Cheddar Taco Shells with Broccoli and Veggie Merguez Sausage

So what's really going on here is cheese, specifically cheddar cheese, that's "Chedda" if you're from Wisconsin...Hello Wisconsin!

Yes, it looks crazy, and it originates with those folks trying to eat low carb - sub out a corn tortillas for a cheddar tortilla.

Say what?????

Yes, it really does work, and it is especially delicious with broccoli as a filling, naturally! I added in some of my homemade merguez sausage (veggie and GF) and whipped up some enchilada sauce (or a good rojo adobo if you know what I mean) and it was a party in our mouths!

I usually don't have "how to" pictures, but in this case I thought I would to help convince you this isn't hard (and what it should look like. So go ahead, try it!  You will love it!

Fried Smoked Mozzarella

Before there were the ubiquitous "cheese sticks" on every fried food menu, there was the original, breaded fried mozzarella, Sicilian style.

Yes, it existed before those frozen mini logs were the only version of "fried cheese" that everyone now knows. So wow your family and make the real deal and watch their eyes light up in ecstacy!

I guilded the lily with a smoked mozzarella here, but plain mozzarella will do just as well. It doesn't really matter whether you use whole milk or part skim, but the double breading is a must; otherwise you will have more cheese leaking into the oil than in the crust!

Serve them hot! And with lots of good tomato sauce. Cheers!

(Faux) Lobster Salad

Olives for Dinner is a verrrrry creative vegan blogger, and sometimes her stuff is just to cheffy for me (but always gorgeous!) But her vegan take on seafood always shines. So faux lobster salad with palm hearts, had to try it!

If nothing else, my version below will make you love Old Bay Seasoning (DIY Pantry!) and make you realize that it will be easier to vegetarianize recipes using this classic spice mix. While the texture of the palm hearts certainly is close to lobster, it doesn't quite have that tender sweet fleshy flavor of lobster. But who were we kidding? It is nearly impossible to fake the flavor and texture of fruits de mer!

Nonetheless, you will be surprised at the light delicate flavor and texture of this salad. I highly recommend it with toasted baguette or as a filling for lettuce cups!

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies - Vegan

I know I know, it's really hard to claim that cookies are healthy...and I'm not. But made with coconut oil is a move in the right direction, right?

Ok, all rationalizations aside, these are amazingly delicious cookies! And yes, they are vegan, so your friends who eat cruelty free can indulge as well!

By the way, the school lunch kids got these and no one was the wiser, nor were there any complaints. Rather it was, "may I have another, please!?"