It is almost Christmas and I am up to my neck in festive baking. I am looking over my to do list at what has not been done. I had planned to share a work in progress vegan quiche but that will have to wait until after Christmas. Meanwhile here are a few photos of festive fun!
This is the vegan quiche I made last night with tofu and besan. More about it soon. It wasn't perfect but I enjoyed it.
We did the last of my Christmas grocery shopping today. Then E ate some of the chocolate I bought for the panforte. So I sent him out for more. I've had enough of the shops.
Today I made panforte with a candy thermometer, vegan chocolate mince pies, Christmas tree salad and some other gifts that I will talk about after Christmas. (Not that the intended are likely to read this but you never know!) I also took a batch of mince pies to a Christmas party on the weekend. They disappeared fast.
I was excited to finish all my fruit mince during Christmas for the first time since I started making it. Usually it lingers in the fridge for months. We made star biscuits with the last of the chocolate pastry. Sylvia enjoyed sprinkling glitter on them and sharing them with her friend at dinner tonight (after pizza and Christmas tree salad).
I made red currant and orange punch for Christmas drinks with our neighbour on the weekend. It was lovely and refreshing with ginger ale.
Last night we drove around the neighbourhood to look at Christmas lights. These one in The Grove in Coburg were impressive. And no doubt we enjoyed them more than the later ones when it started to rain!
Yesterday Sylvia and I met one of her child care friends at Hay's Paddock in Kew. A great playground but I am glad we didn't meet any snakes by the billabong.
This photo is from Sylvia's last day of school when she lent Joseph her sunhat on the way home. It isn't her proper school hat but she had been wearing the Barbie hat because she lost her regular one. Luckily she found her hat on the last day of school. (After all she just got a book where Barbie lists shopping as a hobby - what sort of self respecting doll says that!)
Lastly here are two wooden spoon reindeer Sylvia made with a schoolfriend.
There is much to do tomorrow, so I wish you a happy Christmas full of good food, good company and good cheer. I will be back after enjoying my Christmas nut roast with mum's roast vegies and some plum pudding with my family.
Merry Christmas - I wish you and your family and good food (especially te nut roast :-) am going to sneak it in, too, I think)!
ReplyDeleteOh, the xmas spelling eater striking here: ... "family much fun and good food (especially the nut roast ... (sorry :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy christmas, hope it is wonderfully fun and relaxing x
ReplyDeleteoooh that punch sounds lovely!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a very merry christmas :)
You have been doing a lot of baking. I love the nativity scene. Your Christmas tree salad looks gorgeous. Merry Christmas to you and all your family xx
ReplyDeleteThose all look and sound great! I should head off soon to do some shopping for some things I was planning on making for lunch tomorrow but I'm feeling rather lazy. I have one or two loads of baking to finish off. Have a great Christmas season
ReplyDeleteI love the tree shaped dish filled with veges and the quiche.
ReplyDeletelookin' gooood!
ReplyDeletehappy xmas, darl xx
Lots of festivities! I'm glad to hear you do the walking around to see Christmas lights - either walking or driving (more often the latter actually; Perth's lights were spread out) was a tradition growing up. Here it is dark from 4pm so you tend to see all the lights without trying hard!
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of your cranberry punch and think if E ate your chocolate you were quite right to send him out for more. I hope all the preparations come together and you have a wonderful Christmas tomorrow.
Thanks Kari - I really love all the Christmas lights in the UK - they really cheer up the grim winter when it is dark so early and make it seem positive that it is dark so early. We drive to see the lights because they are quite spread out too - though we have a few in our street we have walked to see.
DeleteThere was a misunderstanding of the chocolate but I just couldn't face the supermarket again!
You're always so admirably busy Johanna! I hope you, E and Sylvia have a wonderful Christmas together.:D
ReplyDeleteI think everyone is chasing their tails right now. Your salad is fab.... love the Christmassy stars and tomato baubles. Brilliant! Have a great Christmas x
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Johanna! I'm sure the festivities have begun in your little corner of the world. May they be filled with Joy and Happiness!!! "See" you next year, Johanna...
ReplyDeleteYou are so busy! You've done so much for the holidays - it's amazing =)
ReplyDeleteI love your christmas tree-shaped dish!! I saw a pinterest idea that was a veggie-tray and you had to shape the veggies like a tree, but this would be so much easier.
We love driving around the neighbourhoods to check out the lights too =)
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Johanna!
Thanks Kimmy - I've seen many of those vegie shaped trees and when I realised how easy it was to do it in my christmas tree shaped plate I wondered why I hadn't done it before. Driving around to see Christmas lights is fun but we managed to it twice this year, both times in the rain! What are the chances in summer!
DeleteThanks everyone for your Christmas wishes - hope you had a great Christmas too.
ReplyDelete