Veggie Cooking: Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Don't let Bertie's expression fool you, he was also impressed by the final product! (11/11/17)

Attempting to maintain a less cruel diet, I haven't eaten meat, fish or chicken since July 1. While I have also tried to reduce/eliminate products harvested from animals, by replacing animal milk with Almond for example, a satisfactory replacement for some favorites has thus far eluded me. By far the two animal-product-based meals I most miss eating are ice cream and chicken wings. With the ice cream absence addressed by a delicious banana-almond milk-peanut butter smoothie, the chicken wing "loss" is one that often aches at my gut, especially on Sundays.

After recently enjoying some baked cauliflower buffalo wings at a local vegetarian eatery, I sought to duplicate the epicurean experience at home. Fortunately an easy to prepare recipe for Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings online at Gimmedelicious.com was quickly found, and after carrying it around on my cell phone for a month, my tummy prompted me to action. On this wintry November afternoon, Bertie, our English Springer Spaniel puppy, and I set about making our first batch.

I am an unremarkable cook, choosing rather a clichéd path of learned helplessness when it comes to the kitchen. Even with this culinary handicap, I found this recipe remarkably easy to prepare, in addition to being incredibly rewarding. That the sauce consisted of two favorite ingredients (butter and Red Hot) was a bonus.

A key ingredient: classic Frank's Red Hot! (11/11/17)

Baked once in batter for 20 minutes. (11/11/17)

At this point Bertie had other plans. (11/11/17)

Twenty more minutes after being drizzled with buttery Frank's. (11/11/17)

Plated and ready to SLAY! (11/11/17)

The final product proved an excellent gustatory eexperience. Though too spicy for milady, my stepson and I quickly gobbled down the order of "wings" with a side of dressing. The crispiness of the twice-baked flowerets was solid and the overall flavor VERY reminiscent of the far less fowl-friendly original on which it is based. I am excited to have discovered, and actually tried, a recipe from GimmeeDelicious and look forward to attempting another cauliflower recipe, the Sticky Honey Sriracha Cauliflower “Wings” in the very near future!

HU/2V/1SO/1C = Strike 2, Bruegger's!

HU/2V/1SO/1C = Strike 2, Bruegger's! Following last week's startling revelation that mega-lo-baker Bruegger's will be discontinuing production of the Sun-dried Tomato Bagel, I made another terrible discovery while ordering coffee this morning.

I had an early start to my Good Friday vacation day as I drove my wife to the airport (she's going to Denver to visit her ailing brother), so I decided to stop by a Bruegger's on the way home for coffee and maybe a sandwich. While waiting in line (this was not the location I frequent), I instinctively looked through the menu of offerings to identify my "usual"--a Mediterranean Sandwich (ingredients: hummus, sun-dried tomato spread, muenster cream cheese, lettuce & red onion), pictured to the right.

I must have had a puzzled look on my face as I could not readily find what I was looking for and the gentlemen working the counter (who was a very amiable lad) inquired as to whether or not I needed some help.

"Do you still have the Mediterranean Sandwich?" I asked.

"No," he kindly responded,"We no longer offer that as a sandwich, but we can still make it."

I asked for my preferred sandwich on the less than flavorful plain bagel (I used to get the sandwich on a Sun-dried Tomato Bagel--natch!). All seemed to be as it had always been until I made my way to the cashier (also very nice) who needed to be assisted by the first gentleman who walked her through pricing the sandwich as individual parts (HU/2V/1SO/1C) rather than as a single menu item. He also informed her that," Now that corporate is switching over systems, we'll have to enter all the parts separately."

What really was disappointing (but, alas, none too surprising) is that a previously reasonable priced hummus sandwich which had cost only about $4.39 when the customer (moi) was charged for a "Mediterranean," now cost just over a dollar more!

Thanks a lot Bruegger's!

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Welcome Back Fave Bagel o' Mine!

In a previous post, I lamented the passing of my favorite Bruegger's bagel, the Sun-Dried Tomato bagel, from its menu. Now, three or so weeks later I am happy to announce its triumphant return to the bin!

This morning before work, when I stopped at my neighborhood Bruegger's to get a cup of coffee, I quickly glanced over the shelves of fresh bagels looking for something to bring for breakfast... boy was I glad to see the (at one time) familiar phrase "Sun-dried Tomato" scrawled on a white piece of a paper and adhered to the mesh basket.

I promptly ordered up a bagel (uncut with no cream cheese, thank you!) and went on my way. It occurred to me , only minutes later as I was making my way down the expressway to school, to inquire as to the reasoning behind the change of heart... and, perhaps more importantly, whatever this change in menu was permanent or simply short term--as the "hand made" sign might suggest.

No matter, though, given this fortunate (personal) turn of culinary events, I find it necessary to alter my previous closing comment: DARN PRAISE CORPORATE AMERICA FOR TAKING AWAY BRINGING BACK MY FAVE BAGEL!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!