Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Hodge Podge (& A Giant Grocery Trip!)

Tonight we had an early "Hodge Podge" dinner - various yummy elements thrown together on a single plate! I know you're wondering - so I'll tell you what's on the plate! Starting with the tomatoes & going around clockwise: tomatoes & english cumcumber, Eden Carribean Beans & Rice with Lemon, VwaV Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic, fresh sugar snap peas, sesame-cilantro tofu salad from the farmer's market, and whole rye bread also from the F.M. Whoa!! Holy deliciousness! It's all so good, and now my belly is very full and very happy. What a feast.

This weekend we are throwing our big, annual Holiday Craft Party. It's our biggest party of the year and it's full of crafty fun and vegan treats. I planned out all the food to make a couple of days ago, and did my shopping today. I went to the Farmer's Market, Trader Joe's, and then my local natural foods store (Staff of Life). I thought of Candi's recent post about going to all the different stores in order to find everything she wants.

I especially had fun at the farmer's market. I got some baked tofu and the above mentioned tofu salad at a new vendor who comes down from San Francisco - great stuff. It's a little bit pricey, but I hope to gradually try one thing at a time. I also got:
5 navel oranges
2 collard greens
1/2 lb. dates
"Little Gem" lettuces
6 leeks, and 1 bunch baby leeks
6 bell peppers: 2 red, 2 orange, 2 yellow
parseley & cilantro
garlic, onions, shallots
15 small kiwis (only $2!!)
big bag of mini yukon gold & purple potatoes
celery & celery root
2 cauliflowers
1/2 loaf of rye bread

... almost all organic, and pretty much all for the party or the few meals between now and then. Came to about $45. A bit of a splurge day, but not bad for most of my party budget!

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:11 AM

    Tell me about the party! Do you host the party at your place or rent a space? How many people attend? Is it for the public or just friends? Nosy, huh?

    Great looking dinner plate and awesome shopping trip!

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  2. Anonymous11:22 AM

    I can't wait to hear about your party. This weekend, we are volunteering at a big craft fair too, so we can compare notes!

    And may I add, I *LOVE* your dinner. Call it a mish mash, hodge podge, smorgasboard, tapas, appetizers, whatever, but my favorite meals are always comprised of a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Maybe that's why I love leftovers so much!

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  3. hi atxvegan!
    Our party is really fun... we've done it maybe 5 years now. We invite a lot of people (friends and family) - although this year we invited a bit fewer people because it was getting overwhelming! We do it at our house, which is really not that big. We have a couple of big fold-out tables that we use for crafting... Most of the crafting stuff is pretty low-brow (more a glitter and felt crew than an actual craftster scene). It's mostly just a fun excuse to good around together. Some of the crafts/supplies we have are:
    snowflake making
    gift tag making
    button making (I have a button machine)
    laminating machine
    Make-A-Plate
    styrofoam balls
    glue gun
    glitter, ribbons, beads etc.
    and much more

    Hi Bazu!
    Hope you have a super fun time at the craft fair. It will be fun to trade crafty-notes. Also, thanks for the thumbs up for our crazy dinner - it was really fun. I didn't think of it, but it really was a lot like tapas - fun to have so many different flavors and textures.

    :)

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  4. Anonymous9:35 PM

    The party sounds fun! I love all the craft ideas, and just in time for the holidays! I'd love to be making home made gift tags now, but I'm very behind! Lol!

    Lol! Yes, you had many grocery stops! I'm so glad I'm not the only one. Seems like we all do this, so I don't feel so crazy. :P

    Your "tapas" dish looks great. I'd love that kind of variety at dinner! *steals a cucumber slice*

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  5. Hi Candi,
    You made me smile with your sneaky cucumber nabbing! :) I am lucky to come from a very non-consumptive family... so I usually just make people a few gifts and maybe buy a few for my nephews - but it's very fun and low stress.
    :) Amey

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