection. And bananas are available all year long. Bangin banana cake is a beautiful thing. But the only thing that makes it difficult to make this treat, is if you have someone at home that eats bananas like they are going out of style!
And yes I do! No Banana Cake For Me!
So, yes, Zack eats bananas every day.
I used to have an excuse to make banana bread and banana muffins and my favorite, banana cake. You know when bananas start to turn brown they’re in the perfect condition to make a treat!
But my bunch of bananas never has a chance to turn brown anymore! They get eaten before they make it to the brown banana dessert level.
I even buy extra bananas so I’ll have too many!
But Zack always meets the challenge and just eats more bananas! He has them on cereal or for smoothies or peanut butter sandwiches. And mostly, he just eats them as is.
Last week, I tried wrapping up a couple of bananas, setting them apart from the rest of the bunch. When I returned to make the banana dessert, all that was left was the banana skin tops… Wrapped back up! Sigh… Maybe someday I’ll make a banana cake again.
There’s still hope for everyone else!
So if your family eats a normal amount of bananas like most of the rest of the population, and you have some that make it to the brown-speckled stage, rejoice! You now have the best part of the ingredients for a bangin’ banana cake of your own!
Fresh from the oven
almost ready bananas for the making of bangin’ banana cake
the first slice of bangin’ banana cake
You’re making the banana cake? Can I come over?
I hope you try this recipe because it’s so good. And if you do, can I come over for a piece? I don’t know if I’ll ever see another speckled banana in my house again.
1 1/4cupssoy milkwe like 2 ingredient brands like West Soy or Trader Joe's shelf-stable soymilk
2 teaspoonsapple cider vinegar
1/4cupcanola oil or other mild cooking oil
1cupmashed bananas ( about 3)
1 1/4cups sugar
1 tablespoonvanilla
2 1/2cupsall purpose flour
1 tablespoonbaking powder
1 teaspoonbaking soda
1/2 teaspoonnutmeg
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/2cupchopped walnutsoptional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
Mix soymilk in a measuring cup with vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes or more to thicken.
In a large bowl, mix together oil, mashed bananas, sugar, and vanilla.
In another bowl, whisk or sift together, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
Next, mix 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Then mix in 1/2 of the milk mixture.
Then add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and then the rest of the milk mixture, and lastly add the rest of the dry ingredients, along with the nuts, blending well.
Pour batter into a 9 x 13-inch lightly greased cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30-35 minutes, checking with a toothpick for no sign of wet batter.
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