Breakfast

In the time of Facebook every moment of the day seems monumental and worthy of sharing. Do you care what I had for breakfast? Most likely not...but it made me smile. I thought about it....

Then I grabbed one of my tiny Japanese plates and had Sweet Potato Casserole...veggies are a very Japanese style breakfast...though I think the topping makes is more of an American style treat. 

Don't judge me. ::snort:: 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Leftovers and Games 2012

The above was a result of a really good idea I heard at MOPS. Invite families to come over and bring leftovers, play games...great fun....the house is already clean from company on Thanksgiving day. We planned to do this. I made an invite. I forgot to email the invite or give it out.  (Michael helpfully points out this happens more often when I'm taking the yellow pill! I'm also COLD all the time when I take the yellow pill.) In any event, I forgot. This frustrated me as this is our last Thanksgiving here and it would have been so fun.....

BUT I did invite the R family and they were happy to come over. We had a blast. VERY low key. I told them they know they are like family when we invite them over for leftovers and eat off  paper plates...and THEN I fed them a vegan Deep Dish Cookie Pie. 

The kids played flashlight tag with the neighborhood kids until we called them in. 

We ate. We visited. We signed the table cloth. Arielle will embroider the signatures (years are color coded). We bring this out every Thanksgiving and our only regret is that we didn't do several for various holidays...We decided to have the J family sign yesterday and the R family tonight because it's still Thanksgiving 2012 in our book. 

 We had a lot of fun looking at signatures from years' past...and this year...Zander signed his name in a new way - with a FLOURISH - as "Alex" and not Zander.

Nice and big Alex....Ah Lynn from Anchorage

Nolan seems to have taken pleasure in a complicated signature -
Tim from Anchorage, Debbie from San Angelo, Josiah grown up

We decided to play pictionary tonight. We divided into Gender Segregated teams and we hoped we could pull it out as it isn't a brainy game like trivia or scrabble. Michael and Jim have the distinct advantage in those sorts of games. The Awesomeness took on the Bearded Dragons....I'll leave you to decide which team was which. ::snort::

Stacia started us out drawing a crab - point 1 

Getting intense - even Yuuki is trying to help! ::snort:: 

Illegal blocking? I think not - loving caress me thinks.

Oh the gloating! 

And then we won! 

We had a blast with Jim, Marvie, Alex and Ashley.  We  wonder if we can start a "games" small group. ::snort::

And that Garbanzo Bean Deep Dish Pie.....the adults were skeptical but a picture is worth a thousand words...I'll be making this again - I wouldn't call it healthy but it is vegan and it is good!

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Deep Dish Cookie Pie (Vegan)

Totally vegan and really, really good (unless topped with ice cream). I made this tonight as I needed one more dessert for our "leftover" night. 

You won't taste the beans - even if you don't dress it up for a photo! 

Ingredients
2 cans of Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (500g)
1 C of Quick Oats
1/4 C unsweetened Applesauce
3 T coconut oil (oil of choice)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C Rapadura (or brown sugar or dates)
1 C chocolate chips (or more) 

Directions
Blend all but chips in a food processor - very well - you do not want chunks of beans in your cookie!

Mix in chips and pour into a well-greased 10 in spring form pan (or 9 in cake pan?).

Cook at 350* for 35-40 min. Let stand 10 min before cutting.

Note: 200 cal per slice instead of 700 on the original. You can make this sugar free with dates - check this out. 

Lickable dough - no eggs

Note - there is now a sugar-free version of this that is as yummy as this version.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

No Bake White Chocolate Cheesecake (food.com)

Another really easy, yummy dessert offering...I licked the beater but didn't have a slice. 

INGREDIENTS
1 9 in Crumb Pie Crust (any flavor)
1 C White Chocolate Chips
2 8 oz pkg of Cream Cheese
1 8 oz carton of Cool Whip

Strawberries, cherries etc to top. 

DIRECTIONS
Melt chips and stir until smooth.

Stir in cream cheese until smooth (I use my Bosch mixer).

Fold in Cool Whip.

Pour into crust.

Cover and refrigerate - overnight is best - until set.

Top with berries as you would a shortcake.

Note: I've been told you can whip coconut milk and use it in place of cool whip. I know it would work for a topping - not sure how it would work IN a pie like this.....still not sure what to do about the cream cheese.  This is not vegan. ::grin:: I also feel compelled to say this is not a cheesecake. For authentic cheesecake recipes click the recipe tab and scroll through sweets. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Peanut Butter Pie (Food.com)

This is NOT vegan and I really have no clue how to adapt it while living over here where cream cheese and cool whip substitutes are not available...but it went quickly. LOL 

INGREDIENTS
1 Graham Cracker Crust (I make one with Oreos/Newman O's)
1 8 oz pkg of softened Cream Cheese
1 8 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 C Peanut Butter
1 C Cool Whip

DIRECTIONS
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in milk and continue beating until smooth. Add in Peanut Butter, you know the routine...beat until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour in crust for at least 2 hours.   Cover with more cool whip and chocolate shavings if you like.

Originally from food.com.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Coulibiac Recipe (Vegan)

This was YUMMY! My special holiday meal treat.  Makes 10 - 12 servings. I believe it's Russian in origin.  This is supposed to be made in a spring form pan but I didn't have an 8 1/2 in pan....I used a 9 in deep dish pie plate instead. I'll just write this as I made it. 

Filling

1 tsp fennel 

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 T plus 2 tsp olive oil

1/2 small head green cabbage, finely shredded (6 cups)

20 oz mushrooms, chopped (8 Cups)

1 T fresh sage or 1 tsp dried

salt and pepper to taste

2 C peeled, slice parsnips

1 T fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried

2 C cooked brown rice

1 pkg (17 1/4 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tsp water or milk (I did not use the egg, brushed the crust with almond milk and it was brown enough)

Add optional veggies: 

Roasted Red Pepper

Olives

Onions

Heat 1 T oil over medium heat. Add garlic, fennel and salt and stir fry 1 minute. 

Add cabbage and stir until coated. Cover and cook 2 minutes until wilted and bright green. Transfer to bowl and set aside. 

Heat 1 T oil in skillet, add mushrooms, sage, salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms soften, about 8 min. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Heat remaining 2 tsp oil over medium heat, add parsnips and thyme and cook - stirring often - about 5 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375. Unfold one puff pastry sheet and place on lightly floured board. Roll into a 14 inch circle. Transfer dough to UNGREASED 8 1/2 in spring form pan and press gently to fit into bottom and side. There will be overhang. I used pie plate. 

Spoon 1/2 rice over pastry.  Layer mushrooms over rice, then cover with cabbage, remaining rice and parsnips. Carefully fold pastry overhang over filling. 

Unfold second pastry sheet. Roll out slightly, cut out a circle to fit top. Place dough over top and press edges to seal. Brush top with almond milk (or egg wash). Slash top with pattern. 

Bake 35 - 40 min. When well browned, cover top with foil. Reduce heat to 350*; remove side of pan and brush side with wash (opt). Bake until sides are golden about 40 min more. 

Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Serve with Red Wine Gravy if wanted. I skipped the gravy. 

I'll be making this again with a variety of veggies and seasonings. It's a winner from Vegetarian Times. 

Choosing Joy!

©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Thanksgiving 2012

We had a great Thanksgiving. We had good friends over to celebrate. We invited a neighbor girl in for dinner and to play games with us. We felt bad we didn't think to invite her over for lunch, but she enjoyed her plate of food afterwards.  

We had all the traditional favorites and a few extras....

Turkey made from veggies

Coulibiac -  yummy! Vegan. 

Best part of dinner was the company

Then we played Mafia....ah the personality quirks that game brings out! ::snort:: 

We were happy to have Autumn (next door neighbor) join us for games

Steve's evil look of success

Father/Son moment

Sleeping Town awaiting the Mafia

Stacia caught in the act of "killing" Nolan

Beautiful colors in this lovely hostess gift

After it was all over, and the guests had gone home...Michael poured me a cup of sparkling cider and I sat and thought....and realized this is our very last Thanksgiving in Misawa. We will miss Japan. We will miss our friends. This year we miss friends who have moved, family and friends who aren't here....but one day we'll all be together forever....that big PCS in the sky. ::grin:: 

In many ways this holiday snuck up on me with traveling and my flu....but really, isn't every day Thanksgiving?  It was a lovely day.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...