Happy Holidays from The Veggie Guy

I seem to have done myself in with the Kahlua cheesecake. My wife liked it so well, she talked me into making a couple for work, two for the Christmas shindig at the in-laws, one for my dad... so I've turned into a cheesecake making machine! :flex:

As much as I'm dying to do a video demonstration for my eggplant rolls, the last minute runnings about for the holidays are going to absorb most of my time. So that may just have to wait for a bit. But I'm happy to leave you with that bit of antici-



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-pation. After all, nothing says Happy Holidays like a chain-smoking transvestite in faux leather.

So today is wrapping up things at work, getting some last minute items taken care of for the business, and possibly, the enjoyment of a frosty alcoholic beverage.

Tomorrow is wrapping presents, running to the store to get wrapping paper/gift bags/tape/bows/whatever else we've forgotten. We let Aria open gifts on Christmas Eve, watch movies, have a glass of wine (Aria gets cherry coke with grenadine), and try to rest up for the day ahead...

Christmas day is driving, driving, eating, driving, eating, driving... with Aria picking up more loot at each stop.

So hopefully I'll be back in the swing of things by Friday. In the meantime, I leave you with a video demonstration for Chocolate Espresso Truffle Pie.



Whatever you're celebrating this season, I wish you good times, safe travels, and excellent company!

- Lee, The Veggie Guy

Recipe: Vegan Kahlua Cheesecake

Could it be? The Veggie Guy... Captain Savoury, Defender of the Cayenne Pepper, Enemy of All Things Sweet and Yummy... has baked something?!

Well, don't get too excited - it's just a cheesecake. A vegan cheesecake, but still...

(And before we get into all this... yeah, I know there's a bit of debate over whether Kahlua is really vegan. This site says it is. So I'm going with it.)

Okay, so here's the roundup:

1 graham cracker crust (Arrrowhead mills makes a ready-to go crust that is vegan. If you want to make your own, feel free.)

1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips

1 tbsp En-R-G egg replacer

2 tbsp turbinado sugar

1/4 tbsp sea salt

2 tbsp Earth Balance non-dairy butter

1 cup (8 oz) Tofutti vegan sour cream

16 oz (2 packages) Tofutti vegan cream cheese

1/2 cup Kahlua

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Soften Tofutti cream cheese (I was in a hurry, so I cut it into chunks and microwaved it for 1 minute).

In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate chips, Earth Balance, and Kahlua. Melt on medium heat, stirring frequently.

Mix En-R-G egg replacer, turbinado sugar, and sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Add Tofutti sour cream and mix with a fork. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth.

Pour in 3/4 of the melted chocolate mixture and blend.

Pour mixture into pie crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven, let set for 15 minutes. Drizzle some of the chocolate mixture over the cheesecake. If you want to get all artsy about it, sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until you can't stand it any longer and have to tear into the cheesecake with your bare hands.

Do I have documentation of my foray into dessert making?

Yes indeed:

So there ya go. The Veggie Guy has made dessert, and the kitchen didn't implode. Perhaps I'm turning over a new leaf. Or I could just regain my sanity before I do something really dangerous, like baking bread...