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Happy New Year and New WebsiteHi all! Just a quick today to wish everyone a happy new year and point you towards my new website: joannavaught.com. Update your bookmarks and head over there to grab the new site feed. In the next couple of days, this site will redirect to new site automatically, but unless you subscribe to the new feed, you won't be getting notification of new entries. The new site was designed by the brilliant Amber Karnes . She did a beautiful job for me, and she can do the same for you! Best wishes for the new year.
Cookies and Mulled WineAround here, we get more excited about the homemade treats in the Christmas stockings than we do about presents under the tree. I wanted to share with you three of my no-fail Christmas recipes. The cookie recipes are veganized versions of recipes out of my mom's cookbooks. I'm not much of a baker, so once I find a cookie recipe that's easy and produces delicious results, I just use it over and over again. I prepare and serve mulled wine out of a crockpot because I'm lazy, and after a glass of warm wine, I can't be bothered to keep checking on a pot on the stove. If you happen to leave this on overnight, no big deal! Turn it off and then switch it back on again at cocktail hour. Have a happy holiday season. Roll Out Gingerbread Boys makes 2 or 3 dozen, depending on cookie cutter size 1/4 cup shortening or coconut oil 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 3/4 cup molasses 1/3 cup cold water 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Cream together shortening, brown sugar, and molasses. Stir in water and set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Mix flour mixture slowly into molasses mixture. Divide dough into two portions and wrap each portion with wax paper or parchment and chill for at least two hours. Take out one portion, keeping the other portion cool until you roll it out. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with medium-sized, floured gingerbread cookie cutters. On greased baking sheets, bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks before decorating. Store decorated cookies in an airtight container with sheets of wax paper between the layers. Coco Nutty Cookies makes about 3 dozen 1/2 cup Earth Balance spread 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup cane sugar 1 egg replacer (I use a flax egg) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 3/4 cup organic oats 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries 1/2 cup flake coconut 1/2 cup slivered or chopped almonds 1/2 cup chopped pecans Cream together Earth Balance, sugars, egg replacer, and vanilla. Add flour, oats, baking powder, and salt, and mix well. Stir in raisins, coconut, almonds, and pecans. Drop by teaspoon onto greased baking sheets and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes. Transfer from baking sheets to cooling racks immediately upon removing from oven. These are best when they're still warm. Store in an airtight container with a piece of bread to keep them soft. Crockpot Mulled Wine 1 1/2 liters of red wine 1 medium orange or large lemon 2-3 cinnamon sticks 2 tablespoons whole cloves 1 whole nutmeg 3/4 cup sugar Pour bottle or bottles of wine into a large crockpot and set on low. Cut your citrus fruit in half and squeeze directly into the wine, then add the squeezed fruit rind to the pot. Add cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Cover and simmer wine for at least 20 minutes, then add the sugar. Stir in well. Simmer for another 10 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. Strain the wine and serve immediately. Return leftover strained wine to the crockpot and keep on low.
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