Molasses Cookies--An Autumn Tradition

 

Much of the excitement I feel about the changing seasons is influenced by our family's food traditions--the smells, the sights, the textures and colors--and obviously the tastes.

Last year I posted about my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread--and it is definitely a culinary herald of Autumn for our family.  Another are these cookies.

They look very brown and humble, I know--but they are delicious.  If you think you don't like gingerbread ("Too spicy!  Too...whatever!"), try these.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  Plus they make your house smell like it's just been smacked with an Autumn goodness stick...in the best possible sense :).

Molasses Ginger Cookies

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil or 3/4 cups butter (I used 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup coconut oil, but usually use butter)

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

4 cups unbleached flour (I usually use 1/2 whole wheat, but went decadently all-white this time)

4 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt (I use Kosher because I prefer the little salty crunch, but normal table salt is fine)

1 Tbsp. ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Cream together butter or oil and sugar.  Add eggs and molasses and stir until combined. Stir in dry ingredients until they are evenly mixed in.  Chill dough for one hour.  Scoop out (I use about 1 oz of dough) and roll dough into balls, then roll in the extra granulated sugar.  Bake on 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until they are starting to get a little more brownish golden on the top.  Let them sit on the cookie sheet for another 10 or so minutes to firm up, then put on a rack to cool.  Enjoy!

Favorite Things 2011

Posting at Melissa's "Favorite Things" party last year was one of my first posts ever.  After a year of blogging, it's exciting to be doing another favorites post.  I feel so worldly-wise and experienced now... (not too worldly-wise to still be a wholesome role model to my six children--don't worry ;) ).

Anyway, here are some of my favorite things that I've discovered this year.  Rest assured that I am well-versed in what's fundamental about life--aware that the best things in life aren't things, etc., etc., but let's face it--there are consumerist things that nonetheless bring a smile to your face and make life easier and better.

Those are the kinds of fripperies my list is all about.

So, with no further ado:

1.  I love Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme. 

It not only nourishes my winter-ravaged hands, but it smells like an Almond Croissant--another of my favorites.  Mmmmmmmm.  Also, it is the perfect size to fit in my cup holder in my car so I can slather some on at a stoplight when I'm driving my kids around.  For some reason, my dry hands seem to bug me the most when I'm driving.  Or maybe I just don't stop long enough to pay attention until I'm staring at my fingers gripped around my steering wheel...


2.  Taco Time drinks and ice.

The Taco Times near where I live have Coca Cola Freestyle machines, which basically allow you to have up to 100 different soda flavor options.  Plus, their ice is the perfect ice--easily crunchable without being too small and meltable.  My favorite is a raspberry Sprite with extra ice.


3.  The Goodwill.

I really, really love the Goodwill.  My most recent finds were brand-new tartan fleece Gap kids slippers for my little boys for $2 each.  Last month, I scored gorgeous almost-new black leather knee-high riding boots for me for just $20.  Whenever we  need something, I check there first.  80% of my clothes and my kids' clothes come from thrift stores--and I think we dress pretty well most days :).  The only downside is that I think I may have ruined my children's enjoyment of shopping retail forever.  We all have a hard time paying mall prices after shopping at thrift stores so much.


4.  I already blogged about Joe-joe's here, but they are still a favorite.
I am not an Oreo's lover, but I love these.  That Candy Cane Joe-Joe's are only available seasonally makes them all the more desirable somehow.  I dipped them in chocolate for a fairly low-fuss offering at a cookie exchange last week, and they were a total hit.  I think Santa might give our kids extra presents if we put these out this Christmas :).


5.  Ulta is my new favorite place to shop for beauty products.

They actually have the full line of all the drugstore products (like my favorite cleanser, Neutrogena's Pore Refining Cleanser, which Walgreens has inexplicably stopped carrying).  Their salespeople are really knowledgeable, too.  You leave feeling like you got department store pampering and attention for drugstore prices.  I will need to not go there too often, since I really like nice beauty products.  Sigh.  It is a weakness...

5a.  Neutrogena's Pore Refining Cleanser.

I have larger/large-ish pores on my nose, and this cleanser keeps them clear and makes them look smaller.  I use it at night and in the morning.  My 16-year-old son uses it, too and he has really nice skin (especially for a 16-year-old boy).


6.  My Microplane Grater/Zester. 

 I love all things lemon, lime and orange.  However, I used to dread making anything with citrus peel or zest, or just omit it from recipes entirely, because it was such a pain.   It would take forever to get the 2 or so teaspoons of peel, and I ended up having to chink out the last bits of peel from my grater with a toothpick because it would stick mercilessly.  No more!  I just made a double batch of lemon bars, and I grated all the lemon peel in maybe 3 minutes.  The peel comes right off with a gentle tap on the side of your bowl.  Hot dog!  It is super, super sharp, though, so you have to keep the included cover on when not in use and store it somewhere little prying fingers can't touch it.


Thanks for visiting and letting me share my favorites with you!  I hope you'll stop by Fundamentals and Fripperies again sometime soon!

The Upside of the all the rain

is moss.

It is not good for roofs or masonry, but I love the varigated, technicolor green it drapes over trees and walkways and pretty much anything else that will stand still long enough here in Western Washington.

This is a close-up of a tree I love driving by every day this Spring:

It was a delight to get out and look at it up close.

Oh happy Spring!

A Spoonful of Sugar...

My husband is out of town on business and I was gearing up for a fun evening of this:

Yes!!!  Almost as much fun as dental work.

But then I got to thinking...what if I added:

and

Suddenly an evening full of laundry is almost sounding...fun!  Shhhhh.   

The only thing lacking tonight was my husband.  We like to watch fun British movies and TV together--but that's hard to do when he's out of town.  That he genuinely likes Jane Austen books and movies is only one of the many reasons I love him.

What do you do to whistle while you work? 

I'm linking up to Weekend Bloggy Reading at Serenity Now.

DIY Greek Yogurt

I have become a big fan of Greek yogurt.

But I am not a fan of the hefty price tag.

What oh what am I to do????? (Besides cease with the multiple question marks, I mean...)

Why make my own, of course :).

I was reading in my husband's MBA alumni magazine (I'm a nerd, I know) about "Tempting Trends"--tasty food that is trendy right now.  Not surprisingly, Greek yogurt was listed.  They described it as "strained, to ensure an ultra-tangy taste and creamy texture."

Long ago, I made a "Yogurt Cheesecake" (not too bad, actually) by straining the whey out of yogurt through cheesecloth until what was left was the texture of cream cheese.

Could this method be what they were talking about in the article?

It is.  I googled it and found support for my theory.

I made it, and it was soooo good.  Yay!

Here is how:

First, you will need:

• Cheesecloth--about a 2 1/2 foot strip, cut in half
• Plain, natural yogurt (you could probably use a natural flavored one, I was just starting with the basics)
• Wire strainer
• Bowl for underneath the strainer

1. Put the cheesecloth in the strainer in an "X" (more of a "+" sign, actually) pattern.  Put the strainer in the bowl.

2. Get your yogurt out of the fridge.

3. Dump your yogurt on top of the cheesecloth

4. Cover with plastic wrap (or not, if you like to live dangerously).
Put in fridge.

5. Wait for about 8 to 12 hours and take out of the fridge.  I did mine for 12, and I think it may have been a bit too thick.  I plan to continue to rigorously experiment.  :)

6. This is what the whey looks like that drains out.

7. Dump the strained yogurt into another container and sweeten/flavor to taste.  I used some strawberry jam, and it was great.  Even better would be pureed real strawberries and honey with a few drops of vanilla.

Yum!!

320 Sycamore Favorite Things Party

Okay, so I am so new to blogging that this is the first time I have officially linked up to anyone else's blog.  It is true. I am a newbie.  BUT, I have been following Melissa's blog, 320 Sycamore, forever.  I thought I should give it a try.  I think the link above works--hot dog! (and reference to It's a Wonderful Life is in your honor Melissa :) )

I have lots of favorites, but here are a few things that make me smile:



1. I have a kitchen scale like this:





I use it several times a week for cooking (we lived in England for a while, and they weigh dry ingredients rather than use cup measures).  But mostly I just think it looks really cute on my counter, stacked up with lemons or onions or something. 

2.  I bought this kettle in red at Costco for $20 a few months ago, and it makes me happy every time I pass my stove.  It heats water for herbal tea or hot choc quickly, and whistles softly (rather than sounding like a train is passing through your kitchen, like some kettles I've heard :) ).

3.  I love the stuff for sale at keepcalmandcarryon.com, but I am a cheapskate thrifty, so I found a version I could shamelessly download and print on my home computer for free here.  I put it in a dollar store black frame, and bada-bing-bada-boom--it looks great hanging over my calendar.  It reminds me to not freak out (unless of course I'm super freaking...).  sorry--couldn't resist :)

4.  I love oatmeal for breakfast. This container has made it easy to have delicious topping-full oatmeal.  I put brown sugar in one compartment, chopped walnuts or almonds in another and a mixture of craisins/raisins in the third.  Pour some milk (or if I'm being decadent, cream) over the top and it is even better than the oatmeal from Starbucks, from whom I shamelessly stole this particular flavor combination.

5.  My favorite scented lotion and perfume ever:  Is it weird that I like smelling like something good to eat?

Thanks for inviting me, Melissa :).  Can't wait to join the party!

I Love Apples!

Remember apple kitchen décor?  Hint: it came after ducks and cows but before roosters (if you need help with your kitchen tzotchke timeline).  

I stand corrected! Apple decor is apparently alive and well--this pic is an Amazon offering. 

Well, you can take the girl out of the 90’s, but you can’t take the 90’s out of the girl.  I love apples—love to pile a heap of them in a bowl on my kitchen table, love to see the varieties at the grocery store (or even better, farmer's market), I love it all!  Maybe it’s because all apples are one (or both) of my favorite colors—red and green.

Anyway, I just got two big boxes of apples from Wenatchee (thanks, Heather!).  Here are some of my favorite things to do with them (yes, I’m madly trying to use up my apples before they go bad without having to resort to doing  something crazy like canning or something): 


Apple Crisp


1 1/3 cups flour
1 1/3 oatmeal (I always use old-fashioned but quick oats turn out just fine)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
8-10 medium apples, peeled,  cored and sliced
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Peel, core and slice apples (using a apple corer/peeler/slicer gadget = fun!).  Mix with 1 cup brown sugar and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and spread evenly on the bottom of a buttered 9 x 13 pan.


Combine flour, oats, other brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl (I use the same bowl I mix the apples in because I hate dishes just that much I'm such an efficient cook).  Cut butter into dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly.  You can either use the paddle attachment on a KitchenAid mixer, or a pastry cutter or your fingers.  Sprinkle topping on the fruit and bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until delicious!  This makes a nice big family-sized plus friends amount of Apple Crisp (okay, about 10-12 servings--more if you are big on portion control).








Crock Pot Pork Chops with Apples and Sauerkraut


A German-inspired nod to that old Brady bunch classic, "Porkchops and Applesauce."


8 pork chops, fat trimmed
Salt and pepper
Olive oil and butter for browning
1 medium Onion
3 cups Sauerkraut
3 apples (firm, slightly tart type like Fuji or Braeburn--Granny Smith's work, too)
2/3 cups apple juice or water
2 tsp. caraway seeds


Layer half the apples and sauerkraut on the bottom of a large crockpot.  Sprinkle 1/2 the caraway seeds on top.


Sprinkle both sides pork chops with salt and pepper.  Brown both sides in equal amounts of olive oil and butter.    Put browned chops in the crockpot.  Deglaze the pan with apple juice or water.  Layer the rest of the sauerkraut, apple slices and caraway seeds over the chops.  Pour the deglazed pan juices over everything.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for about 6.  Yum!