By Request...

Here is the recipe for the Vegan PB cups featured in my last post. The recipe is from How it All Vegan by Sarah Kramer. Please don't sue me Sarah!!! And everyone out there should buy her books, the recipes are vegan, yummy, and fool proof.

1/2 cup Earth Balance vegan margarine
3/4 cup peanut butter (I used chunky, my fave)
3/4 cup graham crackers, crushed (I used Amaranth crackers, they don't have any honey)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup vegan choco chips (I use the Whole Foods vegan chips)
1/4 cup soy milk
cupcake pan liners

Crunch up the graham crackers to make crumbs. Melt margarine in medium saucepan; add in peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs and sugar, stirring frequently. Spoon about 2T of the mixture into the cupcake tins.
In another saucepan (I used my double boiler), melt down the chocolate chips and soy milk together, stirring constantly. Spoon over the peanut buttery mix in the tins. Refrigerate 4-6 hours or until set and enjoy!

When I make them again, I may increase the amount of chocolate and add a bottom layer first. Just cause you can never have enough chocolate, in my opinion.

Coincidental?

2ND Sock is draining my creative force from me, but she lives.

I have set a new deadline--she must be finished by Sunday. That gives me plenty of time to complete her and embark on new, exciting creative journeys. I will surely keep you posted as to whether Ms. Knitsburgh meets this challenge.

This week has been odd at best. Random thoughts popping into my head, then weird coincidences happening. If I were smart, I'd write these all down but I will probably think on them for a bit and then release them when my brain needs more space for other more mundane things, such as the grocery list or the due date for my library books. It's been a week of some change, letting go of some negativity that has probably been around in my life much too long. It feels good, feels freeing.

It snowed off and on yesterday and I had to take my trusty steed, Blue Molly, in for some repair work. Her engine light had come on over the weekend. She is nearing 100,000 miles, that great milestone and I hope to have her for at least 100,000 more! I hope she feels better now. And great news, her windshield wipers have rubber on them and actually work now!

I've seen quite a few characters at the bird feeder already. Three squirrels were there today, including the one who just climbs up the tree, uses a slender branch to bend him over and hops right into the feeder. He lies down in there and eats like a fat Roman emperor. I've also seen a pair of cardinals, a pair of blue jays, the flock of sparrows and my favorite, a pair of chickadees. There also is a rabbit who likes to hang out in my flower garden now. Unfortunately no pics of these because they all flee when I come outside to take their photos.

Here is Izzy, watching the snow and the birds yesterday:

Here is Madison, warming her belly on top of the radiator--they REALLY like the radiator covers Nature Boy made now!

Here is a homemade vegan peanut butter cup I made a few nights ago--they are really yummy!

When the chips are down...

...make cookies with 'em! Behold the vegany oatmealy choco-chippy goodness:


Yesterday I decided, whilst raining, my good friend Seymour needed a trim.

Some in my neighborhood have already trimmed their rose bushes back, but Seymour just kept on producing roses. I cut the last new bud off and then I put Seymour to sleep for the winter. I had to be very careful to ensure I did not get eaten by this monstrous plant. This rose must have lived here for years. The Estate itself was built in 1921--do rose plants live that long? I've never met a rose bush that grows as much as Seymour does--he's quite wild.

Sock #2 is coming along but very slowly. They are too much like sleeves--once you make one, the second isn't as exciting and it quickly loses my attention. Oh well, I will plug away at it this afternoon, maybe while taking a walk in the park. It's warm and the sun is peeking out from time to time. Snow is on the horizon so this may be one of those last great days...

R * A * I * N

Requiring Activities Indoors at 'Nitsburgh...

Up since 5:14 AM.

Laundry in the washing machine.

Waffle and hot chocolate in the belly.

News blaring on the TV from the kitchen.

Circles under my eyes.

Nummy Nummy Num!

When I lived in Colorado, there was the greatest ever fast-food deli chain called Schlotzsky's. They have the best bread and they toast their sammiches and I have gotten to be craving them. I made my own vegan version of their veggie sammich today.

I used some ciabatta bread cause I couldn't find any good vegan sourdough bread here. You need something with those pockets of air, like spongey-ness for this sammich. I put the bottoms under the broiler after I sprinked some shredded "cheddar" style vegan cheese. I then added sliced olives, onions, cukes, a tomato slice and some lettuce, topped it with some vegan ranch dressing and presto! Veganized Schlotzsky's! I served it up with the pickles and chips, of course.

PS--Sock #2 was born last night--yay!

PPS--I was told by someone that today is my day, and they are right!!

PPPS--Happy Esbat!

Gifted

Look what Kay made for me!

It came in the mail last week. She crocheted this lovely vegan ruffle for me and sent it to me out of the blue. I love suprises like that!

This weekend I made it out to the Handmade Arcade. It was busy so at times was hard to see all of the wares for sale. I bought a necklace, by Ursula and Olive:

I guess my hand is not that steady! It says, Wonder Twin Powers Activate! I also bought a vegan choco chip bar from My Goodies but of course, ate it before the photo shoot.

There were so many beautiful things there but with me being on a budget right now due to my being unemployed, I really couldn't do any more than admire. Plus I had to get back home to watch the Steelers game, which unfortunately, did not end in the way the Steeler Nation would have liked.

Today I went to another interview with a temp agency. I now type 51 wpm, up from 49. At least there is improvement. Honestly, I haven't knit in about 2 weeks now and I need to just jump back on that horse already. Maybe today. Maybe...

I'll leave you with my List of Things I Believe:

1. Karma will find you, you know who you are!


2. Sometimes seemingly bad things happen as a way to protect us from further harm.


3. Chocolate improves mental health.


4. Cats that are sleeping are one of the cutest things on this earth.


5. Cats that are awake and bad are one of the cutest things on this earth.


6. Sunshine is medicine.


7. Obama is going to change things for the better.


8. Thanksgiving Dinner will taste so good this year and I won't be working--yay!


9. Sometimes if you tell yourself not to throw up inside your head over and over, you won't throw up.


10. Your mom won't know if you don't make your bed every day once you grow up and move out on your own.

TAGGED!

I got tagged by Spiritwitch

Here are the rules:
Link to the person or persons who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write 6 random things about yourself.
Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

OK, here goes...
1. I am frightened of dolls. Please keep them away.
2. I was born with a single gray hair amongst all my black hair and have always had some gray.
3. I was named after my mother's best friend who committed suicide-yikes!
4. I wish I had a llama and some goats.
5. I do not like brussel sprouts or lima beans.
6. I like to take pictures of mushrooms in forests!

Ok, so I don't have many readers of this blog, so ANYONE who comes and reads this HAS TO RE-POST AND ANSWER THIS!! Take THAT!

I can't wait to vote tomorrow! I plan to get up early to make sure I can do so as I work a dreaded 8AM-close shift, meaning I probably won't be leaving work til well past the polls are closed (yeah, it's at least a 12 hour shift, usually more like 13). This will be the first time I wasn't going after work to the polls. I will miss the excitement of getting to the polls last minute, voting, then feeling like bam, my vote changed some last minute stats for the state I was voting in. Even if it really didn't. Going in the morning makes me feel like I don't get to hide my trump card, I'm laying it all out there way too early.

I have voted in three states--Colorado, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

I seem to have trouble when voting and invariably have to get to a different polling place last minute and worry I may not get to vote. This has happed in both Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

In Colorado, I volunteered for a group called Political Voice for Animals. They would publish a very nice chart regarding all the national and local candidates and how they voted when it came to animal rights. I would saunter up to the voting machine with my checklist and make sure those bastards who cared less about animals didn't get a vote from me! On that note, I still love you, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, for all the good you did for animals!

A child brought a door hanger to us this evening from one of the presidential candidates. A CHILD??!!??

I hope to be hunkering down tomorrow night on El Coucho, watching all the television coverage with crossed fingers and great hope.

Whatever your belief or cause of slant, I have only one thing to say :
Happy voting to all you fellow Americans out there!

DAMNIT!!!

Why did I not look at THESE sooner!!!?????!!!??

"Wing it Vegan is doing an entire month of Halloween foods so I don’t even know where to begin. I guess with her latest post: Halloweegan Meatloaf Scramble With Mashed Potato Ghosts. But honestly, that is just the tip of the iceberg of mindblowing cuteness and startling innovation, so take the day off from work and read all of her Halloween posts. Heck, take the week off. Tell ‘em I said so.

Musings from the Fishbowl offers us some scaradorable skeleton cookies. Hewwo wittle skewwy poo. Pwease haunt me.

EatnVegn shares a few Halloween posts from years past. I thought this was particularly cool - spiderweb creme for your soup! Also, note the dedication. She hasn’t missed a day of blogging since MoFo began!"

These were all stolen from the Post Punk Kitchen Blog. Might have to keep Samhain going for a while in my house...

Happy Dias De Los Muertos!

I received my package yesterday from my Raverly Vegan for All Seasons pal, Emily:
We have two beautiful skeins of what looks to be cotton hand-dyed yarn, as well as two skeins of a soy/bamboo blend. A soy candle (almond scent), two bars of handcrafted soap (they smell wonderful), a beautiful autumn acorn card, a box of seeds and some yummy mandarin orange lip balm were also in the box. Last but not least, some maple sugar candies from Marquard's Tree Farm. This girl was spoiled indeed--thanks Emily, your a great swap bud! Even the scents of the soaps are the kinds I would pick out for myself.

So the Week of Creative Pursuits has sadly not yielded as much as expected. With Samhain and trick or treat mayhem and my working what should total about 51 hours this week, my time at home has been spent lying on the couch napping. I did clean the estate before going in to work on Thursday (worked 3pm-8pm that day) so that yesterday was truly a "day off." What did I do, you ask?

Made THESE:

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting from:

This was so I did not feel left out with all the non-vegan Halloween offerings hanging around for goblins. I do say, they taste just like the most divine non-vegan cupcakes I've ever eaten and I don't miss the crappy animal-product infused candy that everyone seems to love so much one little bit.

We gave out tons of that candy by the way--it only cost a small fortune, I don't know where all these kids come from! I leave you with my favorite quotes:

ME: Ooh, nice wand, can you work some magick for me with it?

LITTLE GIRL WITH WAND: No silly--it's not real!

LITTLE BOY (as he pulls something out of his pillowcase): Hey, is this dental floss?

NATURE BOY: I don't know... Happy Halloween (as he shoves two candy bars at Little Boy).

Here's a link about Dias de los Muertos.

Here's one for Samhain.