Strawberry-Lemon Twists

Strawberry-Lemon Twists | thevegancrew.com

Erik and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary over the weekend.  We’re leaving for vacation later this month and will incorporate “formal” celebratory festivities into our trip, so we kept it low-key with movies, games, shopping and breakfast for dinner.  We literally poured over a dozen cookbooks deciding on the perfect dinner to make together before we settled on…tofu scramble, biscuits ‘n gravy and screwdrivers.  Cause, well, that’s how we roll.

And it was perfect. :)

Speaking of rolls, the whole breakfast theme gave me the perfect excuse to whip up another recipe I’ve been thinking a lot about lately: strawberry-lemon twists (a twist on these poppy seed-lemon twists)!  You start out with cinnamon roll dough, but instead of filling with cinnamon and sugar, you fill it with a thin layer of chopped sweet strawberries.  Roll, slice, twist and bake.  And then drizzle with a tart lemon glaze.

Strawberry-Lemon Twists | thevegancrew.com

Aren’t strawberries and lemon magical together?  Add the flavors to soft, pillowy pastry and I’m in heaven.  And it gets even better when dipped into the leftover strawberry mixture.

The twists are pretty easy to make (albeit a bit messy when it comes to the twisting), and the active work time is fairly minimal.  Make these on a leisurely afternoon, or start the dough and let it rise overnight so that you can finish up in the morning and enjoy them right out of the oven for a sweet start to your day.

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Grilled Mexican Hot Chocolate Sandwiches

Grilled Mexican Hot Chocolate Sandwiches | thevegancrew.com

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Have your blog readers (or inboxes) been filled to the brim lately with Mexican recipes like mine?  Tacos, taquitos, enchiladas, margaritas and guacamole galore — and I can’t get enough.  I gladly welcome any excuse to celebrate and indulge in Mexican cuisine.

Not that I ever need an official excuse.  Just the other day, for example, we celebrated Dos de Mayo just for the fun — and deliciousness — of it.  Long after our bellies settled, we got a hankering for something sweet.  With Latin foods on the mind and chocolate chips in the freezer, I threw together this easy dessert sammie, a twist on Mexican hot chocolate.  Grilled bread filled with warm, spiced chocolate.

Authentic Mexican cuisine?  Maybe not.  But fun and tasty?  Definitely.

Grilled Mexican Hot Chocolate Sandwiches | thevegancrew.com

Hot chocolate may seem like an unlikely choice for May, but we were experiencing unseasonably winter-like weather (snow and all).  Regardless, this version can be enjoyed any time of year.  Doesn’t it sound especially good cooked over a campfire on a nice summer night (move on over, s’mores!)?

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This & Thats

Tennis and Fud | thevegancrew.com

April, where did you go?  You just flew by... On my birthday, we were graced with gorgeous weather, allowing me to do the only thing I wanted to do:  play tennis.  Note:  I use the term play very, very loosely! ;)  And we followed it up with … [Continue reading]

J. Bean’s Restaurant and Gathering Place

J.Bean's Gathering Place - Hummus Platter | thevegancrew.com

Hello, everyone!  I'm a week behind, but I want to share about this cool, little restaurant we discovered last week. Last Sunday we met up with my parents for a late lunch.  Wanting to branch out from our usual pizza joint, we tried a new place I … [Continue reading]

Love to Boston.

Mr. Rogers - Look for the Helpers - Huffington Post

Each night this week I sat down to try to write my planned post, but it didn't feel right.  Like you, I'm sure, I've been distracted and overwhelmed by the week's events, starting with the bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday and up until the … [Continue reading]