Your Vegan Mom

Black-Eyed Peas

 
Here in the Jaconi Biery household, we most definitely subscribe to the superstitious tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day.  While this has not, thus far, brought us overwhelming prosperity, it does provide a nice healthy kick-start to the year.  I consider our New Year's Day feast of smoky black-eyed peas and zesty greens and brown rice and corn bread to be a goodbye to the ridiculous excess (Frozen Christmas cookies for breakfast.  I definitely did not feed my children that.  Don't tell their father.) of the previous weeks and a hello to the abundance of good intentions that a new year brings. 

How about you?  What do you eat on New Year's Day?

Crockpot Tapioca and the Art of Cookbook Pairing

Are you done shopping?  I have one more present to make and one more to buy.  (I'm not whittling legos.)   

We've really been enjoying Kathy Hester's new cookbook, The Vegan Slow Cooker, lately, and I was thinking that a thrift store crockpot and this book would make such a nice little gift set.   That, of course, got me to thinking about all the other cookbooks I love and how to turn them into tidy little packages, like -  

• Hannah's beautiful new book, Vegan Desserts: Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season and silicone baking mats or a pastry bag or a classic cookie cutter or a madeleine pan, actually this one could be more a lavish baking basket than a humble pair, oh but packed into a baking pan or big ol' mixing bowl rather than a basket
• Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (or the whole grain version, but I haven't had a chance to check that one out) and a dough bucket
• Cook Food and a cast iron skillet (perfect for someone just figuring out how to feed themselves)
• Clean Food and a bottle of ume plum vinegar (for the healthy-inclined)
• Ratio and a kitchen scale (for the scientific-minded, or someone wanting to move beyond recipes)

What else?  What cookbook pairings would you suggest?

Chocolate Pecan Cookie Pies

Or pie cookies.  But I think cookie pie is more fun to say.  Try it.  

I am lagging behind on all this holiday business.  Yesterday I ordered my cards.  Today I bought stamps.  And then it all rapidly accelerated in a blur of preschool sing-alongs, Christmas cookies, present making, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Suddenly the Elvis Christmas CD never stops and neither does the Santa talk.  

So the festive season has officially begun at my house, and I am ready for this Virtual Vegan Holiday Dinner hosted by Marly and Allyson.  I signed my name in the pecan pie slot, but at this time of year I prefer a small hand-held treat, something that will work on a cookie tray or wrapped up as a little gift for the neighbors.  I prefer a Chocolate Pecan Cookie Pie.  

It's the delicious goop of the pecan pie and the gooey middle of the chocolate chip cookie smacked together with a shot of bourbon and then contained in a flaky little wrapper so that you can nibble on them daintily at this virtual soiree.

Happy Holidays indeed.

Hot Dog Reuben

I call myself your mom, and yet I give you nothing but junk food.  I keep meaning to do better, but I'll be honest, I've looked at the roster for the rest of the year, and it's not looking good.  Perhaps it will be a New Year's Resolution?  I assure you my own children don't eat near as much junk as I feed you.