....Introducing - Mr & Mrs Goods

Yes, you heard it right- after being together almost 13 years, 3 weeks ago today - Goods and I got married.....

oops, wrong photo....

It was a surprise ceremony at our home, in our yard. Goods' children didn't even know it was happening until they arrived, supposedly for a family photo shoot - SURPRISE, no photo shoot, but a wedding. They, along the minister, were the only ones in attendance - oy, did we hear about it later from other family and friends, but Goods and I wanted a private, quiet ceremony - it was perfect.

When we were composing our vows, we had times we both had to stop because our emotions were getting us to, well, CRY. We both thought we would be a total mess through out the ceremony - WRONG, we were two giggly butts!

Goods Jr (Goods son) was our photographer....

I'll spare you all the details of the elaborate lie we created to get them here, dressed according with matching colors and having Goods Jr. bring his fancy camera- but I will sum it up in the phrase "evil evil step-mommy". 15 minutes after the ceremony it poured down rain - just like it was doing an hour before the ceremony. That day was so rainy, but the rain broke for about an hour and a half, just for when our ceremony was planned! Everything was perfect! Our minister did a fantastic job, she was my former yoga instructor, and just such a wonderful person- and for those who are wondering - YES IT WAS LEGAL- she is also an ordained minister.

Now on to the Vegan food I had....

Everything was vegan, except for some cheese and some chocolate cover pretzels (that my Mom bought for Goods and we are desperately trying to pawn them onto anyone that comes to visit- not that they aren't any good, they say they are excellent, we just don't eat that kind of stuff)

Anyway - some of the highlights were-

• mini quiches - similar to these (subbed spinach for the fungus)


• Almond Feta Cheese**


• Cranberry Appetizer Spread


• Veggie Pizza - similar to this, but all vegan.


• Tempeh Stuffed Potato Skins

And the there was the vegan wedding cake!

This was a combination of a few recipes....

The cake is Lemonialla Cake - I split the batter into 2- 8 inch round pans and 1- 4 1/2" springform pan - so there was 3 layers.

The icing was just the basic buttercream icing - vegan of course:

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. Earth Balance "butter"
3 1/2 c. powder sugar sifted

1.5 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. soymilk

Beat the shortening & butter until fluffy. Beat in the powder sugar, gradually. Add the vanilla & soymilk slowly. Beat until really fluffy.

Between the 8" round layers I put a Vegan Lemon Curd- Bryanna's. I halved the recipe...it made plenty. I did have to use 3 Tbs. of cornstarch to make it thick enough.

Then I assembled it and made it pretty with fresh flowers....well I thought it was pretty- and the bride is always right- right???

I must confess, or really- I'm going to share some secret tips with you. I made the cake - then I froze it - and took it out when I was ready to frost it. Yes, I frost it frozen and that prevented any crummies from the cake from getting into the icing. Worked perfect. I also made the cake again for a dinner we had for Goods' side of the family when we announced to them our marriage. SURPRISE! Oh, but the second time around I cut in half the 4 1/2" layer before I froze it, and when assembling it, I put a layer of the lemon curd in between.

SOOOOOO...there you have it, I'm back and I'm married to the most wonderful man and we shall live happily ever after......

Then we took a few days and went here-

and had a total blast.

I'll have some more food porn soon...but until then- Mrs. Goods is signing off.

~Signs of Spring~

Seeeee.....a sign of SPRING!
No, the above photo isn't from Fall, we actually still have 2 pumpkins left from Halloween, as Lily poses with the 7 month old pumpkins.

Here's a real sign of Spring.....

And another, the Green Heron's are nesting....

Thank goodness they pick the Detroit Zoo to nest at, not our neighborhood....they've visited our yard before, eyeing up our fish in our pond- don't they realize they are my PETS??? Here's a closer look at the beasts....

And yet another sign of Spring- Goods doing Spring clean-up in the pond....and yes the water was FREEZING.

Then Goods got to rest on our new double chaise lounge at the tiki hut patio.

Goods, if you are reading this, make a note to take off the canvas cover off the roof.

And it was a beautiful Saturday, weather wise, so we immediately think of PICNIC FOOD!

Planned menu of:

Fake Chicken Patty Sandwich

Baked Beans

Corn on the Cob

It was a long day of yardwork so I went and checked the freezer- shoot, no Boca Chicken Patties, so I did have to make my own after all. Well, they really weren't my own, I borrowed the recipe from Vegan Dad- I used his Chicken Wing recipe and made my own patties...lookie...

I baked them in the oven as you do the wings, then Goods threw them on the grill for a bit. They were excellent. I think next time I will just dip them once in the breading instead of twice, that you do for the wings-they were a tad bready, and really crunchy...but I liked that! When I was forming the patties, one of them thought about falling apart, but I just pinched it back together. Here is my plate, I'm bunless...

My condiments are on the side, one of which is Bubbie's Pickles - they are the bomb! The corn was from Kroger's and it was great- very sweet and tender- soaked in their husk and done on the grill. I have bought it a few times lately, and it's been great every time.

The baked beans, well they cooked all afternoon in the crockpot - I can't tell you my secret recipe, well one, because I don't want to, and the other reason is because I wing it each time I make them.

Since I was talking about beans....I made a Gluten Free Chocolate Cake - out of Black Eye Peas....Are peas considered a beans??? Well close enough...

I've been trying to cut out as much gluten in my diet as possible and I've been testing some "different" recipes and this was one of them- It was like Puddin' cake. It should have been called "Protein Packed Puddin' Cake". The recipe was from Bittersweet Blog - link for recipe ***here*** (and she has much prettier photos of the cake too). Next time I'm going to bake it in a 8" x 8" pan and see how that turns out...just because the cake was so thick. The cake wasn't too sweet, which I prefer....you know, because I'm sweet enough.

And just for fun....a photo of a new addition to the Detroit Zoo-

He was saying to me - "Hey were is my piece of Protein Packed Puddin' Cake" - yes, I think he was.

All food rated 5 out of 5 forks.