Six days until the Potluck! I’ve heard from some of you who have gotten your blog posts drafted and ready to go. I like that! Anyone have any questions, concerns or problems? Email me or check the Virtual Vegan Potluck Page! Okay. I’ve got a question for all of you Potluck participants. I received an email last night from one of my favorite bloggers, Watch Me Lose 150 Pounds. Jason just heard about the Potluck and would love to join. I told him I’d throw it out to you all – so let me know what you think. Are you up for adding one more blogger to the Potluck? Jason is a really funny guy and he has an amazing story – but most importantly, he promises me that he will share a really awesome appetizer. So: leave a comment and let me know how you feel about adding another blog to the Potluck list!
On a similar note: if for some reason you cannot participate, please let me know ASAP so that I can alert the other bloggers. We’ve got a lot of folks in the list and I’d hate to disappoint anyone! It’s really important that there is no break in the “chain.”
Now onto shortbread. It’s not as if I lie awake at night thinking of ways to combine peanut butter and jelly. It just seems that way. I really do like the combination, obviously. (For instance, yesterday’s breakfast was peanut butter and jelly waffles from the indispensable book, The Complete Guide to Vegan Substitutions, by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman. If you don’t have it, I highly recommend it not only for the substitutions – meat, dairy, sugar, fat, eggs – but for the creative recipes.) Being in shortbread mode did nothing to stop me from cogitating the classic duo.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Shortbread
Makes 36+, depending on size of cookie
8 tbsp. vegan butter
8-12 tbsp. natural peanut butter (I used PB2 to cut down on the fat content)
1/4 cup maple sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. powdered stevia
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
In a small bowl, whisk together the stevia, salt, whole wheat pastry flour and quinoa flour.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, maple sugar and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and with the mixer on low, carefully add the flour mixture until it comes together like pie dough. Add the dried cherries and process a bit more. If it seems too crumbly, add a 1/4 cup or so of water.
Pat the dough into a thick rectangle, cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm.
Preheat the oven to 325F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out (I divided the dough in two to make it easier) to a little over 1/4″ thick. Cut or slice into desired shapes and place on cookie sheets. Bake for 20-25 minutes – rotating pans halfway through – or until crisp and browned lightly. Let sit on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
