Kitchen Adventures

Right now there are a few kitchen adventures on my plate. It has always been my mother's duty to provide the pies for Thanksgiving dessert. As I became the cook, I've taken over the roll of baker. Especially cause I've gone the extra mile and don't believe in anything that isn't homemade... which includes the crust. Someday I'll figure out how to make it look as good as it tastes.

But the adventures/challenges...

#1 my brother's mother in law has allergies. Which means no sugar, no gluten, no dairy. All key ingredients in dessert. I'm thinking a vegan pumpkin cheesecake. Soycake? With a gluten and sugar free gingersnap crust. I've found a couple of options, now for the trip to Whole Foods (like I need an excuse for that) to get all the right ingredients.

#2 The gigantic bag of apples that mom bought the other day, in order to make the pies. Granted, it was only $2 more for about 4 pounds more, but the apples have started to spoil. There will be apple pie, and apple cake, and I think apple butter, which will be my first attempt at canning. There seems to be no recipes to make a single portion of this perseve... perhaps mom will want to give apple butter as Christmas gifts?

An update later on the progress.