Christmas Dinner

This year we hosted Christmas dinner for the three of us, my mom and brother, and B's parents. It was basically the first time we had hosted a holiday meal. It was really fun, but we definitely could have done better with our planning. We never accounted for extra time or snafus and B's all-day migraine on Christmas day threw a huge wrench in our preparations. Luckily I was able to give my mom a list of things to do while we were out visiting other relatives, but it would have been FAR less stressful and more relaxed had I started the work one day sooner. Either way, the meal and the company were so wonderful and it was every bit as relaxing and delicious as we had hoped.

Even though it wasn't a ton of food, we decided to serve the meal in courses. Your much-labored-over food is more enjoyed that way and there's not that sit-down-and-inhale-everything-in-front-of-you vibe that can easily happen during big dinners.

These are the adorable place card holders that I bought in the dollar section at Target two years ago. I loved them SO MUCH that it took great amounts of will power to limit my purchase to a reasonable number. I mean, ONE DAY I might host a dinner for 24 people, right? I convinced myself that I wouldn't and kept it down to only 8 ornaments.

Also, it's SUPER fun to watch your guests sit down and get three sips and two sentences into their conversation and say "Why does that say 'Mark?' Oh... wait... there's assigned seats?! Oops... where am I??"

This was the first course, Ina Garten's Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup from her Barefoot at Home cookbook. So delicious! The only change I made was using an immersion blender because I prefer the soup creamy rather than chunky.

This was followed up by the one course I forgot to take a picture of, the salad. It was a mixed green salad (Red Leaf Lettuce & Escarole) topped with Gorgonzola, pralines, and bacon. Then I made a homemade vinaigrette and served it on the side. No recipe, just a salad I created.

This was the main course. B and I tend to work backwards when it comes to recipes. We take inspiration from something we see or think of something we want, then type it into the Food Network search engine and see what comes up. Then we usually combine that recipe with whatever we have in our heads and come up with a dish. It's a pretty loosey goosey way to approach things, but it works for us. The jumping off recipes for these were Bacon & Herb Wrapped Pork Tenderloin & Roasted Green Beans with Shallots & Hazelnuts. Everything was great except that the green beans were REALLY al dente - oops!

This is warm homemade applesauce that I made in the fall and, thanks to a tip from my uncle, froze to serve at Christmas dinner.

This is my totally invented dessert. I made pizzelles (a flat crispy Italian cookie) the week before Christmas, so I took a few of them and made them into dessert cups for our dinner. Then I roasted fresh pears and cranberries with a touch of brown sugar and served those in the pizzelle. It's topped with homemade whipped cream (not very sweet) and a drizzle of caramel. The gamble paid off, they were awesome!

Christmas clean up

My brother flew back to Oregon yesterday morning and Charlotte and I spent the entire day comatose and napping from our week of Christmas celebrations and travel. Every single second of our 5 days of holiday get-togethers was wonderful and I will tell you all about them asap. But right now the house looks a wee bit disastrous and needs some tending to, so that will have to take priority. We'll talk soon!

Home Grown Tomatoes presents...A Perfect Match

Creamy Tomato Soup

Home Grown Tomatoes is a weekly Vegan/Vegetarian column by Giovanina Bucci

It's officially winter here in Flagstaff. I've turned into that woman who walks to work with a skirt and her hiking boots, with cute shoes in tow. That, paired with the outrageous number of layers I put on in the morning (hat, mittens, etc.) and I'm pretty much the kid from A Christmas Carol. It's amusing, to say the least. Ah, but to come home to a hot bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich...there's nothing better. And fear not, this recipe is quick and painless...allowing for more important things, like eating it.

Serving Size: Consume until warm and cozy...

2 Tbs. of butter

4-5 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)

2 cans of stewed tomatoes (pay attention to the amount of sodium, canned goods are inherently salty)

1/2 C. milk

3 Tbs. cream cheese (optional)

3 Tbs. sour cream

1 Tbs. of fresh basil (dried basil will suffice, begin with 1/2 Tbs.)

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

black pepper to taste

Begin by sauteing the minced garlic in the butter on medium heat. After a couple of minutes add the stewed tomatoes, which I pureed. You could also roughly chop the tomatoes, if you like a chunkier soup. Our garden is under 2 feet of snow right now, but if you have the luxury of fresh tomatoes, don't hesitate! I would suggest either chopping the fresh tomatoes for the chunkier version or pureeing and adding an 8 oz. can of tomato paste to thicken it up a bit.

After you've added the tomatoes, turn your stove to medium low heat and add the remaining ingredients, saving the herbs and spices for last. Let your soup simmer on low heat for at least 10-15 minutes. Seriously, that's it! The milk measurement is rough, I just poured it in! But begin with 1/2 C and add more according to your taste buds. I tend to like a thick, creamy soup so I usually go light on any liquids that I am adding. I topped mine with a dollop of sour cream and thinly sliced scallions for garnish.

As I mentioned earlier, I ate this with a grilled cheese sandwich. How can you not?! Beau really loves sandwiches and, more so, loves coming up with creative ways to liven them up. In case you've never ventured from the traditional, here are a few ideas:

Sprung Up

Cheese

Sliced Scallions

Poppy Seed Dressing

Taco Sauce

Kicked Up

Cheese

Banana Peppers

Poppy Seed Dressing

"Pig" Out

Cheese

Bacon

Souped Up

Cheese

Tomato

Cream Cheese

However you enjoy your sandwich, this combination is lethal and delicious. Indulge and Enjoy!

Media Annoyance

Which commercial has been on longer, Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds commercial or the Hershey Kisses hand bells commercial?

Home Grown Tomatoes presents...Pumpkin Shmumpkin

Pumpkin Muffins

Home Grown Tomatoes is a weekly Vegan/Vegetarian column by Giovanina Bucci

It's too bad I need the Holidays to be reminded of the spirit of thankfulness and giving. Is it just me? I mean, I'm incredibly appreciative for the life that I lead, and for those whom support, bless, love, and encourage this journey that I'm on. And although I try to make a concerted effort to express my thanks and love to everyone in my life throughout the year, this time of year simply reminds me that I don't do it enough.

Particularly to the greats and grands in my life, the ones who send you a check every year for Christmas, tucked in a card that has something to do with God... I'm determined to send more 'thinking of you' messages. I guess my point is, I'm lucky. I'm thankful. I live a very blessed life. I have the most incredible family and friends, who need to be reminded of how much I love and appreciate them. And I am really grateful for all things pumpkin. (Pretty clever segue, huh?) Sorry, but this time of year turns me into a gushy, mushy, buffet of emotions! Moving on...

I have a feeling that you may have looked at the title of this post and thought to yourself...seriously, pumpkin? Halloween is REALLY over and Thanksgiving of 2009 is but a memory. Sorry folks. I heart pumpkin - any time of year, in any form. And you can't deny that these wouldn't come in handy, with a touch of melted butter, on a brisk February morning while you're enjoying a hot cup of coffee. I wish I was doing that right now actually.

Anyway, I came across this recipe on RecipeZaar and tweaked it just a bit, mostly because I didn't have some of the ingredients the recipe called for. Needless to say, I've been pleased each time I've made these and they have been well received across the board.

Serving size: 6 'big mama' muffins (pictured), 12 'average joe' muffins

1 3/4 C. flour (reminder to the vegans, make sure it's unbleached and non-enriched!)

1 C. sugar (the original recipe calls for 1 1/4 C. - seemed a bit too sweet with the natural sweetness of the pumpkin)

1 Tbs. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. all spice

1 C. pumpkin (fresh or canned puree)

1/2 C. Rice Milk

1/2 C. vegetable oil

2 Tbs. molasses

Preheat your oven to 325-350 degrees (F). The original recipe suggests to preheat your oven to 400 degrees (F), which leads to very unsuccessful baking in my oven. Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together. Mix everything together and pour your batter 3/4 of the way full into a greased muffin pan or into paper muffin holders. Seriously, that's it.

I like to bake on a bit lower heat and let them go for a tinge longer to ensure that the centers are cooked through and that the tops do not burn. The nice thing about vegan baking is that you don't have to worry about the 'not-cooked enough egg scare'. I've had them come out a bit undercooked in the center and they were still delightful, just a bit gooier (is that a word?) than expected. My suggestion would be to try baking the muffins at 350 degrees (F), and checking about 27 minutes in...they are usually done between 30 and 35 minutes. You know your oven best, so use your judgment!

Wishing you all a very Happy Holidays and hoping that you get to spend time with those you love... and make sure you let them know just how much you love and appreciate them! Indulge and Enjoy!

Happy Birthday!!!

My sweet sweet husband turned 32 yesterday. He likes to remind everyone that this makes me a virtual cougar as I turned 32 back in September. Actually the truth of it is, he can never even remember how old he is and has to ask me almost every time, so I could pretty much tell him anything I wanted.

We celebrated here with the family on Saturday night with cake and drinks. I took this opportunity to make my first real cake!! Since he spends his winters lamenting about the lack of golf in his life, I thought I'd torture him even more by making him a golf themed cake. (I'll do a more detailed post about the cake and what it took to make after the Christmas weekend is over). And, no, those aren't real golf balls, I made them out of white chocolate.

Bundle Up!

The other day I introduced Charlotte to the harsh reality of what "high of twenty-one degrees" really feels like.

Year End Wrap-Up

Yum is my Mantra has invited her fellow bloggy friends to follow in her footsteps and do a Year End Questionnaire. And since I'm trying really hard to be a better blogger but often don't have ideas, this sounded like the perfect easy-way-out!


1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Give birth.


2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I don't make New Year's resolutions. My birthday (in September) always feels like a more significant benchmark in the year to look forward and backward than January 1st does.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, B's sister on February 23rd.


4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank God. That's my greatest fear.


5. What countries did you visit?
None this year. But my heart is always traveling. I'm meant to visit other countries at least twice a year, so when I can't do that physically, I do it in my mind. Europe (again) and Costa Rica or Belize are on my mental list of the next places to visit.


6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
The same stability and creativity that the end of 2009 held.


7. What dates in 2009 will remain etched in your memory?
February 23rd - birth of our nephew
August 11th - birth of our daughter (on my mom's birthday!!)


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Maintaining happiness and serenity during a lot of transition and chaos


9. What was your biggest failure?
Something with my mouth, I'm sure. That little baby gets me into trouble at least once a week - I've pretty much just made my peace with that, it's not going to change anytime soon.


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
The usual back issues, but nothing that would qualify as illness, thankfully.


11. What was the best thing you bought?
B and I actually buy very little, but we splurged on a fancy new camera (Canon SLR) for our new family and it has been worth every penny.


12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Oh wow, I can think of so many people. My husband, during the child birth process. My dear friend A, who is marching through life and nursing school while battling MS. All of Charlotte's grandparents, who love her so dearly. I could go on and on...


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Right-wing extremists, always. They give Republicans a bad name.


14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our babymoon trip to Florida in March, meeting our baby girl, when my brother and father flew in from the west coast to meet her, & any number of small things that involve food or family - little things makes me super excited.


16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
None really.


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder? Happier
b) Thinner or fatter? A wee bit fatter
c) Richer or poorer? Emotionally richer, financially poorer


18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Everything. I'm a thinker by nature. I tend to sit around and think about things rather than doing them. I'm getting a lot better though.


19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Wow, I feel like there should be a million answers to this and yet I can't think of one.
(Go read Yum's response to this - it was so great it stopped me right in my tracks)


20. How did you spend Christmas?
This year we're spending Christmas Eve with B's parents, Christmas morning here with my mom and brother, Christmas afternoon with B's extended family, Christmas night here with both families for dinner, and the weekend after Christmas up in Plattsburgh with some of my extended family. Phew! It's tiring just typing it! I hope it's less tiring to live it.


21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes! With the most wonderful baby girl ever!


22. What was your favorite TV program?
Still love The Office, Top Chef, & Project Runway. And my new love is Glee.


23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone and B doesn't even allow that word to be spoken in the house. Besides, I'm remarkably good at letting things go (in my humble opinion, it's the ultimate key to happiness in life)


24. What was the best book you read?
The Happiest Baby on the Block. You could literally read nothing else while expecting a baby and still feel like a total expert!


25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
There are very few people who are as out of touch with music as I am, but I think Glee was my best musical discovery this year!


26. What did you want and get?
A great place to rent while living in Albany


27. What did you want and not get?
A labor that didn't make me feel mentally scarred.


28. What was your favorite film of the year?
The Hangover!


29. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I turned 32 about 5 weeks after Charlotte was born. We used a gift certificate we got from my dad and had a great family dinner at The Olive Garden.


30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Nothing really.


31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
January - August: Turning size large Target clothes into maternity wear
August - December: Wearing the one pair of larger jeans that I bought for post-baby body over, and over, and over...


32. What kept you sane?
My husband, laughter, and wine.


33. What celeb/public figure did you fancy the most?
"Fancy" as in "have a crush on"? Bradley Cooper. Swoon!


34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Any time grandstanding, idiocy, fear, & lies were used to trump really legitimate issues like health care and climate change.


35. Who did you miss?
Having my father and brother only be able to see Charlotte a few times a year breaks my heart like you can't imagine. THANK GOD for video cameras, text messaging, the Internet, etc.


36. Who was the best new person you met?
Charlotte, of course!


37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009?
Oh god, I feel like I learn them all the time. I don't think a day goes by where I'm not observing, thinking, analyzing, and trying to make myself better.


38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Definitely not musically saavy enough to come up with one. Some song that talks about lots of transitions.

4 months and counting

On the scale of 1 to so-freaking-squeezy-and-lovable-I-might-actually-bruise-her-with-my-kisses, I have to say that 4 months is right at the top of that scale. I just want everyone I know to come over and munch on Charlotte's cheeks, get her to giggle, and see how she can make your heart grow three sizes, just like the Who's did for the Grinch. And maybe she wouldn't have that effect on anyone but her immediate relatives, but MAN she has that effect on B and I!

It's strange to think that she won't remember all of the times that we lay on the floor together with her toys and her kitty and snuggle and laugh. (I say "kitty" because even though she really has 2 kitties, Dizzy won't go anywhere near her) I like to think, though, that all of those happy times will live in her heart. That they'll make her into one of those people who seems to have that internal glow of joy; one of those people who you know is cherished and therefore goes on to cherish others. The thought of any child, and obviously there are millions, growing up with anything less breaks my heart to such a degree that I literally can't even think about it.

At this point, she's basically sleeping through the night. And not because of formula or rice cereal or any magic trick (everyone claims to have a trick!). I think it's just because she was ready. And I pretty much think that's how it is with all of them - they do stuff when they're ready and not before.

We started her on rice cereal once a day on the doctor's recommendation and we've been doing it for three days now. The first two days she didn't really get it. She ate it fine, but she didn't really get the whole open-your-mouth thing and it took some coaxing. That changed last night though and she looked like a frantic little bird when that spoon emerged from the bowl. EVERY spoonful was met with all four limbs flailing and waving and the biggest open mouth you could imagine. It was absolutely hysterical.

She also decided yesterday that she could hold a bottle all by herself too. Her father and I take this as direct evidence that she is clearly a goddess and a genius. But...um... it pretty much takes almost nothing to re-convince us of that, so you can take the bottle-holding with the appropriate grain of salt.

Here are some other random anecdotes - more written here so that I will have a place to look back on and remember them, than for the fact that I have delusions that they will be interesting to all of you!

* If you look at her and open and close your mouth, it is absolutely the funniest thing she can imagine. We thought it would wear off after a while, but so far it hasn't.

*"Airplane Baby," where her father lifts her into the air and makes her fly towards you also inspires a manic happiness that makes me a little worried that one day she'll ask to do really dare devil things, like bungee jumping.

* She has shown great affection and love towards a little pink fleece blanket that my brother got for her. She holds it, chews it, and sleeps with it.

* She has turned into a HUGE busybody. She can't take more than a few sips of milk before she rips herself off of my body and cranes her neck around the room in case, GOD FORBID, she's missing something interesting. It's gotten to the point that even though she hears my voice all day long, if I talk on the phone while she's eating, she stops every two seconds to look at me. "Huh? What was that mommy? That sounded interesting. Maybe I should be contributing to this conversation."

* She still loves her baths just as much as she did the very first time we put her in the water at 2 weeks old. Now matter how long we keep her in there, it never gets tiring. Last time, I sat on the floor with my phone and searched the internet while she frantically kicked and splashed in the water until I made her get out.

* She has a disturbing love of television. And maybe all babies do at this age, I have no idea, but we have to face her toys away from the TV, and sometimes even have to walk into another room with her to get her attention if the TV is on.

* No matter how tired or grumpy she is, she will smile for both of her grandmas. Clearly she already knows how to work the system!

Home Grown Tomatoes presents...Snickered Up

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Home Grown Tomatoes is a weekly Vegan/Vegetarian column by Giovanina Bucci

The "Christmas Spirit" hasn't quite hit me yet, I don't know what it is this year? I mean, this year we're settled in our apartment, we can actually (sort of) afford to buy a few gifts, and we are going to enjoy the day with great friends. All things considered, I should be ho, ho, ho-ing 24/7. Not to mention, I have 10 days off from work! I'm hoping that after the tree goes up tonight, the smell of pine and the glow of the lights will set me straight.

Speaking of the tree... Last weekend I had mentioned to Beau that I'd really like to get our tree, so we can enjoy it for a couple of weeks...blah, blah, blah. Sunday night after I sang in the Master Chorale Christmas Concert, we decided it would be a good night for some hot sake. I waited patiently in our truck as Beau went into the grocery store to grab a bottle. The young man came out with 2 bottles of Sake, Ice Cream, Brussels Sprouts, and a Christmas Tree...how I adore him:) Also, this being further proof that we are geeky vegans, Brussels sprouts are a real treat!

Anyway, I must be on an "all things small and cute" kick. Geesh! (For those of you who skipped out on last weeks post, you'll see what I mean...) I've made these snickerdoodle cupcakes for various occasions, and they have been a hit each time! Plus, I made them in my 24 count mini-muffin tins (1 3/4" dia. by 3/4" deep), hence the "cute" factor. I stumbled upon this recipe during one of my surfing the Internet benders, I found it here.

Serving Size: Makes enough for 48 mini cupcakes or 12 regular sized cupcakes.

1 C. rice milk (or other milk/milk substitute)

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/3 C. (plus 2 tsp.) vegetable oil

1 1/4 C. flour

2 Tbs. cornstarch

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 C. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. orange extract

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbs. brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F) and grease or line your cupcake tins. Mix together the milk and vinegar, and set aside for up to 5 minutes. Then mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and white sugar.

In another bowl, mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar and the 2 tsp of vegetable oil. Finally, add the remaining oil and extracts to the milk/vinegar mixture and stir well. Combine wet and dry ingredients to form a smooth batter and pour into your muffin tins until about 3/4 of the way full. Spoon the cinnamon mixture into each cupcake (1/8 tsp or less, if you're making the minis, and 1/2 tsp if you're making the regular sized). Swirl it around with a toothpick and bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes. Once the cupcakes are cooled, they are ready for frosting...

The "Wing It" version of Vanilla Frosting

Begin with a 1/2 C of Earth Balance butter and 1 tsp. of vanilla extract. Add confectioner's sugar, a portion at a time until you get the consistency you like! And, that's about it...if you end up with too much frosting, you'll have to suck it up and eat it. I garnished with colorful sprinkles and served.

Speaking of snickers...I made some non-vegan chocolate chip cookies for Beau's dad's birthday, but made them extra festive by adding in bits of a Snickers bar, in place of some of the chocolate chips. YUM. Truthfully, I wanted to dive into the batter, head first. You could really use any candy bar for that matter; Butterfinger, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Crunch - we could go on forever here, people. You get the idea. They got the thumbs up from Beau's dad...here's a look!

You can use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe for these and add the flair, however you wish! Enjoy!

Disappearing Act

OK, I realize that this may be a little bit of a pot/kettle situation, but PEOPLE!!! Where are your holiday cards???? Usually we gets tons and this year there is ONE (from Ouiser, obviously). ONE CARD on the long, lonely mantle. I mean, it makes me feel quite a bit better about the fact that ours are late, but I was really counting on other people to be more on top of their game and decorate the mantle.



*Also, please note that the shelves have had their picture frames removed and now contain soft baskets filled with toys. The baby-proofing has begun!

Dramatic Backlit Kitty

B is having all kinds of fun with the new camera. He likes it so much that he's even branched out from taking pictures exclusively of animals to taking some human shots as well. But, let's be honest, the fancy new camera has also given him reason to take REALLY ZOOMED IN pictures of the hundreds of birds that flock to his bird feeder. This one of Miles was taken in the middle of one of the many aforementioned bird sessions.

Home Grown Tomatoes presents...

Pink Lemonade Tartlets

Home Grown Tomatoes is a weekly Vegan/Vegetarian column by Giovanina Bucci

I am a kid in a candy store...the potential of a "snow day" is knocking at my University office door. The anticipatory feeling of having a surprise day off brings me right back to being a child. Waking up early to snow falling, running into my parents room and jumping into bed to listen to the WIRY school closing list, fingers crossed. It's 15 years later...and nothing has changed. We're expecting 2 feet by tomorrow! Perfect for all things hot and sweet.

I'm not going to lie, sometimes I buy things because they are small and cute...like Coronitas (mini Coronas). Seriously, they only take about five gulps to finish, but they're just about the most adorable things, as far as beer goes (and you feel much less guilty for finishing a 6-pack!).

Anyway, these little pink lemonade tartlets are tipping the cuteness scale (not to mention, they're one bite wonders of sweetness). This recipe is another one I snagged from My Sweet Vegan. The only thing I would try and render next time is the use of cornstarch. Other than that, these are the right amount of sweet, colorful and fantastic for a fix without stuffing an entire piece of pie or cake down your throat (although I can't say I don't enjoy that sometimes...it's more so that my ass disapproves).

Makes 24 tartlets:

Crust

6 Tbs. butter (again, I use Earth Balance)

1/2 C. confectioner's sugar

1 Tbs. flax seed*

2 Tbs. water

1 1/2 C. non-bleached/non-enriched flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease mini-muffin pan(s).

I mixed the crust by hand and it still came out successfully (it's no surprise given my huge biceps, ha!). Nonetheless, if you have a mixer, do take advantage. Begin by mixing the butter and sugar. I used the Magic Bullet to grind down the flax seed and water, and then added that to the mix. Finally, add the flour, half at a time, and salt along with the second half. If you're dough is crumbly, add up to 2 Tbs. of water to moisten it up. Drop walnut-sized balls of dough into your muffin pans and press to make the shell. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Lemon Custard

1 C. of milk (I use Rice Milk)

2 Tbs. cornstarch

2 tsp. raspberry jam (go for an organic brand that is not made with corn syrup!)

1/3 C. confectioner's sugar

2 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 pint raspberries for garnish (optional)

Heat the milk on medium heat. As the temperature rises, add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously (2-4) minutes and watch as the mixture thickens considerably. Stir in the jam and sugar until mixed well. Finally, remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice. Fill your, now cool, shells and garnish with raspberries. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. And there you have it!

To make these even more festive, I think you could try different kinds of jams and garnishes: blueberry, strawberry, peach, etc. They are extremely easy to make and not at all time consuming. In other words, perfect to squeeze in for a holiday dessert amidst loud, runny-nosed children, hungry husbands, vacuuming tinsel, and the insanity of shopping. Enough said.

Enjoy!

*Flax seed is full of omegas and it can be used as an egg substitute in certain circumstances. It has a faint nutty flavor and is great for smoothies too!

The season has begun

We got our first dose of the Christmas season yesterday at the country club holiday party. Not only was it a really nice night with the family, but we accomplished my main goal of the evening, which was a family picture for the holiday cards that (until last night) I had not yet made or ordered. Oops.

It was looking precarious for a while as the little lady was melting down from over-stimulation and hunger, but once we got those two things under control it was success. Good thing too, it would have been a damn shame for all of that blow drying and make-up applying to have been a total waste. That shit is time consuming and needs to be documented when it happens! And since I can't very well put the picture here and negate the entire card, I'll still give you a few daddy/daughter shots.

Distracted thoughts on new parenthood

I realize that I haven't written much of anything about the arrival of our Miss Charlotte and it's obviously not because I have nothing to say, but more because I felt like it was more important to be experiencing our life change rather than documenting it. Plus, there's the overwhelming issue of time and the utter lack of it. Writing thoughtful entries requires calm and extended periods of quiet and with a new baby in the house and a husband who is tackling both a job and a masters program, that's not something that happens in spades around here. Periods of quiet have been used primarily for showering and cleaning.

But next week our little lady turns 4 months old and we'll officially (according to me, anyway) be out of the newborn stage. I understand now why they call the first 3 months the "fourth trimester." Her levels of alertness, neediness, playfulness, and everything else have been quite different these last few weeks and it's allowed a balance to slowly return to my life. And if there is ANY word that describes me, it's balance. I need it, I live it, I embody it, I require it. (Typical Libra)

I'm good at creating balance because it's inherently what I need, but it's also just a part of me. Ask anyone who knows me well and they'll tell you that I never stray too far in dramatic directions. I can be passionate and bold, but it's usually in a pretty level-headed kind of way. Anyway, I'm feeling very happy that the pendulum has swung back to the middle.

And it's not that I was in any way unhappy with these last few months, but the tricky part about being a new parent is that you've never done this before. You have no idea what to expect until you go through it and move past it. So it's nice to now have the wisdom that the first 3-4 months will be a little out of whack, but that things get really fun after that.

I felt the same way about labor - I had no idea how wonderful having our sweet baby in our arms would be, so it was not-at-all a motivating thought to help endure the labor and delivery process. Next time, it will be. Incidentally, my gift to all you mothers-to-be is to NEVER tell you about my experience with that little "process." Trust me, that's a WAY better gift than some stupid shower present I'd normally send. My card will say "Congratulations! Your gift is my silence. No thank you card required."

However, despite the sleep deprivation and the new parent learning curve, I will say that from the very beginning, having Charlotte here felt so natural. And not in that way where we had always wanted to be parents (though we had), but her presence (ironically) made life feel so complete and settled and therefore, calm. There hasn't been one part of our last six years together where I haven't felt like we were a little behind or a little transient or still had something else to do and I don't feel that way anymore. I feel like our life has really started. And, again, as counter-intuitive as it would seem, now that she's here and we're a family of three and not two, I feel like there's more room to expand our life, our ideas, our goals, etc.

The other really wonderful experience happened a few days after we got home from the hospital. I held her in my arms and I truly felt like our souls had gone back hundreds of years together. I felt like I was being reconnected with someone, not like I was meeting someone for the first time. I still feel that way and it's so reassuring.

As the past four months have gone on and Charlotte's personality has come out more and more, and we have gotten to know each other, I really feel as though she is such a perfect fit to our specific family. Not long after I told my dad I was pregnant he told me to focus on exactly what type of little soul we wanted for our family. So every night I would lay in bed and talk to the souls... I'd say that the main components to our family were joy and serenity. That laughter and lightness and joy were driving factors in both B and I, as well as our relationship. I said that we were allergic to drama and didn't need any of it. We had goals to have a big and complicated life (businesses, travel, more kids, etc) and that we needed someone who could really go with the flow of life and fit right in. I feel like that's just who Charlotte is and I'm so thankful. I hope that B & I can return the favor and be just the type of parents that she needs throughout the years.

Lastly I will tell you that if you've been lucky enough to never really experience anxiety (I had been so lucky, B had not), that parenthood will really dip you in that emotion. I remember having many humorous conversations over the years with people saying "Seriously, when do you get OLD? When do you go from us (i.e. hip, relaxed, etc), to them (not hip and really not relaxed)?" Apparently the answer is parenthood. I think B and I were parents for about 4 days before we looked at each other and laughed and said "So THAT'S why they're all so fucking crazy!"

Asleep on the hospital bed, 1 day old.

Playing in her exersaucer - 3 1/2 months old.

Christmas Cute

Thanks to gifts and a loaner dress that Feather Nester's papoose was too little to ever wear, our little lady has a whole host of outfits for her first Christmas. Thankfully she currently has four different holiday celebrations to attend, so every outfit will get it's rightful attention.

I, on the other hand, will be donning one of two sweaters that fit, combined with either the jeans that I was forced to buy or the pants that I button with hair ties so they'll close. Thanks baby weight ;)

Home Grown Tomatoes presents...Tight Pants and Baking

Thanksgiving Wrap-Up

Home Grown Tomatoes is a weekly Vegan/Vegetarian column by Giovanina Bucci

Before Thanksgiving I had a few pair of "work" pants to select from ...I'm officially down to one pair. Enter Thanksgiving gut and all garments with an elastic waist band. But man oh man, did we have a great long weekend, filled with games, laughter, entirely too much food, delicious Bloody Mary's, and a glass of wine or two.

This was my first full on Thanksgiving meal that I was completely in charge of (hence, the bossy looking picture above), from start to finish. My main focus in leading up to the big event...try like hell to get everything on the table hot. Mission accomplished. Now mind you I know there were only four us, but I cooked enough to feed an army, so I felt pretty proud of the delivery. I am not going to go into all the details, but I have to say there were a few crucial lessons and tips learned that I must share with you and then we can move on!

Sadly, I made the mistake of making "heavyish" appetizers, so by the time dinner rolled around, it was a matter of stuffing, rather than enjoying, the food. Keep those starters light, easy, quick, and painless. Let the meal itself be the reward and focus. And do not fry anything!

I spoke with my parents on Thanksgiving day and for the first time they spread their meal for 12 out over a 3 hours time span. Genius, I thought to myself. Soup. Dishes. Salad. Dishes. Main course. Dishes. Dessert can be enjoyed without a huge cleanup to deal with at the end and each course has been savored. Which, with a a meal that takes ALL day to cook, sometimes two, it damn well should be savored!

A quick menu rundown (for those of you who are dying to know what a vegan Thanksgiving looks like!)

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
Individually stuffed Acorn Squash (stuffed with traditional dressing)
"Dirty" Mashed Potatoes with a hint of Cilantro
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts
Fresh Cranberry Sauce laced with OJ, Gran Marnier, and Maple Syrup
Brussels Sprout Coleslaw (from the October Issue of Bon Appetit)
Steamed Green Beans with sliced Almonds
Vegetable Stock based Gravy


A couple of leftover tips:

Since none of us finished the entire squash we created our very own "pot pies". Filling each one with leftover mashed potatoes and gravy (on top of the leftover dressing inside of the squash). Yum. The following morning I made vegetarian sweet potato pancakes, which received good reviews from the egg eaters! Finally, what to do with the heap of cranberry sauce leftover? I layered crackers with cream cheese, fresh basil, cranberry sauce and small bit of dried apricot - now there is a worthy appetizer suggestion!

Phew. OK, now we're moving on. Scarlet Lily and I had a little chat about making the next few posts dessert oriented with MORE holidays around the corner. I'm just delving into the world of baking, so my individual creativity in coming up with fabulous desserts hasn't quite surfaced. However, I've made quite a few delights out of My Sweet Vegan, of which I will be posting my reproductions and the recipes (almost directly) from the book. First up...

Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling

I think these would be perfect for Christmas morning. Although they are referred to as "cupcakes", they are light and fluffy, and the curd adds a smooth, rich compliment. (This recipe also sheds a whole new light on "Instant Mashed Potatoes" by the way.) The other appeal (at least to me) is that they are not overly sweet. I find that breakfast danishes, pastries, and muffins tend to have an excessive amount of unnecessary sugar in them.

Serving Size: 12 Cupcakes

Lemon "Curd"

1/2 C. Instant Mashed Potatoes
1/2 C. Rice Milk (or your choice of milk)
1. Tbs. butter
1 fresh lemon worth of juice and zest
1/2. C. sugar

Begin by heating the potato flakes and milk on med/low heat until milk is absorbed. Add remaining ingredients until you reach a well mixed, smooth(ish) texture (like applesauce). Remove from heat and blend until the curd is smooth like pudding. It takes only a couple of minutes to make, but you want to prepare it a few hours ahead of time so it can set up properly.

Poppy Seed Vanilla Cupcakes

1 C. Rice Milk
1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 C. all-purpose flour (non-bleached and non-enriched)
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I used just a dash)
1/4 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. sugar
11/2 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together rice milk and apple cider vinegar and let stand for 5 minutes (this allows for the milk to curdle, don't be alarmed!). Mix all dry ingredients together (except for sugar and seeds) and set aside.

Meanwhile mix oil and sugar together, then add the milk/vinegar combination. At this point you can begin to slowly add your dry ingredients to the bubbly mixture of oil, sugar, milk and vinegar (be careful not to over mix). Finally, fold in the poppy seeds and vanilla. The batter will be very light and delicate...just what you want. Bake in the oven for 17 to 20 minutes (or until the 'ol toothpick comes out clean)!

In My Sweet Vegan, Hannah makes darling little curd filled heart shapes on top of the cupcakes. As you can see, I haven't mastered that aspect yet...note large curd overflow in pictures! I cut about a quarter sized hole out of the top of the cupcake (1/2" deep or so) and filled it right up, letting the curd spill over a bit, and then topped with lemon and orange zest. (And yes, you get to eat all of those "scraps" that you cut out!)

Well, hopefully the length of this beast didn't stress you out too much! There was just SO much to discuss...I hope you all had a great holiday. Most importantly I hope that you were able to spend some time with those you love!