Quiet around here the last couple days. The new puppy is keeping us on our toes. I have been working on braiding rag rugs and have just discovered my new copy of "Vegetarian Times" (Feb 2010 edition) in the stack of mail.

"God loved the birds and invented trees. Man loved birds and invented cages." -- Jacgues Deval, Afin de vivre bel et bien

Ode to Almond Butter

Yesterday, I baked. I was flipping through one of my cookbooks ("Table for Two" a dairy and egg free cookbook) and was debating on making the recipe for peanut butter cookies (vegan at that). But instead of using good old fashioned peanut butter I went to another pantry favorite of mine- almond butter. I discovered it while living at a youth camp where I worked as finding new ways to keep things on hand that were meat-free and tasty. I started using it part of the time on my pancakes instead of peanut butter (a family favorite) and even got my foreign vegetarian roommate embracing it on pancakes as well. The cookies turned out great and just the right amount when you are cooking for yourself. Of course everyone else in my family looked at me like I was nuts making cookies without butter or eggs. Yummy.

"God made all the creatures and gave them our love and our fear,

To give sign, we and they are His children, one family here".~Robert Browning

Thanksgiving Lull and Leftovers Jump Start the Christmas Season

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and all through the house not a person is cooking, not even a roast. Leftovers abound from yesterday’s feast. Stuffing and gravy, crackers and cheese. It’s that time of year where much of America is enjoying the leftover lull of the day after Thanksgiving and filling the stores for the biggest shopping day of the year. No cooking is going on in my house today, by anyone. There are plenty of things left to reheat or just enjoy straight from the fridge.

Of course now that Thanksgiving is behind us the Christmas season starts into full swing. (I am so glad I wasn’t anywhere near a store today to deal with the crowds and people. It was enough just to see the clips of people shopping at 5am this morning trying to scope out the best deals.) Christmas decorations will start to be pulled this week and I have started menu planning for our Christmas Eve Gathering as well as Christmas dinner . We always have friends and family over Christmas Eve for an Open House type deal with an appetizer type spread. It’s nice to just sit back and spend time with each other the night before the big day. My grandparents come over, a friend sating back to elementary school and her husband and kids, as well as other assorted family and friends. Bring on the Christmas season. (Just keep me away from the crowded malls with screaming kids and determined bargain hunters.)

Here’s to hoping the season is grand. Cheers!

Check me out here: http://www.VegSpace.com/greenapple

In the words of Alex Poulos: "I will not eat anything that walks, runs, skips, hops or crawls. God knows that I've crawled on occasion, and I'm glad that no one ate me."