Pumpkin x 2

I love fall. I love the scent in the cool air. I love the falling leaves. I love the foods of fall. Specifically, pumpkin. Now, I have recently found that some people do not like pumpkin (sinners!), and I do not understand that concept. Does not compute. At this time of year, I live on pumpkin pie. I have an IV of pureed pumpkin hooked up to my arm as we speak (type, whatever). I kid, of course, but I do really, really love pumpkin. Last week we had our monthly office birthday party, and we decided to have a potluck and cake. I always bring a dessert, because if I don't, there won't be any celebrating for me, the lone vegan. I don't care if there is nothing else for me to eat, just so long as I have the sweets in my mouth. Incidentally, there was plenty of veggie-friendly food, as a good friend of mine made vegetarian chili and there were plenty of vegetables and fruits to eat as well. I ate like a king. And I had dessert too, because I made it. I bought a jumbo can of pumpkin and did not want any to go to waste. So I made a pumpkin pie and pumpkin pie brownies. Both were a hit.


Not the best photo. I experienced a wee bit of panic when I realized about 15 minutes before party time that I had not taken pictures of my food. So I hauled ass into the break room to conduct an impromptu photo shoot.

By golly, these are some of the bestest brownies ever. Very fudgy and pumpkiny. A pumpkin-hater deemed these brownies, "just okay." Everyone else was too busy chewing and moaning with pleasure to give their opinion. See our ugly-ass wallpaper in the background? The whole kitchen is like a fruit bowl exploded.

Oh, and I stayed perfectly faithful to both recipes. Why modify a good thing?

Chocolate, Chocolate Everywhere

Last week, the local fruits and veggies stand opened for the season on the town square. It's a small, family-operated stand very conveniently located a short walking distance from my office. A co-worker and I walk down there a few times a week, and last week was the first this year. I was eagerly anticipating their juicy apples and big green zucchini. I got some of their juicy Granny Smith's, but their zucchini were far from big. I guess they jumped the gun when it came to picking them, because they were very...miniature. The price was right, though, and they gave me a lot for it, so all was well. I toyed with different zucchini bread recipes, and even some zucchini cookies. I wanted something different. I wanted...brownies. Zucchini brownies. I found a recipe here that was very highly rated. I only made a half recipe, baked at about 30 minutes. They are very chocolate-y, and very moist. They are a more cake-like brownie, but I won't hold that against them. I didn't frost them either, they were rich enough without it.

Undercover lovers, Zucchini and I. He's nowhere to be seen (or tasted). You only feel his very moist presence. Dirty.

Sticking with a chocolate-y theme, I made chocolate ice cream. I prepped it all last night, blending everything and sticking it in the fridge to chill. I used the recipe from Veganomicon, as it has never let me down. After chilling overnight, it was a perfect pudding. I was tempted to stop right there and have fudgey pudding for breakfast, but I stayed focused, and continued on with the ice cream makin'. I cranked it for about 20 minutes in my machine, then put it in the freezer to firm up further. That's where it currently waits.

Smooth.

My last endeavor for the morning was to fulfill a request: to make more Oatmeal Raisin (Chocolate Chip) Cookies like last week.

Once again, pure perfection. Officially "The Best Damn Oatmeal Raisin Cookies EVER."

Bake-A-Palooza: Day 1

Five straight hours of baking. Five hours of sugar and 80's music. This was the beginning of the Christmas baking season. Today I managed to knock out three varieties of cookies and some brownies. I had two pans of brownies, but sadly, the second pan didn't turn out well. I scalded the chocolate, therefore giving them that burnt taste. In my (careless) defense, I was on the phone at the time (multi-tasking!). I started out with a full batch of these pecan sables that I have made previously. I did add some chopped pecans in addition to the ground pecans. Made a big difference flavor-wise. The end result all wrapped up and ready to go in the mail (the picture was an afterthought):

I had my cookie agenda planned out last weekend, but on an impulse last ngiht I decided to try the Rumnog Cookies from V-con. Only I had no rum. So they are more like Rum(less)nog Cookies. I briefly toyed with the names, "Noggies" and "Nookies." Both sound kind of dirty. The cookies are pretty though, and have a nice spice to them. Instead of plain ole s'milk, I used Silk Nog, and also used it in place of the rum.

Preeeeeety. Now, this is the point in which the phone rang, and I was distracted during the entire time I made the Ginger Sparkle Cookies from VWaV and the brownies. Only the brownies suffered. I made the Ginger Sparkle Cookies earlier this year for my co-worker's and they sucked them down. I expect more of the same this time.

Here's another pic of my multi-tiered cooling racks; a must-have when you have no counter space.

I had already started wrapping the cookies up in clear plastic wrap when I remembered that we had colored wrap from the previous year. I know blue and pink aren't Christmas-y, but it will have to do. The "Noggies" waiting to be packed away.

The gang altogether. Ignore my trash can. Please.

Brownies fresh outta the oven, pre-cut. These were the only survivors. They weren't so pretty when I packed them up in foil though. These are the the same as the brownies I posted before. Once I find something I like, I tend to get in a rut. A yummy rut.

Slightly underbaked. Maybe by a few minutes. It just makes them fudgier.

I had planned on making two more types of cookies today, but I went out this afternoon and didn't feel like making anymore today. Tomorrow there will be more. Oh, there will be. There can't be a Day 1, without a Day 2.

Brownies

Brownies. Unassuming, no frills. The perfect balance between fudge and chocolate cake. It is hard to find a good non-cakey vegan brownie. You know, the brownie that dreams are made of. I have been on a brownie kick lately, and have been dying to try to perfect the vegan brownie. I think I may have came close. In my mind, I hit the nail on the head, but I will have to wait for all the opinions to come in. While still warm, they were chocolatey, and slightly cake-like. After they have completely cooled, they are a hunk of fudgey heaven.

There they are in the pan, after the initial massacre straight out of the oven. It was beautiful.

Here they are close-up, in all their fudgey glory. The recipe was based on the sour cream cookies I made a couple of months ago. I used an Endangered Species chocolate bar and threw in some walnuts, and of course used Tofutti Better than Sour Cream. They're dreamy.