Thank you so much to the Broadminded Chicks!
Check them out at
http://broadmindedonline.com
and Please donate to the Duffy House at
http://duffyhouse.org
Also if you want to check out music by Emmet Swimming go to:
http://www.emmetswimming.com/
And for Jukebox Serenade go to:
http://jukeboxserenade.com
Make sure to add me on Facebook! http://facebook.com/8thlopez
Next up- going to Rail Jam in Columbus, Ohio!
As I traveled from stop to stop on the 8th Continent Soymilk Taste of Life Tour- I could feel autumn approaching and Halloween costumes and candies right around the corner. I longed for a creepy encounter, a scary movie, something to raise the hairs on the nape of my neck. And then, I arrived in Dodgeville Wisconsin to go to The House on the Rock.
One of the best priced hotels in town happened to be the coolest hotel I had stayed at thus far. The Don Q Inn is a hotel that almost has the feel of a wooden cabin, with “fantasy suites” and standard suites, you can go there for a honeymoon or just to crash in town for a couple of days. I got a standard suite, no need for a mirror over my bed.
The hallways were long and creaked when you walked down them. The old-fashioned lights hung from the wooden structure and the room numbers were oddly assigned. For example, my room was 322, and was on the 2nd floor all the way at the end on the left. How this made sense? I have no clue.
There is a restaurant a parking lot over from the Don Q Inn, and as I checked in they boasted about a tunnel that connect the hotel to the restaurant so you didn’t have to face the cold weather. I checked in, lugged my things up to my room, and grabbed my laptop and camera to head through the tunnel, which I was expecting to be a hallway of some sort, to go to the little bar that had deep-fried menu options… and not much else.
I most certainly wouldn’t call it a hallway… it was a tunnel- underground and creepy as hell! I could see terrifying, eerie stuffed animals in the cracks and crevices of the underground tunnel. There was that chill I was hoping for. Then I peered around the next corner and saw a homemade body. I yelped and each dark corner got even darker and made me pick up my pace. There were abandoned doors, sinks, and even boots sticking out of the wall. I know they didn’t do this on purpose to scare guests- but it did- very much so! Luckily I met three awesome guys that played pool and darts with me until we were all ready to go, and they escorted me back through the scary tunnel to play cards in the lobby of the hotel. The “hallway” didn’t feel as long when I had three men walking me back.
The next morning, I drove 7 miles up the road to The House on the Rock. It was about $30 to walk through the whole property- and it takes about 3-4 hours… no joke!
I knew there was some really cool architecture and collections of things- but I had absolutely ZERO idea how trippy this place was! The House on the Rock was the grand vision of Alex Jordan, who believed that sights and sounds were the most effective means of stimulating the senses.
News had traveled around town, and by the time Alex Jordan finished constructing the main house, there were car-loads of people coming to get a glimpse at the man who was building a home on a rock in the middle of nowhere. Shortly afterward, Alex Jordan opened the house to the public and charged a small admission fee so he could continue his dream, and his collections. Needless to say, he got a bit obsessed.
Each room twisted and turned, sometimes with low ceilings, sometimes with massive structures, but each one… in a way seemed completely eerie. Alex Jordan didn’t explain what he has left behind, he wanted people to interpret what they wanted from his creation.
This has got to be one of the coolest places to tour during Halloween time. From the antique dolls, to the huge carousel (located inside). Hanging angels peer down at the tourists walking through and there are countless amounts of self-playing music machines that are activated into an orchestra by inserting a token. This man, Alex Jordan, MUST have been mad.
The Infinity Room was one of the main attractions of the House. It opened in 1985 and projects out over the Wyoming Valley 218 feet and contains 3,264 windows. It was specifically designed to look as if the room goes on for infinity.
There is also the Doll House building which opened in 1984 and displays over 250 dollhouses. After that you enter the Doll Carousel Room, you run into two carousels with over 500 bisque dolls. I don’t know man, but there is something creepy about antique dolls that only worsens when you put them on their own special carousel, twirling around slowly… all those little beady eyes seeming to stare directly at yours.
If you get a chance to visit this place- do it! They also decorate the entire estate with elaborate Christmas themes and Santa’s during the holiday season. Yet another success story in the history of extreme self-expression! To read more about The House on the Rock go to: http://www.thehouseontherock.com/
This was my last stop on the 8th Continent Soymilk Taste of Life Tour. Heading back to Ohio now- but I will still be active online and keep you all updated on the crazy things I am getting into everyday! Add me on Facebook!
So we have made it to day 7!!!! The last day of the week-long Veg Out Challenge! Did the Carnivorous Killer make it?
Yet again- there is only one way to find out!
Vegan Black Bean Soup
In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic, and bell pepper until the onions soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the beans, seasonings, and tomatoes, and stir to combine. Add 3 cups vegetable broth or water.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, adding additional water or vegetable broth as needed to keep a soupy consistency.
Just before serving, add the corn, if you like, and heat through. Serve in bowls with lime wedges. Makes 4-6 servings.
Recipe via Fat Free Veegan Kitchen
We are now on Day 4… will he make it?
Is he foaming at the mouth?
Is he pacing around hallucinating about steaks and clouds of Porkchops?
Watch the video and see how the Carnivorous Killer is doing today!
Lopez’s Sweet Potato Battered Portabella Mushrooms
Rub down the 2 Medium Sized Sweet potatoes with soy oil, stab with fork to allow ventilation, and wrap in foil. Bake in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. (Depending on size of sweet potato)
Dice 1/4 clove of garlic and sautee in pan along with 1 Tsp of butter. Once hot, add sliced Portabella mushrooms into pan and cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes on both sides.
Once sweet potatoes are finished baking, remove from oven and allow to cool. Unwrap the sweet potatoes and discard of the foil. Cut one sweet potato down the middle and remove 1/2 of the contents from the skin. Place the skinned sweet potato in a bowl and add 1/2 cup of 8th Continent Original Soy milk. Mash together to form somewhat of a paste.
Boil water and snap both ends of the fresh green beans. Once water is boiling, add green beans and allow them to boil for 10 minutes. Strain and set aside for complete dish.
Dip the cooked portabella mushrooms into the sweet potato paste and then coat with bread crumbs. Heat soy oil in a skillet and carefully set the breaded portabella slives into the pan. Allow to brown on both sides, flipping and paying attention to the frying and quickly move to a plate.
Dish the finished portabella slices, the cooked fresh green beans, and the baked sweet potato on a plate. Slice sweet potato to add salt/ pepper/ brown sugar to taste…
and the most important step:
ENJOY!!!!
Day 2 of 8th Continent Soymilk’s Veg Out Challenge!
Today I made Vegan friendly Cinnamon French Toast with Fresh Apple Cinnamon chunks.
For lunch/ dinner I made a vegan friendly pizza that turned out to die for! Who would have ever thought living so healthy could taste so good?
Check out the video of Carnivore Killer and see how he is doing on his second day without meat!
Has we withered away yet? Has he gone mad and started gnawing on his arm? You’ll have to watch the video to find out! It’s like Meatless Madness! hehe
Cinnamon French Toast with Fresh Apple Cinnamon
This recipe replaces eggs with bananas so you can still enjoy your French Toast Vegan Style!
Blend bananas, 8th Continent soy milk, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in blender or food processor and pour mixture into pie plate or wide dish.
Gently dip bread slices into the mix, coating both sides. Fry in vegan margarine in medium-hot skillet until golden brown.
Serve with maple syrup if desired, and, as always, enjoy your wonderful vegan French toast!
(via About.com: Vegan Food)
Slice the apple into sections and de-seed. Heat Soy Oil in a frying pan and drop sectioned apple pieces in one by one. Scatter the ground cinnamon over the sectioned apples while they are in the pan. Scatter in sugar as well. After about a minute on medium high heat, you flip the apple sections and sprinkle cinnamon and cane sugar on the other side as well. Let cook for about a minute so that the apple sections start to pucker around the edges, but are still firm. Remove from pan- serve- and most importantly- enjoy!!
Vegan Mediterranean Pizza
(This recipe makes two 12″ pizzas)
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, gently combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Allow the mixture to set for about five minutes or until bubbles form on the surface. (This ensures that you, indeed, have an “active” packet of yeast.)Add the whole wheat flour, mixing with a wooden spoon until well combined. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Add in the white flour, salt and olive oil, mixing until forming a soft, but not sticky, dough. (Your dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and should not “tear” or stick to your hands. If this is the case, add more white flour in small increments until your dough no longer sticks to your hands when you push down on it.)
On a dry (not floured) countertop, turn out the dough and knead until elastic, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour in small increments as needed, taking care so as not to dry out your dough. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover. Place bowl in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. In a small bowl, combine the nutritional yeast, soymilk powder and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the oil, soy mayonnaise and 1 cup 8th Continent Soymilk, whisking until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and 1 t. salt to the mixture, whisking until lumps are dissolved (a few lumps will still remain but will dissolve while cooking).
In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, heat the sauce mixture, stirring constantly until desired consistency. Salt to taste.
Preheat the oven to 500 F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet or pizza pan.
On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and divide it in half. Cover half of the dough while working with the other. Roll out the dough into a round about 1/4-1/2 ” thick and place on the prepared sheet. Make a crust by pinching up the sides of the dough. Repeat with remaining dough.
With a spoon, spread the pizzas sauce in a circular motion on each of the pizzas. Top with cheese sauce and toppings. Lightly brush the crusts with the remaining 2 T. of 8th Continent soy milk and lightly sprinkle salt. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
