Knightly Knit, Cookie Pies & Music You Must

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The folks at Sound Fix, a music boutique in Williamsburg, Brooklyn - know more about good music than all of the professors at Juilliard, combined. It could be that they are located in the same spot that almost every good band has their practice spaces, or it could be that they just rule. Sound Fix has just released their top 50 albums of the year, and if you want to be in audio-bliss for the next year, you'll get some of these albums. From Bon Iver, Crystal Castles, and MGMT - to Girl Talk and Herculues and the Love Affair - you may not have heard of them, but once you do, you'll wonder where they were all your life.

I enjoyed two caps the other day, a soy cappuccino from Gimme! Coffee - probably the best espresso ever,  and a naturally dyed cotton knit cap made by the elusive Filipino designer, Eairth from Kaight. Enzo my lil' rescued pup (thanks to sugarmutts.org) is sporting his "Have a Heart" anti-fur pin. Believe me, it's much more effective on him. Especially when we're walking and I offer him up to the fur-clad :  "would you like to anally electrocute him and add a few extra inches to your coat?"

RECIPE: Cookie Pies!

These cookies are perfect for the holidays. Add anything you want to the center! Chocolate, marzipan, jam, pumpkin pie mix, peanut butter, or even leave the sugar out and go for a savory mini pastry with mashed potato, tampenade, or a chunk of marinated seitan in the center!

What you'll need (makes 2 dozen): • 2/3 cup non-hydrogenated,vegan margerine or shortening (Earthbalance or Spectrum is great!) • 1/4 cup coconut oil • 2 tblsp  sunflower seed butter • 1/3 cup organic brown sugar • 2/3 cup unrefined, organic sugar • 1 tblsp vanilla extract (you can also use almond or coconut) • 1/4 cup egg replacer (Energie is great!) • 1tsp baking powder • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar • 2-3 cups all purpose organic, unbleached flour

Directions: 1. In a mixer, or with a fork, combine chilled margarine/shortening, coconut oil, sugar, vanilla, egg replacer, and sunflower seed butter. 2. Once it is creamy, add the baking powder and vinegar. It should start fizzing a bit. 3. Slowly mix in the flower until it is like play-dough, dry enough so it doesn't stick to your fingers too much, but moist enough to roll out. Usually it's 2.5 cups. For chewier cookies, add more flour. For crispier, add less. 4. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick on a floured pastry sheet or wax paper. 5. Using a circular cookie cutter, and a smaller circle (you can even use a bottle cap for the hole) make a solid base, and doughnut shaped top. 6. Place your base on an ungreased cookie sheet, add your filling, then place the top on! 7. bake on 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until golden.