Creamy Mushroom Tetrazini

I’ve always loved Sandra Bullock and have always thought that I would love to trade places with her for a hot minute for any of the movies she has been in.

The Proposal? It’s a YES!  While You Were Sleeping?  Wide awake and ready to take over that role! Practical Magic? Let me just get my broom. The Blind Side? Gravity? The Lake House? Check!

So which movie plot do I find myself in these day? Sadly, it is Speed.

Yes, September is here and I am stuck on a bus with a bomb on board, hurtling along at 5o some miles per hour, while the only way off is to jump onto another bus. Is it too late to switch to Ocean’s 8?

My parents are in the process of moving and I am trying to help them sort things out and get organized (along with several other big projects I am working on). We only have a few weeks to get everything done, and there is a lot to consider like who will end up jumping off the bus first? Or who will push someone off the bus onto the other bus first? Or who will still be on the bus when it explodes? Or who will escape through the trap door? None of which would be my first, second, third or fourth choice, just to be clear.

Daily conversations focus on everything from packing belongings to getting new doctors to what kind of chair will fit into the new TV room, to what they will be having for dinner on a Tuesday night six months from now.  It’s a lot.

But what makes matters worse is that instead of Keanu Reeves having my back, I’ve got a dog who isn’t even looking at me because she is so disgusted with how much attention I am giving to other people/things instead of her and a father who stressing over whether or not he should pack the iron and ironing board.

I wonder if the helicopter from True Lies is available to airlift me out of the bus?

Ingredients:

• 8oz. pasta of choice
• 8 oz firm tofu (or 1 cup chickpeas)
• 1 (8oz) white button mushrooms
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/2 diced green peppers
• 1 cup coconut milk (from a can)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• handful of vegan cheese for the top of casserole  (I use cheddar)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch cubes (about the size of a pencil eraser).  Toss in the olive oil, salt and garlic powder.  Place on lined baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring halfway through (20 minutes for the tofu to be firm but still a bit chewy, 30 minutes for more crispy).  Remove from oven and turn oven down to 350.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain, but reserve the water.
4. Slice mushrooms and put in a pot on the stove with the coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered till the mushrooms are tender (10-15 minutes).
5. Pulse or puree the mushroom mixture until it is creamy with a few chunks of mushrooms left in it. Add the onions, peppers, yeast and tofu and stir well.  Adjust the taste by adding more salt and pepper if desired. You can add some of the reserved water from the pasta if the mixture is too thick.
6. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and top with cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and the cream mixture is bubbling around the edges.

Enjoy!