Tanya's Daily Scoop
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Elisa's Daily Scoop
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TRAVELIN' COUSINS BLOG HAS BEEN RANKED #7 IN
BRAND BALLOT'S TOP 100 MOM BLOGS FOR 2018!!
BRAND BALLOT'S TOP 100 MOM BLOGS FOR 2018!!
Vegan Ricotta Recipe and Top 10 Bronx Doo Wop Artists
Hello Guys,
Another weekend is upon us and as such, we find ourselves at Foodie Friday here on Travelin' Cousins! I haven't done a restaurant review in a while and instead, have been sharing a new vegan recipe each Friday - well almost each Friday. This week, I wanted to share a recipe that we use all the time! In fact, it was shared with me by my dear cousins, Tanya!! Before becoming vegan from vegetarian, I was still eating dairy. Cheese was one of my faves, especially when used in Italian cooking! It was the last stronghold to me becoming a vegan. My daughter, Gianna, however, had removed all dairy from her diet (though not yet 100% vegan at the time) in the summer of 2018. What we both had in common was a love for cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta - A SERIOUS LOVE. So, with this in mind, I decided to experiment with some of the plant-based cheese recipes. I went right to the source - my long-time vegan cousin, Tanya! It was Tanya who introduced me to my first nut-based ricotta recipe, over a year ago, and we are still using it on a regular basis!! It's a simple recipe and one you can make super quick. The main ingredient is almonds and although the recipe says to use them raw, I find that boiling them for about 10 minutes helps to soften them a bit, making it easier to get a more creamy consistency. Now, it is my pleasure to share the recipe with you complements of Minimalist Baker.com WHIPPED ALMOND RICOTTA 
minimalistbaker.com
Ingredients
2 cups slivered blanched almonds* 2-3 tsp nutritional yeast (plus more to taste) 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1/2 - 3/4 tsp sea salt 1 dash garlic powder 3/4 - 1 cup water 2-3 Tbsp fresh basil, oregano, or parsley (optional) Instructions Add all ricotta ingredients (starting with the lesser amount of water (3/4 cup/180 ml and salt (1/2 tsp) as original recipe is written) to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed (~2 minutes). You are looking for a well-puréed mixture with only very small bits of almonds intact. Add a bit more water a little at a time if the mixture is having a hard time blending until smooth. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for overall flavor, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, and lemon juice for acidity. For even more flavor, you can add in some fresh basil, oregano, or parsley (optional). At this point, the “cheese” is ready to enjoy, especially in dishes like Lasagna, Pizza, or Stuffed Shells. However, it can also be wrapped in cheesecloth, formed into a ball, and placed into a fine mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl up to 3 days. This will allow the “cheese” to firm up a bit. However, this is optional. You can also transfer straight from blender to a storage container and refrigerate. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5-7 days. 
Dion and the Belmonts - one of the best known groups to come out of The Bronx - Famous songs include: Where or When, A Teenager in Love (photo credit: /Wikimedia Commons)
This week, I took a walk down memory lane for my weekly Friday article for ThisIsTheBronx.info back to the days of Doo Wop!
Come along with me and not only read, but also "listen" to some of the all-time greatest Doo Wop songs every recorded from singers and groups whose origins were from The Bronx!! Top 10 Bronx Doo Wop Artists
"...The Bronx has produced some of the best music that has ever been created, much of which has a timelessness and evoke a special nostalgia for so many.
Take for instance Doo Wop music. Read more... We're very blessed to have another gorgeous summer day here on Long Island! I'm heading out now to enjoy it!! -Travelin' Elisa xoxo 
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