Easy Peanut Butter Cream Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust — aka “The Cow Farmer” Pie

I’ve had this pre-made chocolate pie crust for what seems like…ever. But really, it’s only been a few weeks. Lately, I’ve been going back in forth on how to use it. I had my “a-ha!” moment yesterday when an old friend posted something on my Facebook wall that reminded me and reinforced to me, just how awesome she truly is. When I was in high school, this girl loved Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. She loved them so much that she wore a bright orange Reese’s t-shirt pretty much any chance she could. That’s how I mostly remember her.

She was vegan (we called her “Cow Farmer” or “Cowf” for short), and I remember how she lamented that Reese’s weren’t. I remember that it was the only non-vegan food item she couldn’t give up. Eventually, knowing that the pleasure of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup does not outweigh the horror that goes into making it, she gave them up. Yeah, she’s pretty cool like that. She also speedily stepped in for me last week when I really needed her help. So, in honor of her past and present awesomeness, I have made a Reese’s inspired peanut butter cream pie with a chocolate crust.

I wish this pie could really encompass how amazing this girl is, but it just can’t because…it’s a pie. Still, it’s pretty damn close.

But I suppose I should tell you a little about the pie…

“Beef” and Barley Stuffed Peppers

I have a confession to make: I’ve never had a stuffed pepper before. Ever. I know, I know, it’s practically crazy, but it’s very, very true. That being said, I took matters into my own hands two weeks ago and figured out the basics. First you take a pepper, then you stuff it, then you bake it, then you eat it. Simple enough. I think the hardest part was figuring out what I wanted to stuff it with. Rice was too conventional and polenta was too mushy. Barley seemed like the right choice. And heck, why not through in some soy crumbles and Daiya for the “beefy/cheesy” effect?

This was delicious. In fact, it was probably my favorite of my own recipes so far, besides my lasagna. I basically love anything you can cook in an oven, obviously. My only regret was that I only made two; one for me, one for mom. These peppers were really big though, even for organic ones. The good thing is that there was plenty of beef and barley stuffing left over so, I ate some of that. If you’re serving more than two people, you will have enough stuffing for about 4 large peppers.

Trust me, you’re going to want to make this.

Carrot Cake Muffins with Vegan Cream Cheese Top Filling

Here’s a little tip of the hat to one of the recipes I’m most known for among friends — my carrot cake oatmeal cookies. I’ll get around to posting those little lovelies someday, but for now here’s a little something more “suitable” for breakfast, or if you’re like me, this is somewhat of a “wholesome” dessert. They’re really more like cupcakes than muffins, but since they’re not loaded with frosting, I’m not quite sure they can win it in the cupcake category. Either way, they are sweet and delicious, especially for the carrot cake aficionados like me. These are sure to please. Happy baking!

Vegan American Chop Suey

I’ve recently been told that my food is “fancy.” I’m not sure if I’m to take this as a compliment or as a comment on having “complicated” or “involved” recipes. Or maybe the people who say this just eat veggie dogs and Amy’s frozen dinners, I don’t know. I’ve certainly never thought that the recipes I’ve posted are at all fancy or involved, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be making them. I just don’t have that kind of time…or know-how! I just like to cook. And I like to take pictures that aptly depict the wonderful taste of the food. Sometimes that involves a wine glass in the background, I guess.

In any case, here’s a very un-fancy dish. I promised myself I wouldn’t post “basic” recipes because I feel like most people who want this kind of food can easily find it elsewhere by doing an internet search. I also want to try to avoid using prepackaged vegan meat substitutes because some people can’t find them easily and they’re not exactly typical of a healthy vegan diet and can be misleading to non-vegans. Nonetheless, here’s a satisfying quickie for all you busy moms, hungry students, and just plain ol’ lazy bones like me: American Chop Suey.