Oatmeal Cookies Made Decadent

I baked up a batch of Vegan Oatmeal Cookies with golden raisins tonight. While they were in the oven, I looked around the kitchen and spotted a bag of white chocolate truffles (not Vegan). Thinking that the cookies would be a bit dull, I melted down 6 of the truffles, poured shredded coconut onto a plate and made some pantry magic happen. Once cooled on a wire rack, the cookies were hand dipped into the melted truffle pot, then pressed into a layer of coconut & voila - dressed up not-so-dull oatmeal cookies.

Vegan Gingerbread Houses, Cocunut Cookies

This week I made Vegan Coconut Sandwich Cookies - take a peek they were rich, decadent and just one was enough. I took a standard recipe and swapped out Soy butter spread for the butter and flax for the eggs, that's that. They puffed up nicely and made the house smell like coconut.

In other news I am a little baked-out. I made vegan gingerbread dough again last night and we had a decorating marathon. Take a look at the end result, all I can say is the candy really makes it look all tied-together because my little house started caving in, and I had to call for assistance (help!) in the bracing department - they are small and covered in sugar and made me smile. No baking this evening but I will be baking something up for the folks at the local Post Office later this week - and we did deliver some cookies to our neighbors this past weekend - which by the way is a great way to feel the real good Holiday Spirit Stuff everyone sings about this time of year. So grab a recipe, bake up some stuff, and drop off some treats to your friends and neighbors - trust me, it will be nice for you and for them as well! (Eggs Optional, OK?)

Pantry Soup and Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today was the first heavy snow of the season, so I felt the urge to have a pot of soup. I made what I referred to as "Pantry Soup" because all of the ingredients were a mix and match of what I had on hand. Not wishing to venture out in the snowy, icy New England storm, I went to work on this concoction. I started off with some chopped celery, olive oil, parsley, a shallot, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, black pepper, and sage. I sauteed these items for a bit then added 5 cups of vegetable broth. Once it began to boil, I added 1/4 cup orzo, and brought to a boil once again. I had baby carrots on hand so I chopped several up and tossed into the pot. Sea salt and some more parsley topped it all off.

Also this evening I tried a new version of Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, they still do not taste like regular chocolate chip cookies bit they did puff up nicely, and they tasted nice straight out of the oven....Will try one at room temperature after this post is done, probably with a cup of Soy Nog - that I picked up at the local grocery store...Off to watch SNL Christmas special and also I discovered that Amazon has something called Amazon Unbox, which allows you to rent movies via a download that lasts 24 hrs once you hit play so I have "Elf" - one of the silliest Will Ferrell films ever, check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjFCmJCzF1A

I love when he goes crazy and screams "SANTA, I Know Him!" also when he answers James Caan's telephone and says "Buddy the Christmas Elf, what's your favorite color?" Grab a cookie, get yourself on Amazon and download this movie tonight - it's hysterical and there is absolutely no way you will be left feeling blue, christmas or any other variety of blue for that matter.

Vegan Ginger Bread People

That's right folks - no eggs - no butter - just tasty Gingerbread Cookies! The lips are made of licorice cut askew - by the way they are the cutest lips I have ever made for a baked good.

I had a blast mixing and matching all sorts of candies to make these goofy cookies.

Arancini di Riso

"Little Oranges", as they are aptly named in Italian can be such an unexpected treat. I used to think they were somewhat of a special holiday magic food that my parents - strangely - would prepare and cook together.... It was always one or the other mother or father doing the cooking, mostly mother, but sometimes my father would whip up some fried spaghetti, a pizza with carmelized onions, sausages, a mufaletta (awesome sandwhich grilled like a panini). Anyhow, Rice Balls/Arancini can be thrown together rather quickly. Prep a pot of risotto - I like to sautee a shallot in olive oil, add the rice, let it pop, then splash - a cup of white wine. Simmer it all down, add 1 cup of broth incrementally (you will use 3-4 cups) letting each cup boil down one at a time, stirring it up until the rice is good and fat. I threw in a bunch of shredded fresh basil, portocini mushrooms, black pepper and a cup of peas. Let it cool off, then add in some grated parmesean, and instead of the traditional square of mozzarella in the center, I added shredded reduced fat mozz. to the mixture. In lieu of an egg, add a bit of water so its wet and sticky. Add 1/2 c. bread crumbs and shape into spheres that fit into your palm. Roll in a plate of yet more bread crumbs, place onto a non-stick pan sprayed w. canola oil, bake 20-25 minutes at 375, taking pan out once to flip them over - carefully. The results - tasty, sweet, decadent Arancini that you can make any time of year, on your own or with a partner. I have to say it is a nice memory - my parents were so young - perhaps in their 20s, in that kitchen with the panelling in New York. Sometimes food can bring us together, bring us back in time, bring us to the table, bring us inspiration, bring us home.

The Ayurvedic Food Tasting Westerly RI

Here are a few photos from the Ayurvedic Food tasting we held this past Saturday evening in Westerly, RI. All went off well, a good time was had & Andy's Sitar playing definitely brought the event to a new level. The Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes and Tomato Soup were by far the fave items on the menu.

Each time I try a new recipe, I find out what tools my kitchen is lacking. This weekend I realized that I need this cake decorating contraption from Williams-Sonoma, instead of the makeshift baker's icing bag I used to frost the cupcakes. They turned out beautifully, it just took forever to frost them with the bag squirting out every few minutes, I laughed my way through it all.

The Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups were poured into tiny paper cups - as opposed to the giant muffin tins I have used in the past to make oversized cups. This picture illustrates how you pour one layer of melted chocolate, then a dollop of good-for-you peanut butter, followed by one final layer of melted chocolate. What can I say? They are one of those things that make life so sweet.