Friday, September 26, 2008

Not Your Momma's Cupcakes...



After something of a lull, I am back to blogging and hope that the upcoming MoFo challenge will reinvigorate me for two of the things I love best in the world: cooking great vegan goodies and boasting about them! I think I must already be feeling the effects because, at lunchtime today, I took a deep breath and signed up to become an Iron Cupcake.

Yes, you *did *read that correctly: an Iron Cupcake!

The website happily proclaims:


This is the central hub for the ultimate world-wide cupcake competition. A monthly ingredient, a monthly challenge, fabulous prizes, new ways to find other cupcake fanatics just like yourself.

And, as far as I can see, the idea is that each month a new ingredient is proposed for inclusion within those little packets of fun we call cupcakes. From the IC site, the challenge:

is a way for bakers from anywhere, all over the world, to take place in the ultimate flavor challenge and promote world peace, one cupcake at a time.

Last month's challenge was basil - a herb more commonly considered in connection with stewed tomatoes and with pesto than with cupcakes, I suspect. However, I learned of it through Vegan_Noodle and was inspired both by her creative use of this wonderful leaf and her subverse thumbing-of-the-nose at Hurricane Ike. So, now I want in! I have emailed the IC folks and begged to be included on their blogroll so hopefully we will soon see Cackleberry listed there too.

Bring on the next challenge: I am ready!

Oh, and Stay Vegan, Friends!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

MoFo!



MoFo? Nah, not what you're thinking! In fact, this refers to the 'Vegan Month of Food' - for October this year! The idea is that we vegan bloggers completely inundate and overwhelm the blogosphere with accounts of deliriously delicious, fantastically fabulous, exquisitely edible vegan food....and I am in! I pledge to blog about food - specifically - every weekday for the month of October. For those of us who are 'math-challenged', that's 20 times within 31 days! But, you know what? I will do it.

Today, in preparation, I baked. Lots. And took pix to document this endeavor. On the menu were cranberry orange scones, low-fat banana and chocolate chip bread and vegan sausage and peanut butter biscotti - the latter for my precious pooches, Darwin the Dog and Sir Humphrey Hound. Facing the scones and banana/choc chip bread, My Beloved is speechless and managed to snivel only the following:


I want one. I want it NOW! And it's not fair, because I haven't had my dinner so I can't have my dessert!


There will be pix and recipes available during the month of MoFo...so check back frequently.

I am so excited I can barely speak - let alone type!

Stay Vegan, Friends!