Vegan pizza, you’re looking fine today!
CC image via flickr user brocco lee.

Hey lovely people! As you can see, we’re trying something new with the Saturday Garbage Plate this week. Instead of compiling the link roundup by hand (boring! and tedious!), we’re going to give this twitter digest app a spin! After it’s posted – or hopefully before, if we can figure out how to send it to the drafts folder rather than auto-publishing it – I’ll go through and pretty the digest up a bit, adding some eye candy and any extra links I may have forgotten to tweet throughout the week. And don’t be shy! Share your own links in the comments, mkay?

This week on twitter:

• Photo: Priorities. http://t.co/QHauKJi #vegan #icecream #
• Photo: Maple ice cream, made with cashew nuts! http://t.co/61U4JSM #vegan #
• Photo: This photo makes me want to put deep-fried onion rings on a #pizza http://t.co/waWkjNn #vegan #
• Photo: #Vegan PB, Chocolate Chip & Banana Ice Cream
  http://t.co/7ekfgZH #
• Photo: Hippie pizza, hells yes! CC image via flickr user tofutti break: http://t.co/XySkprO #
• Photo: #Vegan #Pizza with penne, mushrooms, tomatoes, chillies and self-made nutritional yeast cheese. http://t.co/FW9o68U #
• Photo: A vegan Chocolate & Nut covered frozen banana from Bananarchy in Austin, Texas! CC image via flickr… http://t.co/Vwq5jAo #
• Photo: Vegan pizza, you’re looking fine today! CC image via flickr user brocco lee. http://t.co/gVLcmAo #
• Photo: Fruity popsicle, via elkit and Lick It!: › Strawberries and raspberries from this week’s farmshare,… http://t.co/TNvytj1 #
• Photo: reblogged from k3lso: http://t.co/5JjjHKI #
• Photo: Vegan sorbet in a food processor! › Okay, dudes: 5 cups pomegranate arils (about four large… http://t.co/YyBqLTH #
• This is Vegan: Veggie Pizza http://t.co/ONaVklK #vegan #pizza #nom #
• Photo: #Vegan mushroom #pizza from fresh brothers in marina del rey
  http://t.co/igE70CY #
• Photo: Vegan pizza in Okalahoma City! WHO KNEW? CC image via flickr user bamalibrarylady:… http://t.co/iiwh8Hb #
• Photo: Homemade coconut ice cream sandwiches, nomnomnom! http://t.co/OoYaWTM #
• Mushroom, Tomato & Olive Calzone with Tofu Ricotta from Vegan Chickie: http://t.co/f7fsN3F #vegan #pizza #nom #
• Find-a-Friend Friday: Pickles, 90 pounds of American Bulldog love! (and muscle!) http://t.co/tGfoOKI #animalrescue in #kansascity #
• BONUS Find-a-Friend Friday: Slippers the Tortie kitty http://t.co/t2aY6dJ #animalrescue in #chicago (via @broadshouldersr) #cats #
• Photo: Apricot Chocolate Gateau with vegan green ginger kulfi. What! No really, what is kulfi? (I kid! I… http://t.co/qvmU6bg #
• Link: Roasted potato, caramelised onion and blue cheese pizza! http://t.co/88CLH3B #vegan #pizza #
• Photo: › A recreation of the delicious dessert served at Amie Swanson’s Monday night dinner series at… http://t.co/HZ7evbM #
• Photo: hjshajahsfn! reblogged from weweredamsels: http://t.co/Za0370H #
• Photo: #Vegan Flower's Emma, chowing down on a PUPSICLE! http://t.co/Oc2mjgJ #whatvegandogseat #icecream #
• Photo: These Blueberry Cardamom Dream Cream Pops are chill! http://t.co/t1fbgXm #
• Photo: #Vegan #pizza party in my room right meow. http://t.co/X1oxINX #
• Photo: THIS CITY DELIVERS FREAKING VEGAN PIZZAS NOW! http://t.co/vBc9kcB #

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Slippers the tortie kitty!
Photo courtesy of Broad Shoulders Animal Rescue. Like them on Facebook!

Because I’ve been so terrible about blogging (etc., etc., etc.) lately, I’ve decided to do an extra-special BONUS EDITION of Find-a-Friend Friday today. Yay! Let’s take a road trip to Chicago, where Broad Shoulders Animals Rescue is overflowing with cats, dogs and (my favorite! probably because I can’t adopt any!) mice! But mostly cats! Babies, adults, and seniors; brown cats, gray cats, orange cats; cats of all shapes, sizes and temperaments! Cats like Slippers here, who – with an intake date prior to 2011 – currently holds BSAR’s title of “longest temporary resident.” Let’s see if we can change that, hmmm?

Slippers
Domestic Long Hair Mix: An adoptable cat in Chicago, IL
Medium • Adult • Female

More about Slippers
Spayed/Neutered • Up-to-date with routine shots • House trained • Primary color: Tortoiseshell

5/25/2011- We presumed this gorgeous 2-3 year old lady to be pregnant when we took her in which left her in a huff, quite defensive about her looks and weight. After assuring her we were worried about her health (and that she the most beautiful cat we’d ever seen) we managed to get her some medical care. The poor girl had a very bad case of intestinal worms, ear mites, ringworm and an unknown stomach issue that was causing stomach inflammation! Her lovely foster home helped her get healthy and now Slippers is ready for her adoring audience!

Slippers loves pets, cuddling, sleeping and playing with other cats. She also enjoys deep conversations about the state of affairs, along with the latest fashion trends (although she’s really more of a classical, Audrey Hepburn-dressing type). Always one for surprises, Slippers also like hard/classical rock and won’t hesitate to bring out her battered ol’ AC/DC and Led Zeppelin shirts! Underneath it all, she’d really just like a forever lap to lay her head.

All of our kitties are micro-chipped (which will be registered at no extra cost at the time of adoption), up to date on their shots, spayed or neutered, have had preventative care (including parasite treatment) and treatment for any illness they may have had while in our care- plus, one month of free pet insurance!

Please email broadshouldersrescue [at] gmail.com or call (312) 612-0770 to receive an application & set up an appointment to meet our friendly cats!

Even if you’re not in a position to adopt Slippers, please spread the word! If you live in Chicago and would like to help BSAR out, they could use some assistance with photography, video editing, making and hanging fliers, dog- and cat-sitting, and (of course) foster and adoptive homes! Hop on over to their Facebook page for more!

Please and thank you.

Pickles the big white American Bulldog.
Photos courtesy of Happy Dogs Rescue. Visit them on Facebook!

After a much-too-long break (like nine weeks long, oy), Find-a-Friend Friday is back and ready to go! Pickles will be supplying the this week’s dose of cuteness; all you need to do, dear readers, is find a her a home! Piece of pickle cake!

PICKLES
American Bulldog: An adoptable dog in Kansas City, MO
Extra Large • Adult • Female

More about PICKLES
Pet ID: Pickles AB • Spayed/Neutered • Up-to-date with routine shots • House trained • Prefers a home without: cats, young children • Special Needs • Primary color: White or Cream • Coat length: Short

NO CATS for Pickles! No tiny dogs, ferrets, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, groundhogs, squirrels, capybaras, or birds! Pickles is an awesome, incredibly sweet girl, but she HAS prey drive.

Pickles is a beautiful, BIG, purebred American Bulldog. She’s about 90 lbs and she is built like a brick house! (Very solid girl, lots of muscle!) We rescued Pickles, along with a few other American Bulldogs from a puppy mill in early 2011. This sweetheart is so happy to be starting her new life!

An adult girl at around 3-4 years of age, Pickles has captured many hearts already with her loving and devoted personality. She likes making new friends and she certainly loves living indoors with a big bed, toys and treats. She’s caught on to housetraining quickly! (Pickles is very food-motivated and learns easily!) At the puppy mill, the adult dogs lived in chain link outdoor pens all the time. No affection or love given, no fun exercise time to run and play on grass, no snuggle time on the couch… just a routine of pumping out puppies. Fortunately, despite not being well-socialized in the past, Pickles seems pretty good around other (medium-big) dogs. It probably depends on the other dog(s) involved, but she seems OK with other dogs who are friendly and who approach her carefully. Because of her prey drive, NO SMALL DOGS, please. Definitely NO CATS. Pickles does seem pretty confident of herself – not shy or afraid – and we’re doing our best to socialize her now that she’s starting her new life.

Again, cats are a definite “no” for Pickles, because of the American Bulldog’s “prey drive.” Pickles is current on vaccinations and is spayed; she’s been wormed, microchipped, HW tested and started on monthly HW prevention. She is in excellent health! Her adoption fee is $251.

The ideal home for Pickles will have “bully breed” experience and will understand and enjoy this very intelligent, strong and active breed. American Bulldogs are loyal, smart and beautiful animals but they aren’t for everyone… And some cities or home owners associations might have a breed ban against them. Please be sure to check your city’s laws first and make sure there is no BSL in place. A very secure, fully fenced yard is a must for this breed, as they can learn to climb/jump/dig their way out if bored or looking for adventure. And even so, Pickles is not a dog who could be left outside unattended for periods of time, because she could easily figure out how to escape a yard and would be long gone!

An active family who enjoys taking long walks and who would continue some obedience training with Pickles would be great! She loves to exercise and run/play hard, but she’s also a huge lap dog and snuggle-bunny. She is SO smart, loving and affectionate, she has fantastic potential! And she’ll be a loyal and cherished member of the right family.

Pickles would do best with a 6′ wood fence for off-leash backyard time, but other very secure fencing may work as well. Kansas City “metro” area only, sorry. Children over the age of five OK if have experience with bully breeds or other large, strong dogs.

Pickles, what a cutie! I’d snap her up in a minute if I didn’t already have a cat. And, um, five other dogs! (That’s the only real downside to living with five dogs: not being able to adopt more!) Also, I’d change her name to Iorek Byrnison and get her mushy, silly face tattooed on my arm. No seriously, get carried away much self? I can’t, but you totally should!

To adopt this 90-pound bundle of love, get in touch with Happy Dogs Rescue today!

Sorry for the extended hiatus, folks. Our oldest cat and first-adopted furkid Ozzy passed away last month, and blogging has understandably been the last thing on my mind. (And searching through Petfinder listings for Find-a-Friend Friday, too painful to bear.) But I’m trying to get back into the swing of things, and to make up for my absence, I bring you not one but two yummy pizza recipes! Nothing too fancy, just a couple of pies we whipped up over the weekend.

The Mandolin Medley (top) is my creation, so named because I sliced the veggies (including a variety of tomatoes straight from my own garden!) paper-thin using a mandolin. Well, technically I was only able to use the mandolin on the potatoes; my cheap model didn’t prove very useful for the tomatoes and carrots, so I ended up cutting those by hand. But still, you get the idea, yes? (On another note: can anyone recommend a sturdy-yet-inexpensive mandolin?)

Shane made a spicy Buffalo Wing pizza (below) for himself, using Boca’s Chik’n patties seasoned with Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce for the “wings.” A few flavors of Galaxy Foods’ vegan cheeses have been languishing in our freezer for like forever, so we broke out the cheddar rice cheese for the occasion. (The verdict on the cheese? “Okay,” with a noncommittal shrug.)

Vegan pizza pies and the Dexter season finale: all in all, a good night!

 
Ingredients

…for a Fluffy White Pizza Crust

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F / 45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 tablespoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

…for a Mandolin Medley Pizza

red pizza sauce
1 large white baking potato (or the equivalent potato of your choice!), thinly sliced
1-2 large carrots, thinly sliced
5 Juliet tomatoes (or one Beefsteak tomato, or two plum tomatoes – you get the idea!), thinly sliced
Mozzarella Follow Your Heart soy cheese (or the vegan cheese of your choosing), shredded
cornmeal
cooking spray

…for a Buffalo Wing Pizza

red pizza sauce
Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce
3 Boca Chik’n Patties (or the vegan chicken patties of your choice), cut into eighths
Cheddar Galaxy Foods rice cheese (or whichever vegan cheese you prefer), shredded
cornmeal
cooking spray

Directions

1. To prepare the dough: stir the water, sugar and yeast together until dissolved. Add the olive oil and salt, as well as any extra spices or seasonings. Stir in the flour until blended. Form the dough into a small ball and let rest in large bowl, covered loosely with a towel, anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.

2. When you’re ready to assemble and bake your pizza, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

3. As the oven’s heating, spread a dusting of cornmeal onto your pizza stone (or lightly coat your pizza pan with cooking spray). Using fingers dipped in olive oil (optional), pat the dough onto the stone, spreading it out evenly.

4. When you’re done shaping the dough, add your toppings:

If making a Mandolin Medley pizza, cut all of your produce – potatoes, carrots and tomatoes – into thin slices (we’re talking 1/16 of an inch thin!), either by hand or using a mandolin (especially useful for the potatoes!), and set aside. To prepare your pizza, begin with the sauce, followed by two thirds of the potatoes and all of the carrots. Next add the cheese, and finish off with the tomatoes and the rest of the potatoes. If desired, spray a tiny spritz of cooking spray onto the potatoes; this will cause them to crisp up when baking.

For a Vegan Buffalo Wing pizza, begin by cutting your chicken patties – thawed on the countertop or heated slightly in the microwave – into small pieces. Dust a bit of hot sauce onto each piece and set aside. To prepare your pizza, spread a generous helping of red sauce onto the dough, mixing in a splash of hot sauce as you do so. (Shane used approximately one tablespoon, but you might prefer more or less!) Add the chicken patties and vegan cheese. Easy cheesy!

5. Bake at 425 degrees, for between 15 and 20 minutes for a single pizza, or 30 to 40 minutes for two pizzas. (The Mandolin Medley pizza took a little longer to bake than usual.)

6. Get your nom on!