¼ cup white miso paste
1 cup instant potato flakes
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Topping Ingredient
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Method
Fill a large pot with 6 quarts of water and add the sea salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook uncovered until al dente, about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally while the macaroni is cooking to prevent sticking. Drain the macaroni and set aside.
Combine the White Cheddar–Style Cheeze Sauce ingredients in a blender. Process on high until smooth.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Pour the blended Cheeze sauce into a large sauté pan. Turn the burner to medium-high. Stir the sauce constantly and scrape the sides of the pan with a silicone spatula for the duration of the cooking time. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium. Cook for 12 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Add the macaroni to the baking dish. Pour the White Cheddar–Style Cheeze Sauce over the macaroni. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the panko bread crumbs on top. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve warm.
PROVOLONE DOLCE–STYLE CHEEZE
Traditional provolone dolce cheese is naturally smoked and ages for 2 to 3 months. It’s semi-soft and smooth with a mild, sweet taste. This cheese originated in southern Italy. Our Esther-Approved, dairy-free version is similar to the traditional cheese. Agar-agar is used to firm up our Provolone Dolce–Style Cheeze. We find that when coconut milk is mixed with almond milk, they impart a flavor similar to that of dairy milk. The white miso paste adds a sweet, mild umami flavor to this Cheeze. The unmolding of the Cheeze works best if using a bowl with flared sides. The Cheeze can be sliced after 2 hours of refrigeration. It can be grated once it has refrigerated overnight. Enjoy our Provolone Dolce–Style Cheeze with crackers or on the Derek Burger or other entrées.
Cuisine: Esther-Approved Cheeze, dairy-free, gluten-free
Prep Time: 25 minutes
1st Refrigeration Time: 35 minutes to unmold
2nd Refrigeration Time: 2 hours or overnight for firmest
Cheeze
Yield: 13.8 ounces
Ingredients
6 tablespoons agar-agar flakes
¼ cup boiling water
½ cup unsalted raw cashews, ground into flour in a food processor or blender
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup instant potato flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white miso paste
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
1½ teaspoons sea salt
Pinch ground turmeric
½ teaspoon tahini
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
Method
Place the agar-agar flakes in a small glass measuring cup. Pour the ¼ cup boiling water over the agar-agar flakes. Stir with a butter knife until all the flakes are combined with the water. Scrape the excess gel off the knife and put it back into the mixture. Set aside on the counter for 10 minutes to allow the flakes to set up.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender. Once the agar-agar mixture has set up, add it to the blender. Process on high until smooth.
Pour the Cheeze mixture into an 11-inch sauté pan on the stove. Scrape out any remaining mixture with a silicone spatula and add it to the pan. Cook over medium heat, constantly stirring the Cheeze and scraping the sides of the pan, for 7 minutes. The Cheeze eventually will thicken and pull away from the pan when the spatula moves through it. At that point, immediately pour the Cheeze into an ungreased glass or plastic bowl. Quickly smooth out the top with the spatula. Place the Cheeze in the refrigerator for 35 minutes. Invert the bowl onto a small plate to unmold the Cheeze. Gently run your finger over the Cheeze surface to smooth it if necessary. Cover the Cheeze with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an additional 2 hours. For the firmest Cheeze, refrigerate overnight.
MANGO PIÑA COLADA
Our Mango Piña Colada cocktail was inspired by Esther’s love of mangoes and the fabulous piña coladas we had on the first Esther Cruise! Each cocktail has 2 ounces of light rum. Please drink responsib-pig-ly.
Cuisine: Esther-Approved cocktail, dairy-free, gluten-free
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 glasses
Piña Colada Ingredients
3 cups frozen diced pineapple
1 (13.5-fluid-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
½ cup light rum
1 cup ice
Mango Layer Ingredients
1 cup frozen diced pineapple
2 cups frozen diced mango
½ cup light rum
Garnish Ingredients
4 slices fresh mango, sliced from one side of a ripe mango
4 pieces diced fresh pineapple
Method
Combine the Piña Colada ingredients in a blender pitcher. Process until smooth. Pour the piña colada evenly into 4 glasses.
Using the same pitcher with leftover Piña Colada ingredients in it, combine the Mango Layer ingredients in the pitcher. Blend until smooth. Pour the mango layer over the piña colada layer.
Garnish the top of each drink with a slice of fresh mango. Add a piece of fresh pineapple next to each mango slice.
CHOCOLATE WINE CAKE
Serve our Chocolate Wine Cake at your next soirée. This deep, rich, and super-moist chocolate cake is delicious served with your favorite Esther-Approved red wine. This recipe came about one day while making a chocolate cake and drinking wine. Chocolate and red wine pair nicely together, so we added ½ cup of red wine to the cake batter. We baked the cake and needed a glaze for it. There was still some wine left, so we made a quick wine glaze and brushed it on the warm cake. We sliced the warm Chocolate Wine Cake and enjoyed it with a glass of wine from a new bottle, and a party started! Check out Barnivore.com for Esther-Approved wines.
Cuisine: Esther-Approved dessert
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 10 slices
Cake Ingredients
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon flax meal
3 tablespoons warm water
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup vegan light brown sugar
¾ cup vegan granulated sugar
¼ cup vegan butter, melted
½ cup dairy-free, plain yogurt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
½ cup vegan red wine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Wine Glaze Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegan butter
⅓ cup vegan granulated sugar
2 tablespoons warm water
¼ cup vegan red wine
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Add the walnuts to the bottom of the loaf pan. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the flax meal and water. Swirl in the bowl and set aside for 10 minutes to let the mixture gel up.
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, sea salt, vegan light brown sugar, and vegan granulated sugar. Stir to combine and break up any lumps. Add the remaining cake ingredients. Stir the batter with a silicone spatula until smooth.
Pour the cake batter over the chopped walnuts. Scrape out all of the batter into the pan. Bake the cake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Place the hot cake, still in the pan, on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Place aluminum foil under the cooling rack. Turn the cake out of the loaf pan and onto the cooling rack. While the cake is cooling for another 10 minutes, make the Wine Glaze.
In a nonstick, 2-quart saucepan, combine the vegan butter, vegan granulated sugar, and the water. Stir and bring this to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir the glaze constantly for 5 minutes. The top will begin to foam. At 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat. Immediately stir in the red wine. Continue to stir until the glaze is smooth.
Brush the hot wine glaze over the top and sides of the cake. Continue to brush until all of the wine glaze has been used.
Allow the cake to further cool for 1 hour. Slice and serve. Or wrap the cooled cake in waxed paper and foil, then refrigerate until ready to serve. This cake can be made up to one day in advance of serving.
Moving day, and a final wave to our little house in Georgetown.
Shouldn’t I wait until the red carpet gets rolled out? Photo credit Jo-Anne McArthur.
Getting moved in. Now we just need to find the screwdrivers so we can assemble our bed.
So, what are we supposed to do with it now?
Met the neighbors. A bit prickly but generally quite pleasant.
Our future chicken coop, assuming the building can be salvaged. The back wall was built using wood from old railway boxcars. There’s no way we’d let it go without a fight.
That carpet cleaner works harder than anybody I know.
The fridge is my favorite thing in our new house.
Hangin’ tough. Bobbie, the New Kid on the Block, at Happily Ever Esther.
Is that pasta I smell?
B.J. and Escalade, best friends forever.
I still don’t understand why we didn’t move to the Bahamas.
Sir Denver, the Gentle Giant.
I’m afraid all of the beds are spoken for this evening, but you might find a sofa in the living room.
The United Colors of HEEFS.
I’m so bored, let’s eat something.
“Kindness is like snow—it beautifies everything it covers.” —Kahlil Gibran.
The Royals: William, Catherine, and Baby George. (Diablo and Debbie are in the background.)
Stopped at our favorite drive-through for a couple of chai lattes and one of those fancy breakfast bars with all the seeds.
Take off that ridiculous poncho, or I’ll take it off for you.
I’m running because I don’t want the paparazzi to see me walking with somebody wearing Crocs and socks.
Fashion is what you buy; style is what you do with it.
Be the reason someone smiles.
Changing the world one heart at a time.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to:
Our parents and siblings. Your unwavering love and support mean the world to both of us. No matter how wild it may seem, having family by our side on this amazing adventure is everything.
Our amazing circle of friends. For putting up with us and being there when we need someone to talk to. We don’t know how we got so lucky, or what we would do without you.
Dr. David Kirkham and the entire staff of Cheltenham Veterinary Centre and the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. Where do we even begin? Thank you doesn’t seem like enough. Esther has the best medical team on earth, and you have given us peace of mind in unfathomably scary situations. Thank you for putting up with us and for taking such incredible care of our baby girl.
Caprice Crane. Your sense of humor is unparalleled. We won the lottery when we connected with you, and we will forever be grateful for your help in turning our words into something magical.
Erica Silverman. Our agent, navigator, and friend. You’re another person we will forever wonder how we got lucky enough to know.
Katherine Stopa. Our editor, and one of the biggest reasons this book exists. Thank you for being such an amazing cheerleader, and for making sure our story was told. We’re so thankful to have you in our corner. Team Esther wouldn’t be the same without you.
And to the countless people we have met on this incredible journey. Your messages and comments give us all the motivation we could ever need. No matter how hard it gets, you inspire us to work harder.
This book would not have been possible if it were not for each and every one of you.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
It has been a whirlwind few years for New York Times bestselling authors Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter. Accumulating close to two million followers from all over the world in just a few short years, they have very quickly become two of the world’s most well-known and successful animal activists. In 2014, Steve and Derek founded the Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary in Campbellville, Ontario, where they continue to rescue and rehabilitate abandoned and abused farmed animals.
Caprice Crane is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling five-time novelist, screenwriter, and television writer with her finger on the pulse of pop culture. Caprice’s humor and satirical observations have earned her the distinction of being one of the Huffington Post’s “50 Funny People You Should Be Following on Twitter.” Her debut novel Stupid and Contagious (published in fourteen countries) and her equally internationally bestselling Forget About It won the RT Reviews Choice Award in 2006 and 2007, respectively. She has since published three more novels to critical acclaim and, with the publication of the first Esther book, Esther the Wonder Pig, won a 2016 Nautilus Book Award.
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Happily Ever Esther Page 18
