Sunday, September 24, 2006

Robin Hood and the merry first day

Finally.

Here is Matt's costume from the renaissance fair last weekend. He has been eyeing a big long cloak on e-bay that he thinks he would like to add if he ever desires a more "royal" presentation, $180 (dori gulps). He discovered that there was a Tuesday night sword practice two months prior to the fair for any volunteers that wanted to come each weekend for various performances, if they did they were admitted free. He desires to try this next year and hopes to stay in the area where he is attending school now.

The first day of school is a favorite time to take pictures. Dave snapped one of me before I left last Monday. It seems like the living room door is the best place to snap pictures, any place else in our house causes light glares in the pictures due to the placement of our windows plus I like the greenery to be a part of the background. My first week went well, despite the unexpected I enjoyed it. Of course every teacher needs a bag with a packed lunch inside. Onto a little of the food we ate last week. ...

I tried Dreena's Coconut Creme Pie, page 193 in Everyday Vegan. I subbed stevia for sugar and the family enjoyed the pieces of pie that I didn't eat... :) This pie reminded me of a Mounds candy bar, so i sprinkled some toasted coconut on top of it and drizzled it with a little melted dark chocolate.

I also enjoyed a tofutti cream cheese and craisin sandwich that I took for lunch one day, different but good for a change. I had it packed with a romaine lettuce, roasted beet, and shredded carrot salad with a small container of balsamic vinaigrette.

PROSTITUTE'S STEW
From page 155 in Bryanna's Nonna's Italian Kitchen Cookbook. She says, "Don't ask - it's delicious anyways, sort of an Italian ratatouille with potatoes added. Can be served hot or cold. Maybe you still have fresh garden produce in your area that you can make it. Last week our gardening season ended with a hard frost, you'd never know considering the very nice weather we've been having yesterday and today. The picture is of the stew before being cooked in my crock pot. I served this with some fresh
baked bread.... but I used Vivacious Vegan's idea and baked them in muffin tins.

I give you my variation of this recipe. Place all of the following into the crock pot.
1 lb eggplant cut into small cubes
1 large potato
1 carrot, cut into fingers
1 stick celery, diced
1 large zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into squares
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 vegetable broth cube (I use Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable)
2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes (
  • I cleaned mine in the sink and took off the stem, then gave them a whirl in my blender. My family doesn't mind the skins on them when I do this)
a small handful of fresh rosemary and Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt
a little fresh ground black pepper

Another last week lunch......
This LRM (Romaine lettuce, red pepper and sweet mustard) Wrap was delish along side of Dreena's Chickpea Mash Stew from Everyday Vegan page 84... the picture of the stew behind the wrap is to dark to see, but I liked it. Dave is not a chickpea fan, so he opened a jar of white chili that I pressure canned awhile ago instead. The soup is handy right now. I will be endeavoring to use my slow cooker more over the next several weeks so that dinner can be ready as soon as or shortly after I get home.

Last lunchbox idea from last week...
My favorite chili sin carne( I use TVP), a couple of "muffin" rolls , slices of cucumber and some fruit . The fruit was actually for morning break, I have a late lunch time, 12:28.

I wish you all a wonderful week. I am looking forward to homecoming week.... they have spirit days planned, I'm not sure that I will participate except maybe superhero day I could wear Melissa's shirt (no cape and no teensy red shorts). I do intend to buy the school's sweatshirt so I can show a little team pride.

22 comments:

urban vegan said...

Another great costume--and great vegan lunches.

Your hair is so pretty, Dori.

bazu said...

Oh I love those costumes!
And here in upstate NY, we are biting our nails wondering when the first frost will come. It will get really cold, but then warm back up again (playing with our emotions.) The saddest thing is, we have all these heirloom tomatoes that are still green- I will cry if they freeze to death. =(

Anonymous said...

It's funny about your pictures all being by the front door. That's exactly how they were when I was growing up. I'm not sure why but it's so funny to look back through albums now and see us all in the same spot.

Matt's costume is really terrific. Perhaps he could find fabric for less money and the two of you could make a cloak.

Your lunch ideas are insanely creative and delicious looking. I don't know where in the world you find the time!

I loved the muffin tin rolls. They were so easy and perfectly formed. Glad I've inspired (if only ever so slightly).

Carrie™ said...

Matt's costume is awesome! I used to have friends that were very much into that sort of thing. There were get-togethers and camping trips all the time. Of course, you lived as if you were living in medival times. One of my friends even made her own shoes!
Your lunches look very tasty and nutritious. That should be enough to get you through any grueling school day. And you look lovely for your first day at school. I also love your hair! I'm a sucker for red hair. And I wanted to comment on your awesome bag. Veeerrrry nice!

KleoPatra said...

Matt looks so handsome all dressed up like that. Wow! So serious with the impish look as Robin Hood.

Love your greenery background there and you do have gorgeous red locks there, Miss Dori holding the beautiful handbag and maker of the wonderful lunches.

The romaine lettuce, red pepper and mustard makes such a great colourful photo! With that stew, i'm sure it was hearty and good for you!

Homecoming week! Very cool! Can't wait to see you blog about it and hope to see photos as well!

I'm glad you had a good week of work as well. Teaching always brings unexpected things, doesn't it?

Also, last but not least... the coconut pie that tasted like Mounds... yummy. I love the look.

funwithyourfood said...

i'd be gulping over that amount too!
but he looks awesome. I guess you just have to pay the price for looking good ;)

Teddy
ps i had chili last week too

Harmonia said...

Nice costume! I love that era! ;)

Glorious food pics as always! You've been busy! Tofutti!!! I just received 3 coupons in the mail from them...2 $1 offs and a free product! I will save them for my next wfc trip or nature's market trip! We only have the berry tofutti cuties here and I would love to try something else. Yeah...how sad is that!? I have to drive at least 50 minutes to buy Tofutti Sour Cream and Better Than Cream Cheese...sigh.

Anonymous said...

Great costume!!

Thanks for posting a slow cooker recipe. I use my crock pot often in fall and winter.

Nikk said...

I love the pics! :) Matt looks very handsome in his costume, and you look great as well. Urban Vegan is right, you have amazing hair!

The food looks really good, especially that pie...I really love Mounds bars...

Mikaela said...

Everything looks great as usual - costumes, foodies and familiy :)

Mikaela

laura k said...

That pie looks great--thankfully I'm not a big fan of coconut, so I'm not TOO tempted! Oh, and I love Matt's costume. I love Renaissance fairs and if I could afford it, I would own several Renaissance costumes!

Everything looks great!

Anonymous said...

Great costume! Good job Dori - it's hard to believe that you just started sewing not long ago.

Your stew looks great. I like to use the crockpot too but for the opposite reason - it's still really hot here (90's).

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

your food always makes my mouth water & that pie is especially doing so! great costume, matt! :o)

Jody from VegChic said...

Matt looks great in that costume.

Thanks for the inspiration and new recipe idea. Everything always looks so good!

Your new bag sure is nice.

Man, does that coconut creme pie look good.

madeinalaska said...

how is that teaching gig going? you are obviously a very well fed family.. all of the food looks great of course!
yes, i agree w/ the masses matt looks quite dashing!

Shirley said...

I don't know if this is going twice!
We've been looking for cloak patterns online because my son wants one too.
Here's what we found
http://www.alleycatscratch.com/lotr/Things/FCloak/FCloak_pattern.htm
http://www.theweebsite.com/sewing/cloaks/fitted.html
http://armag.free.fr/Costumes/mantfitt.htm
http://www.reddawn.net/costume/oldcloak.htm

Anonymous said...

great costume! you looks great, love your hair!

Anonymous said...

Matt and your food looks awesome too!

Jackie said...

Matt looks great, reminds me of Robin Hood.

I don't have a slow cooker and I therefore use whatever other method I feel the recipe can be cooked. This stew is actually very close to the roasted veg recipe I use. Very tasty.

I am enjoying Spring at the moment. Just need some rain as it is very dry.

Crystal said...

Those bread muffins look awesome and I'll bet they smell great too. Ahhh...fresh baked bread!

-Crystal

Shananigans said...

I love Matt’s costume. You really go the extra mile for your family, I admire that. I am so jealous that you are back in school! As soon as I figure out what I want to be when I grow up I’m going to go back for a master’s in that field, whatever that is. A slowcooker sounds wonderful, I love how they make the whole house smell yummy.

I made Bryanna’s avjar recipe last night, it was sooooooo good! I ate it over a veg burger with some chopped tomatoes. I’ll be making more to serve at our football party tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

I miss you. I'm sure you're super busy with your new job, but it's not the same without you.

I just picked up some Kal Stevia (found it locally at a little health food store near my new job for only $12.19!). Have you made any cookies using the stevia yet?

When you cook with the stevia, do you have to increase the flour or anything?