Caramel Apples

We celebrated the arrival of the best month, October, by making homemade caramel apples. I used the A+ Caramel Apples recipe from Plant-Powered Families. I was surprised at how quick and easy it is to make your own vegan caramel! The kids loved this special autumn treat.

While I had the cookbook at hand, I also made the Best Banana Bread to use up a couple of brown bananas. The browner the better, for banana bread!

We also made some spider hats. I have never been crafty but I am slowly becoming a Mama Who Crafts thanks to Pinterest and my kids' love of fun little projects like this one.

Tony got back in town after being in Baltimore all week for business, and we were both craving pizza. So we had a family catch-up lunch at Rounders. We started with a Greek salad and complimentary garlic rolls while enjoying the perfect patio weather.

Jalapeno pizza, so good! Rounders might just be as good as Home Slice, but without the long wait for a table.

Baking Practice

More baking practice today with Olivia. She's into it. She says she is going to open a bakery when she grows up. Ah! That would be nice.

Today we made salted caramel cupcakes. Salted caramel is everywhere right now, it seems like. For the frosting, you make real caramel on the stovetop, then mix in powdered sugar. I think these are our best cupcakes yet.

We had breakfast-for-dinner: tofu scramble (cubes this time, which I think I actually prefer!), and Vegan Diner biscuits and sage gravy. This was my first time ever having biscuits and gravy! I am a fan!

My biscuits rose. Woohoo!

Reading also takes practice.

Dressing like a princess helps with memorizing sight words. Fact.

Toy Trains and Stuff

It was cold today, but I had to run a few errands, so we bundled up and headed out.

We picked up some snacks along the way, mostly because we had never seen them before and wanted to give them a try. Alive & Radiant Kandy Kale, salted caramel flavor. These are really low in sugar, but taste super sweet like candy! Also Ayala's Herbal Water, which had a spicy, chai tea aftertaste.

We also stopped by the bookstore and spent some time at the train table.

For dinner I made 15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta from Oh She Glows. This is the kids' favorite and Tony and I love it too!

Christmas 2014

Is it too late for a Christmas recap? Sorry for my absence, but I am battling a cold that has turned into bronchitis. I think I am finally turning the corner. I hope so...I don't want to start the new year sick!

On Christmas morning, the kids crept downstairs before sunrise to see what Santa had brought for them.

The first present Olivia opened was a new Elsa gown, which she immediately changed into.

Jackson sorted his stuff into a pile and went into a frenzy of tearing wrapping paper.

Legos and more Legos for our master builder.

Olivia's favorite present was a Lalaloopsy doll that, um, poops charms.

While we opened our gifts, Monster enjoyed tearing the stuffing out of his annual sacrificial stuffed toy.

Beginning the assembly. This would become an all-day project.

Pooping charms!

After awhile my parents came over bearing more gifts.

More assembly.

Jackson's gift from my parents, a wrestling cage match.

Showing Grandma her new dolls.

While the kids enjoyed some grandparent time, Tony and I put together the feast. We had tarragon green beans, homemade applesauce, maple dijon roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes topped with pecans and Dandies marshmallows, baked beans, broccoli rice casserole (from Cookin' Crunk), rolls, mashed potatoes, creamy sage gravy (from Vegan Diner), and corn. There were also ham slices. I was very pleased that everything was vegan this year except for the ham.

The gravy was a highlight for me. I could eat mashed potatoes and yummy gravy all day long, and this is one of the best gravies I've made. It was very black peppery and I am going to try it with biscuits next.

For dessert I made Vegan Richa's salted caramel chocolate pie. YOU GUYS. Make this pie! It's a no-bake pie, so I made it the day before and just stuck it in the freezer. Since I was already sick by this point, I was thrilled that it took so little effort. I thawed the pie for an hour before serving and then kept it in the fridge for the next few days while we finished it off. It maintained a perfect, creamy consistency. The layers of nutty, chocolatey crust, creamy salted caramel, and rich chocolate ganache are just heaven.

After a feast like that, it was time for relaxing in front of the fireplace. Do you like our double Yule log action?

Hope you had a merry Christmas!