You gotta eat: Dessert first!

The end of the year opens a special door into dessert land, recipes we rarely make otherwise. I am a fan of eating dessert first.

Vegan Salted Maple Ginger Pie Recipe from the New York Times was one of those recipes that felt like a commitment, but wow, was it worth it, offering layers of yummy flavor.

‘Magic’ Self-Saucing Lemon Pudding (Cake) from Scrummy Lane is a recipe for when you need a dessert without spending a day in the kitchen. It’s a dessert that my dear friend Barbara told me about. (Hi, Barbara!) It comes together easily with a few simple ingredients. It’s a self-saucing cake, and that’s where the magic happens. We have made it many times—it’s a family favorite.

More desserts coming soon: Pecan pie bars are up next, along with white chocolate mix, truffle balls, and a few other seasonal goodies.

We tried a few other new recipes:

Maple-Tahini Mashed Sweet Potatoes from Sam Turnbull at It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken. Really delicious! I’ve had mashed sweet potatoes before, but I don’t remember them tasting this good. We’ll definitely make this recipe again and experiment with other spices. We had some big honkin’ sweet potatoes, so I microwaved them for two minutes. This made them easier to peel and easier to cut into chunks.

Stuffed Mushrooms from Nora Taylor at Nora Cooks. Nora is a favorite, and this recipe did not disappoint. This recipe came together easily and made a good side dish for multiple meals. Next time, we will toss the mushrooms in olive oil and spices and experiment with adding more red chili flakes and smoked paprika.

Vegan Turkey Roast. This is another great recipe from Nora at Nora Cooks. It’s a magical recipe made with vital wheat gluten, the stuff that creates all kinds of meaty-textured things. If you have ever had Tofurky, this is an impressive dupe. It’s one of those dishes that I can’t believe we made at home.