Recipe 67 - Mini Pies, and a Morning Surprise!

Well Happy 2013!
I'm on the last year of my veganizing 100 recipes journey and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each of you that have been journeying with me!   I've reached my 2 year veganniversary and found some yummy recipes I used to love and have had fun making them my own and sharing them with my friends (some who have decided to become vegan too!)  I hope I'm making a difference out there in your lives, whether you've had my cooking or not.  Here's to a more healthy and compassionate way of eating in 2013!

Now, let's get to the veganization!

We went mini - mini pies to be exact!
Let's review.   Jen bought me a mini pie baker, we are saving mini ponies, it's New Year's eve and we gotta celebrate!  (No, I didn't invite a mini pony to my house, but how cute would have that had been?)

So - I started out with the pie crust on Sunday because according to my grandma, your grandma, everyone's grandma and the internet, you should always chill a pie crust before rolling it out.  Now, I don't know 100% sure if it really matters, but you can't argue with a grandma!  (Well, you can but you might feel really guilty later.)  So, that's what I did.  I whipped up the crust in no time flat, rolled it into a ball and chilled it.   Then, the next day - I cut them!  :)  I added the little designs on top.  ;)

I had planned to make two cherry and two apple. I personally do not like apple pie, but my comrade does, so the idea was that I'd eat both cherries and she'd have the apples.  Now, I've eaten my cherry pies, but I think she's hoarding her apple pies.   No matter.

I went to town with the fruit fillings.
I had to do the goo for the apple seperately, but even though slightly a pain, I made a nice cherry goo cooking my cherries and adding some thickeners.  (Cherries will burn you quickly, those suckers get HOT!)   Then I threw my cut up apples into a bowl to seperate them into the crusts and went on to make the apple goo.

Moments later (and of course following every step in my mini pie baker book), the crusts were ready to go in.  I was a little scared of this process because you had to do it with bare hands, and I could only imagine how hot that surface was - the book even said "DON'T LET CHILDREN PERFORM THIS STEP!"   Well, I'm not a child, and my mommy wasn't there to help me, so I took a deep breath and placed those suckers in.. the crust sheilded me from any burns, but I had to get my fillings in fast as the crusts were already starting to bake! Filled up, then topped, and they were ready to press. 10 mins folks and I had four beautiful pies.

MmmMMMMmmm..

So, I cooled them off and prepared for my evening.
And it was a yummy evening as well!  I made a wonderful dinner of "crab" cakes w/ tartar sauce, baked mac and "cheese", and a spring mix with cherry tomatoes and dressing.
My comrade and I enjoyed some champagne, a documentary about pit bulls, and a board game, which didn't get really funny until she had to perform a cat-walk walk with a blue feathered cat bed on her head.  ;)
I had my cherry pie in between all this, with a nice scoop of "So Delicious Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream".
So, at midnight I kissed my girl Pippen, then went through the house kissing the rest of my kids and headed off to bed shortly thereafter.
It was a nice evening.  I'd not trade it for the world.   :)

To be fair though, I have to mention what I had planned for breakfast the next morning.   I had no hangover, but this would have been great hangover food, however - it was my veganniversary breakfast.  I was celebrating, might as well keep the celebration going!

I made, what I like to call AvoVeggs Benedict.
If you'll recall, I made a Benedict in 2011, but due to the sheer fact that this one was different - (not to mention absolutely too amazing to leave out)  I'm also going to add this recipe to my cookbook. 
So, we celebrated too, the next morning with benedicts and mimosas (try doing kundalini yoga, tipsy - I know, I shouldn't have done that). 

My New Year holiday was wonderful, which means 2013 is going to be wonderful too! 
However, I do have to take a small hiatus.  I literally have no money for groceries this week so - my next recipe is going to have to wait until payday again.
What are we doing for January though?
Just THAI to figure it out. ;)

Have a great week folks, and I'll check back in soon!
Happy New Year!


Music Enjoyed While Blogging:
Christmas Music on Sheri's Shoobop?

Current Craving:  Sushi

Current Motivation:  Making you wonder about the Thai food I'm challenging myself with. ;)