This vegan alternative to scrambled eggs ranchero-style is quick, easy, and delicious. Try it with tortillas and refried beans for a breakfast that is satisfying and substantial enough for the hungriest farm hand.

1 lb. firm tofu
1 can Ro*tel or your favorite salsa
salt, pepper, cumin

Place the block of tofu in a skillet together with a can of Ro*tel. Break the tofu into half-inch chunks using a fork, and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cumin to taste. Break the tofu into smaller chunks until it resembles scrambled eggs. Serves 2-3.

NACHOS

Nachos make a wonderful appetizer or snack. (Great with beer or Margaritas!) With beans and /or tofu, they can also make a meal.

a bag of tortilla chips
mashed or refried beans (black or pinto beans)
grilled tofu

Spread mashed or refried beans on tortilla chips. Top with sliced, grilled tofu and place in a 250-degree oven for 10 minutes. Serve with jalapenos and avocado slices.

For "cheese" nachos, top with "eazy cheezy" sauce.

"CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE"

1/2 cup tub-style canola or corn-oil margarine
1 (8 )z) Better than Cream Cheese by Tofutti
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup egg replacer (3 Tbs. dissolved in 3/4 cup water)
1/2 cup soy milk
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
3 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking soda
powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 10 inch tube pan with non-stick spray. Set aside
Place margarine and cream "cheese" (softened to room temp) in large bowl and beat together. Beat in sugar, egg replacer, soy milk and vanilla.
Combine flour and baking soda and add to mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Pour batter into tube pan and bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake before removing from pan. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top if desired.

"EAZY CHEEZY" SAUCE

3 Tbs. flour
3 Tbs. oil
1 10 oz-can of Ro-tel (or your favorite salsa)
1/4 c. nutritional yeast

Make a roux by slowing whisking flour into a skillet of simmering oil. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth and begins to brown. Pour in a can of Ro-tel and add the nutritional yeast. Turn off heat and continue to stir until all ingredients are well blended. Add salt to taste.

SPANISH RICE

This is a traditional cooking method for preparing rice. The secret ingredient for that authentic, Mexican flavor is cumin; use it liberally to suit your taste. To stretch the dish, and to add color, rice is often mixed with green peas or corn, together with bell peppers or onions.

1 c. long-grain white or brown rice
1 Tbs oil
Slightly less than 2 c. water (~ 2.5 c. for brown rice)
2 med. sized tomatoes, cut into quarters , OR 1/2 can of whole-peeled tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs. ground cumin

Saute rice in oil until golden brown. Add water (carefully! it will steam vigorously), tomatoes, salt, pepper, cumin, and any optional vegetables. Lower heat to simmer and cover with tight-fitting lid. DO NOT OPEN for 20 minutes. Allow more time for brown rice. Turn off heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

BEAN ENCHILADAS

SAUCE:
12 Corn tortillas1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce and an equal amount of water.
2 medium onions, chopped2 cups cooked beans (black or pinto)
3 tsp garlic powder1 tsp. picante
1 TBS. cumin (comino)2 tsp salt
4 TBS chili powder1 recipe "Eazy Cheezy" sauce (optional)
4 TBS vegetable oil
4 TBS flour

Saute onions until soft. Add garlic and cumin. Halve mixture and set aside half. Make a roux with flour and oil. When it starts to brown, add tomato sauce, 1/2 onions, water, salt and chili powder. Whisk to prevent lumping, simmer for 20 minutes to thicken; add additional water if mixture becomes too thick.
FILLING:
Combine the reserved onion mixture, beans, picante, and 2 tsp. salt. Mash beans slightly with a fork.
Dip each tortilla in sauce. Lay a strip of filling on each and roll up. Place side by side in shallow baking dish and cover with sauce. Optional: Add a thin strip of "Eazy Cheezy" sauce to each enchilada.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with salsa and spanish rice.

MARGARITAS

2 1 1/2-ounce jiggers tequila (silver)
1 jigger Cointreau (Triple Sec, Controy, etc.)
1/2 jigger fresh lime juice
salt
ice
1/2 lime

Mix the three liquids well. Spread a layer of coarse salt onto a small plate. Rub the edge of a
cocktail glass with the half lime and twirl the moistened rim in the salt. Add ice and pour the
mixture into the glass, being careful not to disturb the salted rim. Makes 1 Margarita.

GUACAMOLE
(pronounced wok-a-MOLE-eh)

There are so many recipes for guacamole, you'll have to experiment to find your personal
favorite. For true avocado lovers, nothing beats this simplest of recipes.

Peel, pit and mash 2 ripe avocados. Add salt to taste.
Eat with tortilla chips or use as a filling for soft or crispy tacos, or gorditas.

For those of you who prefer to camouflage the exquisite flavor of ripe avocado, try adding
chopped onion, chilies, tomatoes, lime juice and/or garlic.

TACOS

Soft-roll tacos
These are made with commercially available corn tortillas. To warm the tortillas, place several in
a damp towel and microwave between 30 seconds and 1 minute. Place your favorite vegan
filling (guacamole, refried beans, hash-brown potatoes, etc.) to one side of center of each tortilla
and roll the tortilla into a tube. Top with salsa or ranchero sauce. Two or three make a meal
when served with a side of Spanish rice.

Crispy tacos
Pour a mild-flavored oil (corn, canola, peanut) one inch deep into a skillet or deep-fryer. Using
commercially available corn tortillas and tongs, dip half of the tortilla into the hot oil until the
tortilla is crispy. Now fry the other half, being careful to keep the halves apart. Drain. Fill with
your favorite vegan ingredients and top with diced tomatoes and lettuce.
Alternatively, you can use pre-made corn tortilla taco shells.

CALABACITA

This traditional side dish is typically made with tatuma squash, but young zucchini or yellow
gooseneck will do. Additionally, it may be used as filling for soft roll tacos or tamales.

4 cups dice squash
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup water
1-2 cups corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
2-3 large tomatoes, wedged
2 teaspoons ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Dice the squash into 1 inch cubes and saute in water or oil until it just begins to brown. Add
chopped onion and saute a bit more. Add water along with remaining ingredients and cover until
squash is very tender. Serves 4.

SALSA RANCHERA

This sauce is excellent over soft roll guacamole tacos.

1 small onion, chopped
1 large tomato, wedged
2 TBS oil
1 1/2 cup water
1 clove mince garlic
sliced chilies to taste
1 TBS cornstarch
salt & pepper to taste

Saute chopped onions and tomatoes in oil until onions are translucent. Add water, chilies, garlic,
salt and pepper and allow to simmer briefly to blend the flavors. Add cornstarch to thicken
slightly.

CILANTRO/BEAN SOUP

Even those who think they don't like cilantro love this soup.

2 TBS oil
1/2 large white onion, chopped
2-3 cloves fresh chopped garlic
2 cans (10 ounces each) Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
1 can (10 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) Great Northern beans, undrained
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, undrained
1 bunch fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cayenne red pepper, or to taste
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin or to taste
salt & pepper to taste

In a heavy stewing pot, saute onions and garlic in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients.
Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook covered about 1 hour. This soup is even better
the next day after the flavors have blended.

THE BEST CHILI IN TEXAS!!!!!!

AWARD-WINNING VEG CHILI!
(Quintes-sensual Chili)(1 gallon)

2 1/2 Cups beans (5 cups cooked)
Use a combination of pinto, black, kidney and garbanzo. Soak overnight in distilled water and a couple bottles of Shiner Bock beer. Rinse before cooking. Cover with distilled water and cook beans almost completely before adding remaining ingredients-except for TVP-see below.
1 lb tofu, frozen, thawed and torn into bite-sized pieces.

Whip together:
1/4 cup tamari
1 1/2 TBS tomato paste
1/2 TBS onion powder
1/4 TBS garlic powder (or more)
1/2 cups distilled water
2 TBS oil
Add to the tofu pieces and mix...saute in oil over medium heat until all liquid is absorbed and tofu well browned.

In a pan, saute:
2 TBS oil
1 large green peppers, diced
2 large onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Add these and the browned tofu to the cooked beans, adding 2-3 Shiner Bock beers plus distilled water as needed.

Add 1cup chunk TVP when you have about 1 hour cooking time left.
Also add:
1-2 TBS salt
3-4 TBS chili powder
2-3 TBS cumin
chopped Chipotle peppers to taste
2-3 Shiner Bock beers

Cook for 2-3 hours, taste and modify with spices and peppers. Serve with fritos.

QUINTESSENSUAL CHILI version 2
(VOICE won 1st place in the popular vote for the best chili at the 10th Annual Texas Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off in Fort Worth with this recipe. )

QUINTESSENSUAL CHILI (One gallon)
3 medium onions and 2 green bell peppers, chopped and sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil.
Add:
2 (29 ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 small cans pinto beans (undrained)
3 small cans kidney beans (undrained)
1 bottle Shiner Bock beer
1 to 1 1/2 tubes of Morningstar Farms Ground Meatless - All Vegetable Burger Crumbles.
1 cup chunk style "beef" TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) from ADM (Call 1-800-8-FLAVOR for catalog)
Distilled water as desired for consistency
3 Tablespoons chili Powder
2-3 Tablespoons cumin
Cilantro, Garlic Powder, Basil to taste
1 (or more) chopped dried chipotle peppers
Cook for at least 1 hour. The TVP should not be chewy.
Enjoy!