Why I Hate Apple Pie

My disdain for apple pie knows no bounds.  I hate it on a few levels.  First of all, the kinda pies I like are the stir and dump kind.  Just mixing all ingredients and pouring them in a crust is as invested as I like to get with pie.  So, I absolutely loathe peeling, chopping, and coring a bunch of apples for pie.  This year, I figured I'd throw the boy a friggin bone to see what dessert he wanted because he hates lemon and I was for realsies making lemon mousse pie.  Naturally, he said "apple," the most boring of all the pies.  My hatred is irrational, but what can I say.  Still...it was good pie (cosmos apple).

full spread, but the potatoes aren't pictured

This year went by in a freaking blur.  I didn't prep as much as last year, but we were eating pretty much on schedule.  Onto the menu...

Thanksgiving 2011

Bryanna's Soy and Seitan Turkey

Cornbread stuffing

Gravy

Cranberry Sauce

Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

Mac and Cheese

Yams

Unity Inn Rolls

Salad

Cosmos Apple and Lemon Mousse Pies

Rad Whip

2 Buck Chuck all day, son!

mashed potatoes

there's some mac in that sea of cheese

As you can see, I love me some Tyler Florence.  My favorites this year: soy and seitan turkey, pies, rolls, and Alton Brown's mac and cheese.  Seriously.  I will never ever make another mac and cheese for Thanksgiving.  Easily subbed (I used blended silken tofu for the egg), and absolutely wonderful.  More expensive than I generally like, but definitely worth it.

green bean casserole w/ croutons instead of nasty onions

candied yams

Things I'd improve on: green beans, yams, cranberry sauce, and gravy.  The green beans were most excellent (those croutons are legit!), but I wanted more of a creamy base to tie everything together.  Though, I will definitely make this again with that minor tweak.  The yams were too sweet for my liking.  The cranberries were not sweet enough.  And the gravy...blech.  I just didn't like it so I made a quick poultry gravy.  Overall, we had a fantastic day and got drunk off of $2 wine.  Awesome!

roast was marinated in sparkling cider and roasted with carrots and onions

Happy Leftovers Day!  I'm buying nothing, doing nothing, and don't plan to leave my pajamas.

Moldy Nog Update

Y'all, this completely warrants a separate entry.  Earth Balance called me back yesterday, then emailed me, then called me back again today.  They wanted to see if I was all right after initially getting sick from the moldy nog incident.  I explained everything to them, and they are sending me some coupons because of everything!  Yay!  You know me and coupons, yo.

Anyways, I just wanted to say that I especially love when vegan businesses give a damn.

Also, I have learned a very valuable lesson in when to stop drinking things.  Haha.

Nog Off: Earth Balance vs. So Delicious

EDIT: I just discovered the "chunks" were mold!  I'm dyiiing.  Omigod, I've never been so disgusted in my life.  Not sure why the other "chunks" didn't have mold in them.  Bah!  Gonna contact Earth Balance and the store I got it from.  Gross.

Awww yeah, boyee!  Early Christmas™ has crept its way into the calendar even earlier this year.  I swear, I saw Christmas lights before Halloween was even here.  About the only thing I love about Early Christmas™ is that I get to get drunk off nog for about 5 months straight.  Hallelujah, holla back!

2 will enter.  I will win!

The whole nog off idea kinda started as a joke when Jordan and Mike (of PPK fame) were talking about So Delicious Coconut Milk Nog.  While doing my Thanksvegan shopping, I also stumbled upon Earth Balance Soy Nog.  Now, you know it was on!

earth balance soy nog

First up was the Earth Balance nog.  What I basically did was taste it straight up...then drowned in alcohol.  The nog was creamy and on the medium side of thick.  The consistency was great for drinking straight up, but watered down easily when made alcoholic and served on the rocks.  There was a nice amount of spice, and I'm pretty sure I like this better than Silk Nog (or at least as much).  However, there was one large problem.  There were chunks in it, as in something went horribly wrong with the thickening.  I'm hoping it was just an anomaly because those chunks ruined an otherwise lovely drink.

so delicious coconut nog

The So Delicious nog was super creamy and ultra thick.  Not quite as thick as dairy nog, but the closest vegan version I've tasted.  I'm a fan of thinner nogs for drinking straight up, but this is perfect as a mixer.  Plus, the first thing I noticed were the huge flakes of nutmeg.  This does have a coconut essence, but it works super well with the overall nog.

Nog Off Results

Creaminess: So Delicious

Thickness: So Delicious

Spice: So Delicious

Price: So Delicious was $3.19, and Earth Balance was $3.89

Spiced Caucasian Pwnage: So Delicious

Overall Nog Factor: Tie

Clearly, So Delicious is the winner!  The Earth Balance nog is fantastic, but the chunks are worrisome and it just got slaughtered in a side-by-side tasting.  I'd still buy both, though, depending on my mood.

Now, I'll leave you with my favorite holiday dranky drank.  Enjoy, dudes!

Spiced Caucasian
ice
lowball glass
1 oz coffee liqueur (Kahlua, etc.)
1 oz espresso vodka (Seagram's, Smirnoff, etc.)
vegan nog
nutmeg, optional

Fill the glass with ice. Top with liqueur and vodka. Fill will nog. Stir. Top with nutmeg, if so desired. For a truly caffeinated version, try Mocha Kahlua!