Vegan Spritz Cookies

Always neat, uniformed, and perfect, spritz cookies are the classic holiday treat!  

Ingredients:

1 cup vegan butter, softened 

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar 

1 organic flax seed egg

1 t organic pure vanilla extract 

2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 t non-aluminum, non-GMO baking powder 

1/4 t sea salt 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add remaining ingredients and beat until well combined and smooth.

Insert dough into the cylinder with the desired die-plate design.

Fill the baking sheet with cookies and bake 10-12 or until edges start to turn brown.

Decorate the cookies when cool, or leave plain.

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Merry Berry Smoothie

Looking for a holiday smoothie to serve your guests in the morning?  Here it is!  I say, start the day enjoying a healthy energizing smoothie before indulging in the holiday treats!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic hemp milk

1/4 cup organic cranberries 

1/4 cup organic blueberries 

1/4 cup organic blackberries 

1/2 cup ice

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

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Vegan Cinnamon Pecan Rolls

This past Saturday my family held an early winter solstice gathering with friends.  Most of the food I made was round which represents the returning of the sun.

One of the desserts I made was these delicious cinnamon pecan rolls.  We enjoyed dessert with tea and the warmth of good friendships.

Ingredients for dough:

1 cup warm water 

2 t yeast

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar

1 t sea salt

2 flax seed eggs

4-5 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1 stick of vegan butter 

1 cup chopped pecans

Ingredients for frosting:

2 cups organic confectioners sugar

1/4 cup organic shortening

3 T 

1 t organic pure vanilla extract 

Method:

Butter a 10" pie plate; set-aside.

In a large bowl beat all ingredients until smooth.

If frosting is to thin, you can add more sugar, 1T at a time.

Method for dough:

Using a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water, let sit 5 minutes.  Mix in sugar, salt, and flax seed eggs.

Gradually add flour; dough should come clean from the sides of the bowl and add more flour if needed.  Knead dough for 5 minutes.  Let dough rest for 20 minutes.

While dough is resting melt butter, and chop pecans.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle that is approximently 24" to 30" by 16" wide.

Brush on the melted butter by using a pastry brush.  Sprinkle with cinnamon, then with the pecans.

Starting at the wide end, gently roll into a log.

Cut the cinnamon rolls into 1" pieces.

Place pieces into the buttered pie plate. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake the rolls for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool for 5 minutes before frosting.

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Vegan and Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

My daughter and I made these sugar cookies while listening to holiday music by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, just like I used to do with my mom when I was young.

Not only were we making cookies, we were also making memories and continuing a family tradition.

Ingredients for dough:

1 cup vegan butter 

1 cup organic pure cane sugar 

1 1/2 cups sorghum flour

1 1/2 cups organic tapioca starch 

1/2 t xanthan gum

3/4 t non-aluminum non-GMO baking powder

1/2 t sea salt 

1/4 cup organic vegan plain yogurt

Method: 

Line 2 large baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper; set-aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.  Set-aside.

Using a stand mixer beat butter, yogurt, and sugar until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the dry mixture into the butter mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.

Divide the dough in half, form into discs and wrap in saran.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove one disc from the refrigerator, keep the second one chilled until needed.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured cutting board.  

Cut out your cookies and place on the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.

Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.  Let all cookies cool completely before decorating.

Ingredients for frosting:

4 cups organic powdered sugar

1/2 cup vegan shortening 

1/4 cup water

1 t organic pure vanilla extract 

Food coloring, opitional 

In a large bowl, beat all ingredients together until smooth.

Frost and decorate cookies!

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Vegan Cranberry Sauce

Time to make the cranberry sauce!  Thanksliving wouldn't be the same without the cranberry sauce.

There is no reason to buy that jelly, tin-can shaped, faux, cranberry gunk. YUCK!  What even is that stuff?  I am sure it's a GMO and not organic for sure!

This year make your own. All you need are cranberries, water, and sugar.  I added an apple, which is totally opitional.

Ingredients:

1 eight ounce bag of organic cranberries 

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup organic pure cane sugar

1 medium organic apple, diced

Place cranberries, water, sugar, and diced apple in a medium sized pot.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to a simmer when cranberries begin to pop. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour sauce into a bowl and let cool completely; refrigerate 1-2 days so the cranberry sauce can set up properly.

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Chalkboard Paint Pumpkins

These aren't your typical pumpkins, there not round, fat, or for that matter orange!  I consider them an abstract version of the typical orange gourd.  You can use orange chalkboard paint; but to be honest, I had black already, so that's what I used.

Oh well, all I know is I am the only one in my neighborhood who has one, and I love that!  My neighbors can't run down the street to our local big box store and purchase one.  Mass produced goods are not appealing to me.  Come on people, let's be creative!  

Autumn is my favorite season and Halloween is my favorite holiday.  

This project will be among the first of many! So get ready for some unique craft projects!

Materials needed:

1 piece of 4x4 lumber (I repurposed some railing posts)

*My pumpkins are 1 foot tall, you can make them any height you prefer.

Saw (circular saw or a power miter saw makes it easier)

White spray paint 

Chalkboard paint (any color you prefer)

Paint brush

Thick branches

Drill

Screw (the double ended thread type like used on furniture or I used a deck screw)

Chalk or chalkboard markers

Ribbon (opitional)

Method:

Cut the 4x4 to your desired length.

Drill a hole in the top center for the screw that holds on the stem.

Spray with white spray paint, I used this as my primer.

Paint with chalkboard paint, several coats  will be needed.

Drill a hole in your branch.

When paint is dry, drive the screw into the hole in the top of the 4x4. If using a deck or wood screw, drive the screw in about half way then cut the head off right at the last thread (I used a dremel tool with cutoff wheel, but a hacksaw would also work).  This way you can thread the branch on from the top for the stem.  Add ribbon and display.

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