Happy (Almost) Thanksgiving!

I know I'll be posting again before the week is through, due to the copious amount of food we're planning on making this year (like this year is different - ha!), but I just had to get these up here! I figured they'd entice you to get baking or at least check out my new favorite cookbook!

These are Cranberry Orange Scones, from, "The Joy of Vegan Baking." I got the book because I had some Border's points to spend again, and everyone else had been raving about this book. Plus, I saw some great Thanksgiving treats in it! Well, this book doesn't disappoint. I started with these scones because tomorrow is my class's (I'm a kindergarten teacher) International Thanksgiving Feast. Most other classes do a traditional food feast, but ever since I began teaching, I knew this wasn't for me. It wasn't even an excuse to get out of having a dead bird (oh, I mean turkey) in my room - I promise! It was because I figured they'd be having all these foods at home in a couple of days anyway, so why make parents go through all that trouble twice? So, we've always asked families to bring in a food that is from their cultural/ethnic background. From egg rolls to paella, from a wicked spicy Eritrean (Africa) dish with injera to Georgia peach pie, we've had it all! I usually make something as well, so this year I thought I'd make something from my British heritage. They turned out simply amazing! It was my first time making scones, but they weren't hard at all! I do recommend getting a pastry blender (it looks like a bunch of wires ) instead of cutting it with two knives, like my Mum always did when I was growing up. It's just much easier and faster! These scones were a variation on the basic scone recipe in the book. They were tender and flaky on the inside, crisp on the outside... all that I remembered scones being!
Next, I ventured on to make the Pumpkin Spice Bread, which I had already made in school with my kids for their fifth grade buddy class. The best part about that experience was letting them lick the batter bowl - no raw eggs to worry about!
This recipe didn't disappoint either. In fact, it blew me away. The spices smelled amazing while cooking, and while eating ;) They were stronger than other pumpkin breads I'd made in the past. And the best part - the breads rose!! I have the hardest time veganizing traditional quick bread recipes like these - they always seem so flat! But these turned out gorgeous. (The kids loved the ones we baked at school, by the way! Not that I was surprised). Despite having a copious amount of egg replacer, they didn't taste funny at all. I can't wait to share these with more people!! What an amazing cookbook. This week, I plan on making her pumpkin pie, zucchini bread, and cranberry bread, too!

Finally, I gave Isa another chance at seitan, with this Seitanic Red and White Bean Jambalaya. I was trying this out before I make it for an upcoming holiday party, and boy I can't wait to make it again! It was super easy to make, despite me not having a Dutch oven (please, Santa?). The flavor was pretty good, although we added some hot sauce like she recommended. Thanks, Veganomicon!

The best part about this weekend, however, was when my husband said, "I think I'm going to go vegetarian." I nearly fainted. We're having Tofurkey for Thanksgiving, too! Good luck with your holiday cooking and baking everyone! Wish all the world celebrated Thanksgiving like we vegans do!