Sunday, November 30, 2008

B is for Brunch

Dema is going around trying to spell everything or asking how things are spelled. He gets insanely happy when something has one of his letters in it (you know D-E-M-A...a lot of things have these letters so he is a pretty happy little guy).

To cap off our busy long, but not long enough weekend, we had our friends Ricky and Catharine and their boys and Deborah and Scott and their boys over for brunch. (Gita and Seth, if you are reading this, we missed you and the girls!) We woke to the first real snow of the season which was both pretty and fun for the boys, but makes me a little sad. I always worry more about Rob riding his bike when there is snow or ice on the road. I'm getting wimpy in my old age and cold weather just means a cold house and snow/ice means danger. I need to let go. It was quite beautiful seeing the park and the trees all covered with snow, but I sadly didn't get a picture since I was off to the kitchen to start making brunch and clean (which never did get done, but they are sweet guests and didn't complain).
I went simple and satisfying for the brunch menu:

H is for Home-style Potatoes (peeled/cooked potatoes boiled and then lightly fried with sea salt and fresh ground pepper and I added some chopped onions - not in the picture because they were all gone by the time I took a picture)

S is for Spicy Sweet Potato Hash from Vegan Planet (I had some veggie crumbles in the freezer someone gave us so I thought it would be a good time to use them up...it was good, but next time I'll just use some homemade seitan instead of pre-packaged crumbles)

J is for Julie Hanson Steamed Sausages (I am the last vegan on the planet to make these...they were going around the vegan blog world almost a year ago that is how incredibly behind the times I am...I've been thinking of making them forever, but this brunch was finally the excuse I needed. I used Bryanna's Homemade Vegan Chicken-Style Broth Powder instead of the seasoning she suggests because I have no idea where to buy the one she has in her recipe. I can't wait to try the different variations everyone has come up with these.)

K is for Kitchen Sink Scrambled Tofu (I just threw everything I needed to use up in the scramble - tofu, obviously, spinach, some Bryanna's Homemade Vegan Chicken-Style Broth Powder from the sausages, shredded carrots, onions, etc.)

B is for Blueberry Coffee Cake from Vegan with a Vengeance (I've made this and blogged about it many times before, but this time I realized too late I had about ten frozen blueberries left - the kids inhale them - and I'd already gone to the store for soy yogurt and raisins so I wasn't about to go back. So I cut up some frozen cherries in lieu of blueberries. I have to say, I think I will use cherries next time. I thought it was just as good or better than the blueberries.)

C is for Carrot-Raisin Muffins also from Vegan with a Vengeance (I mentioned I went to the store specifically for soy yogurt for the coffee cake and raisins for these muffins. I somehow forgot the raisins. I know, I know, I have no excuse. I did have currants around and used them instead and it was just as good. My family loves these muffins because they aren't too sweet, but still a treat and have some nutrition.)

I think brunch with friends is my favorite meal of the day. If we opened up a vegan restaurant, I would just serve brunch which start around 10 or so and last until people were done chatting around 3pm or later.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brunch or Brinner is awesome! I don't do it often enough >:o)

VeganLinda said...

Brinner...I like it!