Temporary Hiatus

I feel so neglectful of this blog, but I do have things in the works! It's just that pre-holiday season where everything seems to happen - craft sales to attend, parties to go (or plan to go to), gift-planning and making, interesting evening events, going on strike with your work (okay that's not normally in the mix), and planning a menu for about 52 people you may have invited to a holiday party that will take place in under 700 sq ft? I'm really really hoping this works out. In the meanwhile though, each weekend has a strict baking schedule to ensure I get through the line-up in time to pull off my (as some of my friends would call it "crazy", but I simply say "ambitious") menu list. In my defense, I have already removed one item...... and am considering letting go of the stuffed grape leaves.

So far, my success rate has been about 80%. I have tested all the desserts and found that my first chocolate peppermint cookie recipe (from food network) was not at all desirable. A chocolate mint cookie should be fudgey, decadent and the mint should be baked into the cookie, not an afterthought in the icing. Fortunately bon appetit provided the perfect replacement recipe. I also made a jam thumbprint cookie recipe that I wasn't completely happy with so I'll be testing that again. The orange spice pumpkin cakes are delicious even without glaze, as was the pumpkin seed brittle.

The spiced nuts are a vegan recipe which seemed more difficult to find than I would have expected. They are quite pleasing though the variability of cayenne spiciness with each handful can make it a bit of an adventure to eat :)  I think I did scale back a bit and use about 3/4 tsp cayenne. A full review of all these items will come later. The only other recipe I want to offer a particular warning on is the making of crustless mini-quiches.  I tried hands down the worst recipe (http://www.quincesandthepea.com/mini-spinach-crustless-quiches) and spent 6 batches trying to rectify this recipe, without any notable success. It ruined my monday off. They were ridiculously salty and completely overcooked. Ergo, in the list below I include a beautiful recipe that tasted incredible and worked on the first try. It's quite easy to substitute vegetarian sausage into the recipe. More details and photos on all this later, promise.

Here it is:

DRINKS
mulled wine - http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/other-recipes/jamie-s-mulled-wine#
mulled cider - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/mulled-cider-recipe/index.html

DESSERTS
orange spice pumpkin cakes spoonforkbacon.com/2012/10/a-wee-halloween-party/
molasses gingerbread 
chocolate peppermint cookies
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/12/double_chocolate_peppermint_crunch_cookies
pumpkin seed brittle
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pumpkin-Seed-Brittle-231374
jam thumbprint cookies
orange candied ginger cookies - vegan from Extraveganza

DIPS/SPREADSmake crackers -raincoast crisps and vegan crackers
Curried sweet potato dip  http://www.healthybitchdaily.com/post/curried-sweet-potato-dip-recipe
beet and orange hummus [VEGAN]
http://www.veggiebelly.com/2009/09/roasted-beet-and-orange-dip-with-walnuts.html
hot artichoke cheese dip
veggie crudites on hand plus baguettes

LITTLE MUNCHIES
spiced nuts   [VEGAN] - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-and-spicy-almonds/
marinated olives  [VEGAN] - buy
edamame  - drizzled with sesame oil and sea salt and black pepper (this may be turned into a dip)

MAIN MUNCHIES
smoked salmon, chives & horseradish cream cheese on pumpernickel rounds
crispy proscuitto cups with marinated pear & goat cheese  http://www.marthastewart.com/342213/crispy-prosciutto-cups-with-pear
baked brie (two) with fruit compote or pepper jelly
mini quiche - http://thecafesucrefarine.blogspot.ca/2012/02/quiche-bites-in-little-black-dress.htm
feta walnut date cigars http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Feta-Walnut-Date-Cigars-365214
stuffed grape leaves
http://www.foodnetwork.ca/guides/holidays/recipes/recipe.html?dishID=10519
pineapple cubes with chili, scallions and peanut butter
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3790/galloping-horses