Final 2011 Cookie Baking Weekend

I'm done baking Christmas cookies! I made 12 varieties, 405 total. And I'm officially sick of cookies.

I decided to keep the Orange Pecan Squares in the roster because I've had a few and actually really like them. The dense texture is still a turn-off, but the taste is good. And honestly...I can't bear to make any more. I bought ingredients for no-bake Swedish Chocolate Balls but then hit my cookie-baking limit. So the Orange Pecan Squares will have their day on my cookie trays after all.

This past weekend I made Chocolate Chocolate Chip Walnut from Veganomicon. I'd made the Orange Chocolate Chocolate Chip variety this summer, and the walnut version was just as delicious. They're chocolaty, chewy, and full of chocolate chips, with a slightly salty, nutty taste from the toasted walnuts. A winner!

Next I made Hazelnut Fudge Dreamies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. Oh...these really are dreamy. The puffy shortbread cookies made of hazelnut liquor and toasted hazelnuts are fabulous on their own, as was the dough I couldn't stop eating.

The fudge filling is a rich ganache made of semisweet chocolate chips, soymilk, extract, margarine, and more hazelnut liquor. The finished little sandwich cookies are somewhat difficult to eat but fancy and absolutely amazing. These might be my favorite cookies this year.

I also made Chewy Chocolate Raspberry Cookies from Veganomicon. These have a pretty crackle on top when they're baked and are soft, chewy, and full of chocolaty raspberry goodness. Another winner!

Finally, I made Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. The peanut butter oatmeal cookie is good enough, but the salty peanut topping makes these really great.

My final list is

1. Peppermint Chocolate Chip
2. Citrus Glitters
3. Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles
4. Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows
5. Lazy Samoas
6. Frosted Sugar Cookies
7. Gingerbread Men
8. Hazelnut Fudge Dreamies
9. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Walnut
10. Chocolate Raspberry
11. Peanut Butter Oatmeal
12. Orange Pecan Squares

This week I'll be packaging them up as gifts before putting the rest on cookie trays for family meals on Christmas Eve and Day. I hope by then I'll have my cookie appetite back so I can enjoy some too!

2011 Cookie Baking Weekend 3

Eight kinds of cookies baked after this past weekend...but one batch may not make it onto my cookie trays and gift bags.

First I made Lazy Samoas from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. How can you go wrong with a toasted coconut cookie dipped and dripped in chocolate? You can't! This may be the best cookie dough around. Consequently, the total cookie count was sacrificed due to many tablespoons of dough going right into my tummy. Oops! Here's the delicious cookie pre-chocolate-coated.

And here are the finished Samoas in all their glory. Mmmm!

Next I made Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies. I know--chocolate chip cookies for the holidays seems a bit like cheating because you can make them in your sleep. But it's amazing what one small teaspoon of mint extract does to regular ole' chocolate chip--it elevates them to holiday cookie tray status. I made these last year, and many people told me it was their favorite. I agree, especially when they're warm and gooey right out of the oven. Recipe here.

I felt like a little kid after a day of baking these two cookies because my belly hurt from eating the dough and fresh-from-the-oven cookies!

I gambled on the third cookie of the weekend and made a recipe not from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar or a recipe from other well-known vegan cooks. I tried the Orange Pecan Squares from the December 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times. I love orange and was curious about the orange pecan combo...but I should have been known better when I saw there wasn't any baking powder or soda in the recipe. The ingredients were minimal: flour, processed pecans, margarine, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla. When I mixed the dough, it was dry and crumbly so I added some soymilk to make it form logs. I chilled the logs, cut off slices and baked them, then coated them with a glaze made of powdered sugar and orange juice.

They were...okay. The flavor was good but they were extremely dense with an odd texture. I actually thought to myself that these cookies were what omnivores would expect of vegan cookies: dry, a little weird, and just okay. When my husband tried one, he said pretty much the same thing! So now I have 35 of these in my freezer with a decision to make. Do they deserve a place on my gift trays and gift bags, or should I keep them for myself and feature only the spectacular cookies I know people will love?

This week I'll be reviewing my cookie list and seeing if I can find a good replacement in the event I don't give these out. Next week will be my final baking weekend!

2011 Cookie Baking Weekend 2

Another weekend of Christmas cookie baking excitement!

First up: Citrus Glitters. I made these last Christmas and a few other times this past year. They're soft, buttery cookies with a hint of citrus (thanks to citrus zest) and a sugary shell. They're wonderful.

Next up: Chocolate Peanut Butter Pillows. Oooooh....yeah! These are probably the best cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and have made many cynical omnivores cry, "I BELIEVE vegan cookies can be good!" Mixing up two separate doughs (the peanut butter filling and the chocolate cookie exterior) and putting them together is a bit of work, but it's not too bad, especially considering how worth it they are. The first time I tried one, with the peanut butter filling still warm from the oven, I nearly toppled to my knees in bliss. And the best part: you can find the recipe here! (Sidenote: I've said this before, but these cookies only work when you strictly follow the instructions. I know someone who tried to substitute regular milk for the soymilk, and they didn't turn out.)

Finally, I made good ole' Roll-and-Cut Sugar Cookies. This is probably the last time I will make these because they were a total pain in the butt! Armed with a giant canister of holiday cookie cutouts I just bought, I was really excited when I first started making these. The buttery vanilla dough is simply addictive. It has to chill overnight, and I couldn't stop going to the fridge and breaking off little chunks of dough.

Then I started to roll out the dough...and remembered how hard it is to get a uniform depth. I couldn't quite get it right, and some of my cookies were a little uneven. And then, of course, cutting them out and transferring them to the baking sheets was an exercise in patience. This year, I did remember to cook them less before they barely browned so that they'd be a little chewier instead of crispy.

I was sick of them before I'd even started decorating them, so I was not in jolly holiday spirits as I mixed up the decorating icing. I did minimal decorating, but even that was too much for me. I think the trees turned out cute. The stockings are a little blah. They tasted very good, but next year I'll leave them off my baking list.

 

2011 Cookie Baking Weekend 1

Last weekend I started my holiday cookie baking. I'll be making 11 kinds total, most from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.

I made Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles, which were a big hit and most people's favorite last year. Cayenne pepper adds an unexpected kick to these chocolate cookies with a sugar-cinnamon topping.

I also made Gingerbread Men! Not only was this my first time making them, but I can't even remember the last time I ate gingerbread cookies. Maybe as a kid? I'm not a very patient person, nor am I good at decorating, so cutting these out and decorating them was a bit of a pain for me. But I think they turned out cute, and they're absolutely delicious. Get the recipe here!

This weekend I'm making at least four more kinds...and loving it. Is there anything better than eating cookie dough???

Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions & Sage Crumb Topping

I loved Thanksgiving this year, despite having dreaded the turkey-centric day. My family hid the turkey on a side table around the corner from the table, so I was shielded from the sad view of a dead turkey. They made me vegan versions of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and veggies, so it was great having the comfort food I grew up with. But the highlight was the dish I brought: Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping from Veganomicon. I absolutely loved it and plan to make it for my in-laws for Christmas. I also made Roasted Brussels Sprouts, which everyone loves.

The base of this recipe is the Cashew Ricotta. I've made this ricotta before and love it. It's not only a great ricotta substitute, but it's also great dolloped onto veggie pizza, or even just slathered on crackers. I added pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and seasonings for the creamy, part-cheesy, part-pumpkiny filling.

When I asked on Twitter whether anyone had made this recipe, one person said she thought it was just okay. She said she thought it was missing something, but didn't know what. The recipe calls for two onions to be caramelized. I figured any dish will be better with more caramelized onions, so I added a third onion. Then I mixed the pumpkin filling, onions, and ziti together.

Last I made the Sage Crumb Topping from fresh baguette bread. Mmm. It looked so delicious out of the oven, I couldn't wait to eat it.

The final dish was creamy, rich, sweet, and cheesy, with the sage, pumpkin, and onion flavors perfectly complementing each other.

The only bad thing is this ziti is not a light dish. It's very rich and heavy, so save this dish for special occasions or when you have a lot of people to help eat it (or if you don't really care if a dish is light!). I haven't posted many recipes from Veganomicon, but I'll post this one because not only is it phenomenal, but it's a great advertisement for what a great cookbook Veganomicon is. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping from Veganomicon
Serves 6-8

• 3/4 pound uncooked ziti or penne pasta
• 3 onions, sliced very thinly (original recipe calls for 2)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 recipe Cashew Ricotta (see below)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• white pepper and cayenne (the recipe didn't say how much; I used a dash of each)
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth

Sage Bread Crumbs

• 2 1/2 cups bread crumbs, preferably fresh and homemade (made from about half a baguette or four dinner rolls)
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces, chopped in a food processor until resembling course crumbs
• 1/4 cup nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
• 2 teaspoons dried, rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
• salt and pepper

Cashew Ricotta

• 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked in water for at least an hour
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pound firm tofu, drained and crumbled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

To make the Cashew Ricotta:
In a food processor, blend together the cashews, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic until a thick, creamy paste forms. Add the crumbled tofu in batches and process until the mixture is thick and well blended. Blend in the basil and salt. Taste before adding all the salt; I find that it needs a little less than the recipe calls for.

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X11 baking pan. 
2. Cook the ziti according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
3. Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Saute the onions in oil until onion is very brown and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
4. Place Cashew Ricotta in a large bowl and fold in the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, nutmeg, white paper, cayenne, veg broth, and mix. Add the cooked ziti and caramelized onions, stirring to coat the pasta. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press lightly with a rubber spatula to level it.
5. For the bread crumbs, melt the margarine in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bread crumbs, walnuts, dried herbs, and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Stir constantly until the mixture is lightly coated, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle evenly over the ziti.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top of the ziti is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Christmas Cookie Planning

I wish I could skip over Thanksgiving and get right to Christmas. Last year I baked holiday cookies for the first time ever and gave the 300+ delicious, vegan cookies to friends, family, and neighbors. I loved everything about it: spending all weekend in my cozy kitchen eating leftover cookie dough; giving something I was proud to have made myself as presents; and having beautiful vegan cookie trays at family holiday meals.

This year I've made the first draft of my cookie list and plan to start baking this weekend. But first...I need to get through Thanksgiving.

At least at Christmas holiday meals I have my vegan cookies to lift my spirits. But at Thanksgiving, I'm forced to watch my family tear into the carcass of a dead turkey. Yes, I can bring my own dishes and have some good ones planned. But I'm still disgusted and sad to have to be a part of a holiday that supports the cruel practices of factory farming. There's no getting around it, though. For my husband and my family, I will go to Thanksgiving dinner. I'll try to focus on how I'm living a compassionate lifestyle and not supporting factory farming, even if I'm the only one at the table doing so. After I get through the day, my reward will be baking cookies this weekend.