Friday, April 16, 2010

One down. One to go.


Meal number one of the two recipes that scare me has been completed. Part of it is pictured above -- isn't it pretty? I wish it had tasted as good as it looks.

Actually, I liked the quiche, but not enough to make it again. My sister said the texture bothered her. Paul said he liked it, but when I tried to push a leftover slice on him the next night, he politely refused. Gather from that what you will.

The menu was compiled from Veganomicon:
Caesar Salad with Roasted Garlic Croutons
and
Asparagus Quiche with Tomatoes and Tarragon

Although the quiche left everyone wondering if maybe some dishes don't translate well to vegan cooking, the Caesar salad convinced us that we'll never need to eat an anchovy again. No matter what your dining habits, give that part a try. Paul's review -- "I could eat this salad every night." So real men may not love vegan quiche, but they do eat vegan Caesar salad. One for the plus column!

Warning: I made all of this on a day when I had two other adults in the house. And even then, Paul roasted the garlic for me. It was a major undertaking for a newbie like me. Maybe some of you more seasoned cooks (get it?) would have an easy time of it, but for me, this was like going from a tricycle to Le Tour de France.

I took some of the good advice I got from Angela, at The Painted House, and said, "Well, at least we tried something new." And that really did make me feel better. Although I'm not sure it was much consolation for my sister, who suddenly had to run a mystery errand and came back smelling oddly of curry.

Anyway, please stop back on Monday when I give the lowdown on Recipes That Scare Me, Part Deux, where I attempt to mold a pound of mushrooms into something my family might believe resembles burgers. That extravaganza is scheduled for tonight. Bon appetit!

4 comments:

angela | the painted house said...

Is is bad that your account of icky vegan quiche made me smile? HOORAY, major HOORAY, for trying something new. I haven't tried the caesar salad--it is now on the agenda. :)

Your sneaky sis! :)

I have a YUMMY burger recipe to share, easy, too. I'll email it in a few days.

Beetnik Mama said...

Ah, easy is a word I love to hear when it's associated with cooking! I look forward to that burger recipe!

Thanks for stopping in!

Patty said...

I have this book and haven't tried any of the recipes yet. Thanks for the suggestion on the Caesar Salad. I just picked up 1000 vegan recipes, if you want to look at it.

Beetnik Mama said...

Let me know what you think if you try the Caesar salad, Patty! I also love the black bean soup out of Veganomicon. It's a pretty regular meal around here.