In My Kitchen - December 2015

It is hard to believe it is December already and the year is almost over!  Say it isn't so!  November was a month of vegan socialising and aquafaba experiments.  I can't imagine that December will be much less crazy.  Already I am struggling to keep up with all the end of year events.  Right now I am trying to make 3 small gingerbread houses for a raffle and finish my book for book group before the weekend.  So I will keep it brief.

We are still making pancakes on weekends and when we are out of bananas we make Isa's pancakes and have fun with a squeezy bottle.

Celia's overnight sourdough bread is another regular in our kitchen.  This one was made on a hot day when I put it in the sun to help it rise faster so I could bake it in the evening and I think it probably had a little too much sunshine.

My sister-in-law was selling tubs of cookie dough for a fundraiser.  I didn't realise how big they were and ordered two.   That's a lot of cookie dough to get through.

We've tried making the white choc chip and raspberry biscuits from our cookie dough stash.  They were really great - soft and chewy.  I found them quite sweet and look forward to the triple choc cookies.

Sylvia missed her cousins' birthday party but they were kind enough to keep her a lolly bag.  Most of them are still high in the cupboard and might never come down now Christmas is upon us.

Last year for Sylvia's first year of school I posted about a year of lunchboxes.  This year she took up with a lunchbox (Nudie) that was very hard to photograph.  It has finally broken so I took a photo of her lunch the other day.  It tells much about her life.  She is into Kaiser rolls (I put cheese and vegemite in them and she usually takes out the vegemite.  Someone gave her the tomato and cheese puffs which she loved instead of the usual soy snacks.  She is really into cherry tomatoes just now and I am delighted it is stone fruit season but Sylvia is not into eating the fruit from her lunchbox.

I feel a lot less organised as the school year races to an end.  But then we have had too many lost hats, reader bags, library bags, glasses and lunchbox tubs this year.  I have sewed up her school dresses where the belt are pulled at and put her into a second pair of school shoes I bought cheaply before she outgrows them.  Oops I said I was going to keep this brief!

We bought popping candy.  It is fun and messy.  I tried it in cookies but it was more successful on top of ice cream on top of pancakes.

I have been drinking lots of tea.  E is the chief tea maker and I love a cuppa when Sylvia is in bed and I can relax.  I enjoyed the berries tea but am unsure about these new Twinings flavours.  I prefer a plain peppermint or liquorice.

Pizza with vegan mozzarella at vegan potluck picnic.  I loved it so much but none came home.  Luckily I had another pizza at home!

We have been tempted by Christmas goodies at the shops.  It is the time of year when grociers have Christmas images and kids ramp up the pester power!  The reindeer was a little something to cheer Sylvia up after going to the dentist.  We have enjoyed making jokes "is it going to rain dear?" which are quite reasonable with our crazy hot and cold weather.

Lastly here are some baby cherry tomatoes.  I am diligently watering them (mostly) and hope they don't frizzle on a horrid hot day like another tomato plant a few years back.  They are a sign of hope in the garden and a reminder that the festive season here is one of summer's bounty.

I am sending this post to Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for her In My Kitchen event.  Head over to join in (by 10th of each month) and/or check out what is happening in other bloggers' kitchens.  It is a special In My Kitchen even this month because Celia after five years of bringing together the In My Kitchen community with generosity and cheer, has passed the baton to Maureen of The Orgasmic Chef.  I thank Celia for her work and her large heart and I wish Maureen warm wishes in taking over.