I'm a person again!

Greetings, dear readers!

Yes, you read right: when I am in school, I feel like I'm a little bit less than a person. My room is a mess, I get exempt from washing dishes, and the phone doesn't ring because my friends know of my semester-long hibernation from which I cannot be awoken. Those are not the traits of a full person, are they? Who gets exempt from dish-washing? Why does my room get to be messy? How come I can't be surrounded by the love of my friends? Ah, yes, because I have to study, and write papers, and attend lectures. Awesome.

But now... oh yes... I am done school. Maybe not forever, but with my last exam of my Bachelor's degree written, and my last essay completed (as of this morning at 1 a.m., minus the editing that it definitely needs), I get to be a person again! I get to wash dishes (joy of joys!)! I get to clean my room (amazing!)! And, best of all, I get to alert my friends and family of my reappearance out of hibernation!

All of this doesn't mean that I've stayed out of the kitchen, though. As many people who list cooking and baking among their hobbies know, cooking up a hearty, wholesome meal is therapy in itself. Even with deadlines approaching, I made sure to spend a decent amount of time in the kitche. And, thanks to my duty as a Happy Herbivore recipe tester, I had plenty of excuses to take a break from studying.

So, below I have a few photos to share of my culinary distractions explorations during the last two weeks of the semester since my return from Italy. But before I get there, I have to express my delight at having all the time in the world to bake! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm going to make croissants (well, I'm going to try!), and cookies, and English muffins, and cakes! And I get to peruse food blogs without feeling guilty about leaving homework behind! Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Ok, I'm done. Here are photos.

Enjoy :) And please allow me to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy holiday. May you all be blessed with happiness, good health, laughter, warmth, and love.

Vegan in Suburbia

Broccoli, carrot, and chickpea casserole from Vegan with a Vengeance

Foodeater's recipe for mac and cheese with Daiya, second time around, with brown-rice pasta and a mixture of mozzarella and Cheddar-style Daiya

Oh, Heaven...

Happy Herbivore's fabulous Chicky Seitan, for her upcoming cookbook

Happy Herbivore's fat-free pesto on Nonna's home-made gnocchi

Pesto blessed with tomato sauce

Happy Herbivore's baked sweet potatoes

My curried tofu (thanks to Patak's!) with broccoli, onions, and orange bell pepper served atop a glorious mix of red rice, millet, flax seeds, and barley. I just mixed 4 tbsp of Tikka curry paste with 4 tsp. of soy milk and added it to the pan after frying the tofu and lightly cooking the veggies.

The complete meal :)

Sweet-potato and Swiss chard fritters à la Emeril--ridiculously awesome, by the way, and ever so simple to prepare.

That's it for now! :-)

EDIT: How could I forget! In the rush before leaving to Italy, it was my best friend Maritsa's birthday and my Nonno and Aunt's birthdays. I made a birthday cake for Maritsa and lasagna (for the vegans at the party) for Nonno and Zia Franca's celebration.

Red velvet cake with buttercream frosting (recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking)

Me and the birthday girl with cake, soy milk, and, ahem, post-shower wet hair.

Slice of heaven. LOOK AT THAT ICING. Mmmmmmm

Sorry, Bijou, no cake for you!

Hello, Daiya lasagne. I love you.

Melty, melty goodness.

Why have one slice of heaven (heaven comes in the form on cake and lasagne) when you can have two? (This isn't my plate, by the way. Ha ha ha)

Ok, I'm done for real now! Thanks for reading :-)

Vegan in Suburbia