Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I honestly don't know where my year went. With my mother still recovering from her double-knee surgery, I find myself taking a much more hands-on approach to this year's celebration- i.e. I'm doing all the baking/cooking. You can definitely say that I've risen to the challenge. As I told my mom, Thanksgiving is like a decathalon for chefs and you better believe I've been studying Food Network as religiously as a Freshman student cramming for first semester exams. I've been stocking up on enough pricey cheeses, fresh herbs and obscure spices to make my parents cry from looking at all the grocery bills. I AM READY.

One of the easiest recipes in my arsenal, has to be my nana's coffeecake. The recipe dates back to 50s, a time when they loved their bundt pans and cake mixes almost as much as their first-born child. The fluffy vanilla cake pairs beautifully with the crunchy cinnamon pecan filling and sweet frosting topping. Serve it with a cup of coffee and it'll start your day off right!

French Vanilla Coffeecake

1 pkg French vanilla cake mix
1 pkg French vanilla instant pudding
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
1 cup Water
1 tsp Butter flavoring
4 room temperature Eggs

Topping-
3/4 cup chopped Pecans
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Sugar

Frosting-
1 cup Powdered sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp melted Butter

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except for the eggs. Add in each egg individually, beating after each. Beat batter for 8 minutes- make sure to time yourself!

Sprinkle half of the cinnamon topping into the bottom of a well-greased bundt pan. Pour in half of the batter. Throw in the rest of the cinnamon topping and then cover with the remaining batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Remove from pan after 10 minutes. Let cool and then drizzle top with the frosting.

Fall has finally reached RVA. It's true- yesterday was a high of 65. I can now wear a scarf outside without receiving judging glances from passing old ladies in the supermarket.

Last night one of my friends celebrated her 22nd birthday. It was a dual party- a celebration of her birthday as well as the upcoming holiday, Halloween. It was a really small, intimate get-together. We met up at her quaint Church Hill apartment and everyone
brought along a dish to share. The twist- a significant portion of the people attending the party were vegan/vegetarian.

I am not vegan or vegetarian and until recently I really only knew 2 or 3 people who would actually consider themselves "vegetarian." Over the past 6 months, however, as I've gotten to know my new friends, I've also gotten better acquainted with the vegan subculture and, of course, vegan baking.

For most bakers, the idea of working without eggs, butter or milk is daunting but, let me assure you, it is completely possible to create delicious masterpieces without the help of dairy products; it's often healthier for you anyway. Below are two very easy cookie recipes that I've recently used to bake a nice fall treat for my vegan buddies. Vegans aren't the only ones who can enjoy these cookies- share them with your nonvegan family members, friends or coworkers, I'm sure they won't be able to tell the difference!

Courtesy of Ely Rusiecki

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

(Adapted from cookiemadness.net/)

1 1 /2 cups and 3 Tbsp Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/4 and 1/8 tsp Salt

3/4 cup packed Brown sugar

6 Tbsp Vegetable oil

3 Tbsp Honey/Agave nectar
3/4 tsp Vanilla extract
3 Tbsp Unsweetened apple sauce
3/4 cup Natural peanut butter (e.g. Smart Balance)

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a second bowl, mix the brown sugar, vegetable oil, honey, vanilla, apple sauce and peanut butter. Stir until smooth. I prefer to use honey in this recipe but some vegans are strongly against honey, due to the poor treatment most bees face. A good idea is always to ask. If you're willing to spend a little money, you can always use agave nectar which has a similar taste/consistency of honey but is actually made from plants.

Add the flour mixture to the brown sugar mixture. Stir until well mixed. Form the dough into tiny balls and place them onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use a fork to create a cross-hatch pattern.

Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.

Let the cookies sit 3-5 minutes after taking them out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack to continue cooling. Makes 32 cookies.

Courtesy of Ely Rusiecki

Vegan Maple/Almond Cookies
(Adapated from ChooseVeg.com)

1 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Almond extract
Egg replacer, 1 egg
Cinnamon and Sugar

Mix the flour, sugar, soda and salt together in a bowl.

In a second bowl, mix the vegetable oil, vanilla, maple syrup, almond extract and the egg replacer. For those people new to vegan baking, egg replacer is a powder-like substance that, obviously, is used to "replace" the eggs in a recipe. A good brand is Ener-G Egg Replacer, which can be usually be found in Kroger, Whole Foods or any specialty food store.

Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Stir until well mixed. Form the dough into tiny balls and then roll them through a cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place the cookies onto greased cookie sheets. Flatten them slightly, so they can bake more evenly.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.

Let the cookies sit 3-5 minutes after taking them out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack to continue cooling. Makes 18 cookies.

September 21, the great autumnal equinox, has officially come and gone, meaning Fall is here. While Virginia continues to suffer through 90 degree temperatures, I dare to sport zip-up hoodies and home made vegetable soup in the comfort of my air conditioned home. I can't help it, my mind has already switched to "fall mode." I've bought my Martha Stewart Halloween guide and I currently have trips planned to an apple orchard and pumpkin patch in October.

During the Fall, in particular, I tend to become incredibly domestic. I have an urge to bake everyday, for everyone I know. The situation usually goes something like this: "Hey, I know you! You look hungry! Let me bake you a pie. You say you don't like pie? Well, how about scones? No? Pumpkin bread? Alright, here are 5 loaves."

There's nothing I love more than spending time with my friends and what better combination is there than food and friends? I guess this is my way of ensuring that those close to me have something to eat that's a little more nutritious than Doritos or leftover Chinese food.

So, when you're all by your lonesome this Fall, and Winter is looming ever so ominously on the horizon, remember that this recipe below- 1. is great with coffee, 2. bakes a lot and 3. freezes perfectly for months. Bake something for those dearest to you or start stocking up for the treacherous days of Snowacalypse 3. Who knows- the Great Pumpkin just might save the day after all!

Almond Pumpkin Bread

1 1/8 cup toasted, slivered Almonds
3 cups Flour
3 tsp Baking powder
3/4 tsp Baking soda
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground ginger
3/8 tsp Ground cloves
3 large Eggs
1 1/2 cup Sugar
15 oz Can of pumpkin
3 Tbsp Vegetable oil
3/4 cup Evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsp Almond extract

Begin by toasting the almonds in the oven at 350 degrees until they are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.

Sift together all the dry ingredients, including the spices.

Beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until they're fluffy. Add in half the canned pumpkin, the almond extract and oil. Beat well. Add in some of the flour mixture. Beat well. Add in some of the evaporated milk. Beat well. Repeat the process until both have been evenly combined into the batter. Stir in the last of the canned pumpkin. Finish by folding in the almonds; make sure to save a few to sprinkle over the top of the loaves.

Pour  the batter into 3 medium-sized aluminum bread loaves.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Growing up, I was a very picky kid when it came to food- I still am to an extent. Thankfully, I can now list more than 2 fruits and vegetables that I am willing to eat on a regular basis that aren't served in juice form.

Perhaps one of my most perplexing and inexplicable food aversions is to Jello. Yes, Jello- everybody's favorite gelatinous dessert, first introduced to the world in 1845. Jello has always been considered one of the best mess-free, kid-friendly desserts out there, which is why I would frequently find it decorating tables at my friend's birthday parties and various family-related celebrations. I hated it's smell, it's fun jiggly nature and the fact that it contained absolutely nothing of substance. What it really boiled down to was that everything about Jello was synthetic. I've always believed that habitually digesting food pumped with chemicals will eventually lead to a third eye or a permanent full body rash.

One 4th of July, however, I was invited to a neighbor's party. Among the many delicious dishes prepared for the evening was a type of Jello I had never seen before. I was extremely hesitant to try it but the minute I took a bite, I was hooked; I experienced heaven in Jello form. Cold layers of berry goodness mixed in between thick layers of rich creaminess- it was like crack, I couldn't get enough of it. That night my mother nicked the recipe from our neighbor and ever since then we've been making that dish every 4th of July/Labor Day. 13+ years later, I still refuse to eat Jello- this recipe is the only exception.

On this particular Labor Day, in the true spirit of "sharing with one's neighbor", I've decided to pass on this recipe to you.

Enjoy...let me know if you grow any extra toes or foster a sudden Jello addiction.

Red, White & Blue Jello

7 pkg Knox Gelatin
14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 3oz boxes Blue Berry Jello
3 3oz boxes Red Raspberry Jello

Begin by dissolving 2 packages of the gelatin in a 1/2 cup of cold water. In a medium bowl, mix together the can of Condensed Milk with 1 cup of boiling water. Add in the gelatin mixture.

In a large bowl, combine 1 package of jello with 1 cup of boiling water. Dissolve 1 package of gelatin in 1/4 cup of cold water. Add the gelatin to the jello mixture.

Pour the jello mixture into a 9 x 13" glass dish. Set it in a level space in a freezer to chill for 10-12 minutes or until firm.

Add 3/4 cups of the milk mixture over the top of the now solidified jello layer. Once again, let it rest in the freezer for 9-10 minutes.

Repeat process with another layer of Jello. Freeze this time only for 6 minutes. (Tip- Make the Jello layer that's going on top of the cream layer a little in advance so that it's not scalding. The cream will start to melt/flake if the Jello layer is too hot.)

By the end of this you should have 9 layers altogether. Make sure to end with the same flavor that you used on the bottom. To copy the picture above, the layers are as follows: Red, White, Blue, White, Red, White Blue, White, Red.

If you've been following my latest status updates on Facebook you are probably aware of my ongoing obsession with winning first place at the Chesterfield County Fair for one of my baked treats. It was my second year entering something food-related. Last year I placed 3rd for my Apple pie. It was the first pie I had ever made, but I was still furious with my ranking. To this day I still feel like I was gypped out of that blue medal.

This year I wanted to try something a little different. I asked the great interwebz what I should bake and it responded, in a great booming voice- "MAKE A GERMAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE." Intrigued by the suggestion, I pieced together a recipe that not only is ridiculously decadent but extremely satisfying. Although I somehow managed to walk away with yet another 3rd place medal, at least I can say I delivered something this county hasn't seen in ages- innovation.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust-
2 cups Chocolate Graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp Sugar
7 Tbsp Butter
3/4 cup shredded Coconut
5 oz. chopped Pecans

Begin by preparing the crust. Melt the butter in a large bowl. Pour in the crackers and sugar. Stir well. Finish by adding in the coconut and finely chopped nuts. Press into the bottom (not the sides) of a 10" spring-form pan.

To get a crisper crust, bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool. 


Filling-
8 oz German Chocolate, chopped
4 pkg Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
4 large Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla

Chop up your chocolate into very fine pieces. The best way to ensure that your chocolate doesn't burn or clump, is to melt it either in a double boiler or a heat-resistant bowl, set over a pot of simmering water. I used a heat-resistant bowl. Once velvety smooth, remove immediately from the water and let sit until the chocolate is lukewarm but still pourable.

Blend the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder together in another bowl. Add in the eggs one at a time, until fully blended. Finish by pouring in the warm chocolate. Make sure it has been fully and completely mixed, otherwise your cheesecake will have streaks. Pour the filling over the crust; smooth top as best as possible.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until the center is set and just appears dry.

Let cool 5 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before adding topping.

Topping-
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
1 bar Bittersweet chocolate

Probably the most time-intensive part of this entire recipe is the topping, but trust me when I say- it's well worth the effort.

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. For 3 hours let a can of sweetened condensed milk cook, completely submerged in the water. Make sure to check every couple of minutes, to refill the water that has been evaporated. Once done, let the can sit out for about 45 minutes-hour. It should still be pretty warm.

Open it and pour it into a small bowl. The condensed milk should be a dark brown and have a thick, sticky consistency, similar to caramel. Use a spatula to smoothen the mixture. Pour it onto the center of the cheesecake and spread it to within 1/2" of the edge. Let chill 30 minutes.

The final touch- melt half a bar of bittersweet chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the cheesecake. If you want to get really fancy- like Cheesecake Factory fancy, you can create chocolate curls with the other half of the bar. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 5 second intervals until it's just warm to the touch. Starting at the far end of the bar, using a vegetable peeler, move it towards your body. You can make the curls as tight or as loose as you want; they're best used immediately.

All that's left to do is enjoy.

Welcome to The Black Cat Bakery blog. For the longest time I've wanted to create a place where I can share some of my favorite recipes with all of the people I've met and have yet to meet through my various life adventures. Being a firm believer in a DIY lifestyle, I've finally succumbed to the world of Blogger. I hope in reading these entries, you are inspired to think of food as more than just fuel for our empty bodies. Food can quell riots, provide relief for a stressed soul and most importantly, it can bring all sorts of people together. Food can do extraordinary things and I hope this blog helps reflect that, even just a little bit.