Just Grab 'Em In The Biscuits!

I admit that I used to be a huge fan of KFC biscuits. Of course now the idea of eating one of those is quite revolting. Even if they were vegan, I'd hate to support that corporation.

One thing I've learned is that broke-ass-ness is the mother of invention. When you're between paychecks or even if you've been too busy to grocery shop, often times you can create really tasty stuff just with what you have on hand. This week I bring you biscuits. Easily made with ingredients you probably have in your pantry. I suggest you smother them with gravy and love.

Vegan "Buttermilk" Biscuits

• 2 1/4 cups, unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup extra cold, unsweetened, plain soymilk + 3 tablespoons for brushing
• 1/3 cup extra cold, vegetable shortening (Crisco or Earth Balance work well)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Method

Mix apple cider vinegar with soymilk and set aside for 5 minutes to curdle. The vinegar creates a tangy "buttermilk flavor" and will help create awesome, fluffy texture in the biscuits.

In a large bowl mix together all your dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda and powder. With two forks, a pastry cutter or very quick hands, cut the shortening into the flour, leaving little pieces of fat distributed evenly throughout the flour mixture. The mixture will look crumbly. Now add the curdled soymilk and mix quickly to get a dough to form. Avoid overworking the dough. Once your dough has formed, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

When your dough is thoroughly chilled, roll out dough to 1-2 inch thickness and cut out circles with a biscuit cutter. Place them 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with leftover soymilk for a nice golden hue. You can gather up any leftover scraps of dough and form another biscuit or two from that. If you want something a little more rustic (if you're just lazy, like me) grab a nice portion of dough (about 2-3 inches across and 2 inches thick) and drop 'em on an un-greased baking sheet. I like to bake mine a little on the thick side so the interior reaches maximum fluff potential.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 12-16 minutes depending on thickness and your oven's mood. Biscuits are done when lightly golden brown. Makes 6-8 biscuits.




















Tips:

Not that you would have tuna (assuming you are vegetarian) in your cupboard, but you can always recycle an old can into a biscuit cutter by removing both ends.

Try mixing in vegan cheese and herbs for extra flavor. Those beauties above were made with Daiya cheddar and fresh parsley from my garden. Cheddar and chives or green onions are great too.

Start working on your favorite preserves, gravy and sauce recipes. Biscuits were made for them.

Mad Pizza Skillz

Living in Los Angeles is a vegan pizza lover's dream. There are so many places offering vegan pizzas and even one pizzeria that has gone totally vegan. Even with all these options I still find it necessary to make my own pies at home. Why? Besides having "mad pizza skillz" it's way more cost effective. Unfortunately vegan pizzeria's break my bank. It's easy to spend upwards of $30 on one pie. I can eat three to four times as much homemade pizza for that price! Although you may sweat a little (or a lot) making these this summer, they are totally worth the effort. Sure you can buy pre-made dough at Trader Joe's (I used to) but making your own pies from scratch will make you feel extra radtastic in the kitchen.




Basic Pizza Dough

• 3 cups unbleached, bread flour 
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to coat
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons vegan sugar

Method

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and let stand 10 minutes or so, until the mixture begins to froth up. In a large bowl mix bread flour, sugar and salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil, blend then mix with hands to form the dough. Knead for 7 - 10 minutes. This also doubles as a good arm workout so reap the rewards. If you have a buff significant other or roommate, let them do the dirty work. Also, kneading helps build up the gluten in the dough which makes for a nice chewy crust. So knead some more if you like. Form into a ball, lightly oil the surface, cover with plastic wrap or a clean, lightly dampened towel and allow to rest for 1 hour in a well oiled bowl.

While the dough rests get all your toppings prepped. After the dough has rested for an hour remove from the bowl, split into two balls for two medium thin crust pizzas or 1 extra large pizza. Stretch and roll out dough on a cold pizza stone or lightly oiled metal pan. Cover with your sauce and favorite toppings and bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-35 minutes depending on your oven and preferences. If you have a peel, slide that bad boy on a pre heated stone.

Tips:

Invest in a pizza stone and peel if possible. You can probably find one under $10 at a discount retail shop (Ross, Big Lots, etc). Sometimes they even come in sets with a pizza cutter and serving tray.

Sometimes I use my favorite jar variety marinara sauce. It's great in a pinch, but tends to be too watery for pizza. Try making your own pizza sauce using tomato paste, a couple tablespoons of water, minced garlic, fresh and/or dried herbs, red pepper flakes, a pinch of sugar and salt and pepper to taste. I love having another reason to use fresh herbs from my garden. Try combining basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary.


To keep your dough from sticking to the stone sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal.

For an extra crispy crust pre-heat your pizza stone, sprinkle with cornmeal, then roll out the dough on the stone and work quickly to get all the sauce and toppings placed.

If you want a slight crispiness with a soft and chewy crust, roll your dough on a room temperature stone.

For extra flavor brush the edges of your pizza crust with olive oil during the last 5 minutes of baking. Sprinkle on a little sesame seed while you're at it.

This dough can be used to make bread sticks or garlic bread twists. Just roll it out into long, skinny logs and twist together. Coat with vegan margarine, minced garlic, salt, nutrition yeast and fresh or dried herbs. Or try stuffing them with vegan cheese for cheesy bread. They are insanely tasty with marinara sauce. I've even made sweets with this dough using vegan margarine, diced apples, cinnamon and sugar. Just roll them up like cinnamon rolls.

Extra dough can be kept refrigerated up to 5 days. If using dough that has been refrigerated, place on counter and allow dough to come to room temperature before attempting to roll out and bake.



Here are some of my favorite pizza topping combinations:

Supreme style:
Daiya Italian blend vegan cheese, Field Roast Italian sausage, roasted garlic, black olives, baby bella mushrooms, green bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion with fresh basil

Garden blend: Daiya Italian blend vegan cheese, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic and spinach

BBQ Chicken: BBQ sauce base, Gardein chicken strips coated in BBQ sauce, red onions, tempeh bacon and Daiya Italian Blend vegan cheese topped with fresh cilantro

Gourmet style: Artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and roasted garlic with a bechamel sauce base.

Margherita: Lots of vegan cheese and fresh tomato slices. When removed from the oven, top with fresh basil. The heat from the pizza will lightly wilt the basil and release the aromatics. It's a classic combo with tons of flavor.



The possibilities are endless and there are tons of awesome mock meats and vegan cheeses (I'm a big fan of Teese and Daiya) on the market. Go crazy! Don't be surprised if you want to start lining your oven with bricks once you've mastered this recipe.