Jalapeño Cheddar Hoe Cakes

After my father would cut all the nicely formed biscuits, he would ball up the leftover scraps and put it on the pan for himself, saying the oldest always got the Hoe Cake. This, of course, only made me, the youngest, want it more. I then plotted for a time when I was grown and would make my own whole batch of Hoe Cakes that would be all for me!

Serves 6 to 8

What You Need:

2 cups flour, plus extra
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/3 cup cold vegan margarine
1 cup unsweetened, plain soymilk or almond milk
1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds, divided (Howell suggests Daiya)
1 tablespoon jalapeño pepper, diced, divided
1-1/4 cups onion, small diced

What You Do: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutritional yeast. Add margarine and combine with flour, using a fork. Add milk and mix with fork. The batter should be sticky to the touch.
2. Fold in 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 tablespoon jalapeño, and onions and mix well. On a floured surface, sprinkle on remaining cheese and peppers. Place dough on the surface and roll until dough is covered on all sides by flour, cheese, and peppers.
3. Using hands, pull 2 to 4 ounce portions of dough (roughly the size of a deck of cards) and roll into a ball. Roll in flour, shaking off excess, and place on a nonstick cooking sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Photo courtesy of Kate Echle