Two dairy free 'Christmas' recipes I just have to share

Okay everyone, so we know that Christmas is over but I still have TON of baking left over in my house.  Much got nibbled on, some got tossed (unfortunate I know, but there is only so many shortbread cookies one can eat) and some got given away.  But there are a few I just am not ready to get rid of yet.  So I thought if I love the treats so much I can't part with them, then I should at least share the recipes!

The first is a dairy free caramels recipe, that I found here Vegan Caramels.
I have tried several recipes over the years with different dairy alternatives and this one gave me the absolute best caramel.  I followed the directions exactly, which I almost NEVER do, but I was desperate for home-made turtles so I sucked it up, read the recipe and pulled out my candy thermometer.  It is well worth it.  I know that everyone would tell me to use a coconut milk recipe, but I tried and I couldn't find one I liked.  So soy milk it is.
Once I knew that the caramel was going to solidify nicely, I quickly pressed in pecans and let it cool completely.  Once cooled I cut my sheet of pecan pressed caramel into small squared and hand dipped into melted dairy free dark chocolate and left to harden on parchment paper.  They are simply AMAZING!! I am keeping them in the freezer so that I don't all of them instantly and they are just as good frozen! What a great treat.

The other recipe is a dairy free 'Bailey's' Irish cream wanna-be that I found HERE. I was always a little sad when my friends and family could pour that sweet creamy goodness into their coffee during the holidays and I did not want to miss out any longer.  This recipe was surprising easy and so GOOD! According to my husband, it is almost as good as the real thing, but seeing I don't know what the real thing taste like, I am just happy that it is so delicious.  There are a few differences from the dairy to non-dairy versions.  First, you have to keep the non-dairy in the fridge and you don't (well we don't) have to keep the Bailey's in the fridge. And secondly, the cream in the coconut milk will float to the top, while the whiskey will sink to the bottom, so you need to give it a good shake before you pour it into your coffee.
I have to say, this will be a yearly tradition because it is so yummy in coffee or on ice.  I will make it again!

So there you have it, two great and pretty easy dairy free treats.

ENJOY!

The past

Going home to my folks house for Christmas is always a great time. There is a ton of food, drink, friends and family. I used to enjoy connecting with old high school buddies and catching up. Spending late nights drinking coffee with school chums reminiscing about old days but over the last few years I have done less and less of that. I have almost avoided that social ciricut altogether. This year I didn't see anyone but family. And I enjoyed it, didn't think anything about it. Until I saw another two friends' Facebook posts about their visits with each other and others. And I instantly felt like a jerkface. One of them even spent an afternoon with MY grandfather. 

Wow. 

So here I am, back in Saskatoon not able to visit any of them right now feeling like the worst friend in the world and making pathetic attempts at connection by FB posts and messages. 

What I should be doing is trying to figure out why I am indifferent to seeing these old friends at this point in my life. Why don't I care? Do I think I'm better then them? No, that's not it, I truly love these people still. Do I think they are better than me? No, I think they still love me too. 

I think that I need to think more about this. But my guess is that my life over the last 1 1/2 years has been so draining on the emotional energy that I just don't have any to spare. It feels like I can barely keep up with the friends I have locally. That is a horrible excuse, but it is all I have for right now. 

I will think more about it. 

And let you know what I'll do about it. 

If anything.