a special christmas treat!

Since moving into my first apartment in Binghamton in August, my roommates and I started baking A LOT. Whether it was our general college over-eating, stress, loving sweets (obviously), we made tons of cakes, pies, cookies, pancake-cakes (yes you read that right), brownies and more.

So of course, this has extended well beyond my last semester in Binghamton. On Christmas Eve I made  Vegan Strawberry-Chocolate Brownies. It was the first time I ever made them, with my own special recipe and they were a hit!

the original recipe:
*the soy yogurt & strawberry puree serve as egg substitutes

what's needed:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
6 oz soy strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup strawberry puree
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. mix all of the dry ingredients with a spoon in a large bowl
3. once mixed, add the oil and vanilla extract and mix well until a darker batter begins to form
4. add the yogurt and puree and mix well until all ingredients are mixed well
5. taste the batter! it's incredible and there's no risk of getting salmonella since there are no eggs!
6. in a 9" by 13"pan, grease and pour the batter into the pan, evenly
7. bake for 30 min (or longer) and do the usual tooth pick trick to make sure it's fully baked

if you'd like to use cookie cutters or just to cut them immediately:
8. let the brownies cool for about 30 minutes then put it in the fridge for about 20 mins
9. then take a fun, festive cookie cutter and cut the brownies and sprinkle some sprinkles, frosting, marshmallows anything you'd like to decorate!


happy baking, friends! xoxo

Happy Holidays!

I know I've been completely MIA and a lot has changed (now an alumna of Binghamton University, new apartment, first car, and tons more)! But I'm wishing you all a very warm holiday season and will catch up soon!

Xoxo
Mrs.Dr.

christmas is coming, christmas is coming, christmas is coming!

yep, it's happening! i still can't believe it but i sure do love it. decorations all around town have been up well before thanksgiving but i can never really appreciate the rush of that. now, it's starting to snow here in binghamton a little too regularly (every morning) but it does make it feel a little bit more like christmas is coming. in addition to the millions of christmas commercials, christmas songs playing everywhere, and everyone else's obsession. but how can you not love the enchantment?

 the perfect christmas tree.

in binghamton

the other day i came home to my room mate

making cinnamon sugar cookies... how much more christmas is THAT?!

the perks of my job. lindor truffles. mmm mm mm

giving thanks

thanksgiving was special this year. i got to make a vegan pecan pie! it was a hit! my dad and baby sister (who are vegans) loved it! so did everyone else. i also made some special sweet potatoes.

it was also the first time my sisters and i were reunited after going back to school and my younger sister started college. it was so strange but we laughed nonstop for hours the first few hours we were together again. it felt amazing and it's a little bittersweet to have to return to school tomorrow with the last few weeks of the semester (final exams and projects eek) and then GRADUATION in just a couple weeks...so unbelievable.

i loved being with my grandmother.. one of my best friends, my inspiration, and my number one role model...love her and miss her so much. someone i am very thankful for.

so thankful to have been with my wonderful family (that overwhelms me at times), the amazing home food i ate all weekend (definitely gained 10 pounds), and my special home.

what did you do for thanksgiving? what are you thankful for?

gratitude, part II

things i'm thankful for around my (two) homes...

1/  the fact that i have two! i guess that's the perk of being in college. i have my apartment in binghamton that's all mine and full of my independence but i have my hometown home where i can always return to for those days i need home food and the love and comfort of where i grew up and soon i'll be moving into my very own vintage apartment in syracuse which i couldn't be more excited for

2/ cleaning endlessly. i guess living with friends you realize just how different everyone's habits are. my friends joke that i'm the "mom" of the apartment and clean up after everyone (which i really should stop doing) but i love cleaning and feeling like everywhere is clean and mine!

3/ my big comfy bedS! i'm lucky enough that i have two! and i love them both and love when i get to sleep in them. ahhhh

4/ returning to my family every time i'm in baldwin. there's really no place like home. whenever i'm getting sick of binghamton or overwhelmed with life...going home is the perfect thing for me. and boy the food is amazing. (thanks, mom!)

a typical night. homework, reading, chai latte, 

my favorite blue pen, lappy, and of course a pumpkin.

what about your home(s) are you thankful for?

click here to see part one

Smile!

i can't even begin to tell you how excited i am for the holiday season (although its basically already begun) so i found this cute little recipe on making gingerbread and snowman heads! so easy, colorful, and fun! i can't wait to make these with my friends and sissys! find the recipe and ways to decorate here.

{discovered on Bakerella}