Buffalo style tofu

I've been wanting to try this for a minute and I think tomorrow is the day!! Got the tofu pressed and in the freezer, looking forward to giving it a whirl.

**update: I tweaked the spices and it's yummy, crispy and flavorful! I've never used cornstarch as a breading before and I like it. Not sure how leftovers will hold up, so I'm waiting on the wing sauce. Also found cornstarch stuck on in way large quantities in a Ziploc, so I'll go the plate route next time for dredging.

The leftovers held up well! Nice texture maintained, and not soggy. This tofu went great with our pinto beans, kale, and rice. We used sweet baby rays buffalo wing sauce, and it's really nice. Has a good kick to it. This recipe was not super easy but tofu never is imho. This turned out real tasty so I will make it again. The baby enjoyed hers with ketchup one night and bbq sauce the next.

https://www.thespruce.com/tofu-hot-wings-3378135

Ingredients
1 16-ounce block (or 1 1/2 12 ounce blocks) extra firm tofu, well-pressed, frozen, then thawed
1/3 cup corn starch
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2-4 tbsp. oil for pan-frying
1/4 cup butter or vegan butter substitute (optional)
Wing sauce, or any kind of hot sauce you like, amount to taste. Wing sauce doesn't need butter/oil added to it in my opinion. Straight hot sauce does, for that buffalo wing style flavor.

Preparation:
1. Once your tofu has been well-pressed (See: How to press tofu to learn how to press tofu so it properly absorbs all of the flavors of the sauce), you can slice it into thin "finger" shapes, slabs, cubes, or whatever shape you like best. (The pressing and freezing process makes for a nice chewy texture, but isn't necessary if you'd rather save time).

2. In a shallow pan or a zip-closing plastic bag, combine the corn starch, garlic salt, mustard powder and black pepper. Carefully add the tofu, gently tossing to make sure that all sides of the tofu are well coated with the corn starch mixture.

3. Heat the oil in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat, using a non-stick pan if you have it to reduce the amount of oil needed. Add tofu and pan-fry on all sides just until it is just lightly golden brown. Once the tofu has cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

4. Using the same pan (or a different one, your choice), heat the vegan margarine or butter substitute over very low heat. Once it is melted, add in the wing sauce, stirring just until combined well. Add the cooked tofu, gently turning to coat well on all sides with the wing sauce mixture.

5. Once that is completely heated, you can take the tofu off of the stovetop heat and serve it while it is warm. Serve with some vegan ranch dressing if you'd like. Enjoy!

Sausage tomato one pot pasta

I made this tonight and it took an hour, not 30 minutes. In part because I had done zero prep and steamed fresh broccoli cuz I hate frozen. I added some pepper as well. Wasn't as easy/quick as I'd hoped, and did not knock my socks off. That said, it's a solid pretty good pasta meal. I might like it better with spicy Italian pork sausage, and maybe a different type of pasta. 

https://www.budgetbytes.com/2017/03/one-pot-sausage-sun-dried-tomato-pasta/

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz (2 links) sweet Italian sausage (I used turkey) $2.00
• 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.13
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced $0.16
• 1/2 lb steamed broccoli florets $0.85
• 2 cups chicken broth* $0.28
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes $1.00
• 8 oz (2 cups) elbow pasta (any small shape**) $0.80
• A shake of crushed red pepper (optional) $0.02
• A couple shakes of Parmesan
• Some black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the olive oil and sausage to the skillet and cook over medium heat until browned. If using links, cook them until browned on the outside and firm enough to slice, then slice into medallions, return to the skillet, and brown on both sides. Transfer the cooked sausage to a clean bowl and drain off all but about 1 Tbsp fat from the skillet.
2. Add the minced garlic and broccoli florets to the skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant. Transfer the broccoli and garlic to the bowl with the sausage.
3. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir or whisk to dissolve the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Slice the sun dried tomatoes into strips and add them to the broth with the pasta and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir, place a lid on top, and turn the heat up to medium high. When the broth begins to boil, give the skillet a quick stir, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to low or just above low so that the broth maintains a simmer.
4. Simmer the pasta and sun dried tomatoes for about 7-9 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. If the pasta becomes tender before all the broth has been absorbed, simply let it simmer for the last couple of minutes without the lid.
5. Once the pasta is tender and only a small amount of thickened liquid remains in the bottom of the skillet, add the cooked sausage and broccoli back to the pasta. Stir to combine and sprinkle the grated Parmesan over top. Serve immediately