{Baking @ Home} ~ Christmas Cranberry Chocolate Chip {Vegan} Cookies

My cranberry chocolate chip cookies I have made

are very crumbly, while delicious and 

I thought I would try a different way....

I went back to the original recipe...

from this cookbook: Betty Crocker's New Christmas Cookbook...

while this cookbook is a 'mass market one' I can't help

feeling that it is very personal...like the author of the recipe

talking right to you as it were.... 

I used vegan margarine and an egg replacer.

I was talking to my Grandma last week and 

telling her how I made my Christmas Chai with

my coffee grinder (will do a blog post on that in the next weeks

I hope!) and she said she uses her food process to chop cranberries.

Genius I thought and did the same!!! 

Mixed up the dough with egg replacer, 

added cranberries coarsely chopped and vegan chocolate chips...

I could tell the batter was great as it was 'thicker' as it were...

I don't worry as much about having my cookies look 'neat' as it were... 

They turned out well!

I think I will try to make four batches of these next year,

what you see here is two batches done in 1 batch... 

All these cookies are now in the freezer to get out later this week

for St. Nicholas day!

Some of them were enjoyed earlier for a Ladies Tea I did...

and they were quite enjoyed! 

****

Edited in 2018 to add this picture with baking times:

10-15 minutes @ 375F! I do mine about 12 minutes or so.

Cookies for St. Nicholas Day

I've been baking cookies for St. Nicholas Day for the 

last two weeks or so.

The recipes I use are here and here.

This year I baked some of them listening to this intriguing story:

The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale.

Mat. Anna and a great give away at Ginny's!

Mat. Anna

made this darling baby hat and booties

and is giving it away at Ginny's!

Do go and enter the giveaway!!!

A Beautiful Baby Shower

A warm loving baby shower

at the Mother-to-be's home where she grew up,

loved and cherished.

Many thoughtful gifts.

In very cute bags of course.

*

It was a very lovely and happy time.

I knew it was coming...

It's now official. 

Our dear friends and parents of our goddaughter are moving

far away from here.

I had such hopes that I would have my godchild near by

and that I would be able to be in her life on a weekly basis...

As Mr. Husband pointed out,

I was collecting books already for her...

So of course pray for this family as they move and it's a huge big deal but

we hope ultimately better for them.

But if you could remember me in prayer also,

I'd greatly appreciate it.

We will be grieving their loss here....

Blanket Strips Done & Our Christmas Tree

The blanket stripes are done!

This picture is a bit mute on the colour of it but I am 

almost done weaving in all ends!

Question: do I bind off completely before 

picking up stitches for the boarder? I think I do...

*

I have chosen one of the red yarns for the boarder

and hope to start on this by Sunday in the car ride to church :)

*

It's a busy time of year but I am reading snatches of 

L'Engle's Two-Part Invention.

A lovely re-read.

Our Christmas Tree!!

I got the presents wrapped yesterday!

*

What are you creating and reading?

Any Christmas Joys in decorating? :)

Yarn Along with us!

Our first Christmas Ornament

Each year I hope to pick out one Christmas ornament for our Christmas tree. 

Hand made from Russia.

I love this first one!

First Year of Putting up our Christmas Tree

A Christmas Tree in a Box...

Needing to be 'fanned out'.

Getting there...

Our first full sized Christmas tree.

Last Friday afternoon I got this up and decorated. 

I am quite pleased with the results and love

the cheer it brings! 

Week Recap: feast days, fish, broken pottery, and a beautiful Christmas tree

 

Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple.

Mr. Husband and I were at the feast day liturgy on Thursday.

As it is a high feast day, we had a lovely 

fish curry at our favourite Thai place

on the way home.. 

(during the nativity fast if health permits

no meat is eaten during the Nativity Fast but the big

feast days are fish days).

Yesterday I got our new Christmas tree up.

We have very few ornaments for it so I used

red and gold ribbon with the white lights

I ordered.  Am quite pleased with it!

Cleo meows at it at times but

thus far has obeyed my instructions

to stay off it at all costs.

:) She loves sleeping on that chair...

*

A sad thing in terms of gifts.

I found this made in England water pitcher for a dear friend:

But a sadly significant mistake was made in

the packaging and it arrived like this:

It was to be a surprise St. Nicholas day gift.

It was a vintage Christmas Tree Spode made in England 

water pitcher to add joy to the Christmas table...

(They are now not made in England but made in China or Malaysia and 

quite inferior not to mention worries of lead from things made there).

I got a decent apology & am promised a full refund but boy,

how disappointing!

*

Well, while I would not of made the packing mistake,

I broke something too this week...

After deciding to give away a cute bowl set,

I dropped the spoon and fork and the handles

you see here were shattered.

*

These things happen.

*

Do you know of Christmas crackers?

I found these made in England kits

but it's too late for me to get them this year,

and the shipping was going to be 

terribly exorbitant.

I really want them one day, the made in England ones.

Another year.

*

All these things are giving me food to thought,

about how we can try so much to make something beautiful,

to make the feast of Christmas a true day of beauty and joy,

celebrating the greatest news the world has ever heard,

Christ born on Christmas day....

yet so many are in such pain even on Christmas...

*

Sadly in our broken world only the Feast of Christmas itself

is perfect...

I can't help but thinking of all the people struggling at this time.

Yet God is with us

and came to live with us and dwell with us

on Christmas day.

Down to last stripes + Encouragement for Today

I am down to the last two or so strips on

my textured lap blanket!

(Ravelry here).

Slowly slowly it comes!

I hope to do a seed stitch boarder... 

It's been a good knit so far, 

though it takes a lot of time!

*

I finished A New Song by Jan Karon

and really liked this quotation that she quotes:

 I had dreams of knitting ornaments this year

for our tree but, well, my to-do list is a mile long again

and as my Mr. Husband says, we must triage.

*

It's more important to seek to be aware of what season we are in

as we approach Christ's Nativity and seek His mercy...

*

What are you reading and creating?

Do yarn along with us!

Today...

Christmas candle holder and Nativity Icons

are gracing our home again this year.

*

I hope to work on making tea today.

*

It's amazing how things like laundry pile up.

I am slowly getting used books in the mail that Mr. Husband 

is giving me...I have dreams of continuing to build 

community where I am and having kids read 

the books I am slowly but steadily collecting.

I had a friend with a two year old over the other week

and it was such a joy just to see him play

and look at books.

*

Today I hope to go grocery shopping.

Once again, I am low on sugar...

*

I am getting close to being done on 

the textured blanket;

then I will have to do the boarder.

*

I am so grateful for my life

and for God's mercy.

{Preparing for Nativity} ~ cleaning and changing out the lampadas

I woke early again today.

Lots going on these days; many friends on my mind,

joys, sadness, losses, sudden upsets: life. 

*

I am so glad for the life I have and that I am 

building traditions for our home.

One of these is changing out the clear votive candle holders

for red ones, both kinds I use to burn oil in as lampadas

 by my icons in our dining area of our home. 

I was sure to keep some tall candles lit while I was in the 

process; I always want candles or lampadas lit in my home

for prayers that are for many people and needs...

I find esp. with the big fasts, 

the 40 day Nativity Fast and the Fast of Great Lent,

that once they are here I am so relieved. 

A chance to clean, to make better,

to look into one's soul a bit more,

to ask the Lord to make all the crooked strait in oneself,

to ask for mercy as we look towards the great Feasts of Christmas,

Theophany and Pascha...

All the lampadas are changed now,

the clear ones are clean and drying on the counter.

*

Today is a day that my heart and mind are so full of so many things.

I hope to do more baking today; the Saint Nicholas cookie baking has begun.

I am working on bookstore orders for my church,

thinking of the many feasts we have coming.

Next Sunday is St. Katherine's day already! 

*

I am so grateful for this season of the year!

God is merciful to us!

God Immanuel comes at Christmas time...

*

Here's how I do my lampadas, FYI.

*

What are your traditions in this Nativity Fast/Advent time?

Would love to hear!