Soft Gingerbread Cookies

{the essence of Christmas foods}
Sometimes when the outside world, looks like this:

  This is for real... probably shouldn't be taking pictures and driving at the same time in 6 inches of snow, but whatever... I lived.

... the first thing that comes to my mind is Christmas. And with Christmas, comes baking. Specifically gingerbread cookies. This was my first time making them from scratch. I was pretty impressed- me and cookies usually don't get along very well, but these were easy and relatively fool proof. Me likey! They were absolutely delish and super soft. My husby took them to work, and everyone requested more. I'll allow it!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 1/2 cups flour

Directions: 

In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. 

Beat in molasses, egg and vinegar [enter elementary school memories of your science fair volcano explosion here] [get it... baking soda and vinegar...] beat until combined and note the the bubbly-ness that occurs. Beat in as much of the flour as you can, and stir in the remainder until combined.

Cover and chill dough in the fridge for 3 hours or until firm and easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a cookie sheet, set aside.  

On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut into shapes and place on cookie sheet.

Bake for 5-6 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire wrack. 

Here's the best part... DECORATING! Use basic powdered sugar icing to pipe and color (if desired) to decorate however you want! Go nuts!

A little Red Sox pride here... I couldn't help it!

Happy Holiday Baking!

  

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook 15th Edition

Quick Caramels

{quick... and easy}
Well, I'm on this candy making kick. However, I wanted something simple and quick and somewhat fool proof. Also I learned something cool (well most people probably know this but I obviously was not paying attention in class) but water boils at a different temperature depending on your altitude. Which would explain why my last candy making endeavor was just that, an endeavor. The way you can test your thermometer- boil water and see what temperature your thermometer levels off at once the water comes to a rolling boil. Easy. The boiling point at sea level is 100C (212F) so depending on what temperature your water boils at, you will either add or subtract that number from the boiling point at sea level. I wasn't very good at word problems in math class so if this doesn't make sense you can blame it on that fact. This little fact can either make or break your candy making (or teeth...).

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk (16oz can)
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Line 8x8 inch square or circle baking dish with foil, and spray generously with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup, stir till sugar is dissolved. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Insert candy thermometer, and reduce heat to medium and continue boiling at a moderate rate stirring frequently until the thermometer registers 248F (about 30-45 minutes).
Remove from heat and add vanilla, then quickly pour caramel into baking dish and let cool completely. Cut into pieces and wrap all cute like! Ta-da!

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 15th Edition

Apple Cider Caramels

{christmas and candy wrapped up together in one simple bite}
So I saw these, and thought "um, yum." I could not form words other than "those would look good on my blog." Thus, I had to make them. This was my first time making candy without my mom's supervision. I remember when I was a kid coming over to my grandma's and seeing rows and rows and pans spread out all over the house full of home made candy. The only thing I was allowed to do was stir the sugary syrup. Making these caramels brought back a lot of good memories. It's too bad all my hard work and hours of effort turned rock solid almost immediately the minute it left the hot burner. I was so upset and disappointed- yet determined so the next day I got right back up and started again. So without further adieu, I would like to present my first ever batch of caramels!

I've got a lot of pictures of these babies... fair warning!
Ingredients:
2 cups Simply Apple, apple juice (found next to the Simply Orange in your grocery store's juice department)
1 cup whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 cup brown sugar (or white sugar)
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup butter

Other things you will need:
candy thermometer
large stock pot and a medium sauce pan
cooking spray
glass measuring cup (or one that can stand up against high heat)

Directions:
Pour apple cider into medium sauce pan, boil on high until it reduces to 1/3 cup- about 20 minutes, this is where the glass measuring up comes in handy. Once it's reduced, set aside to cool, but not too cool or else it will turn into a jelly (I found that out the hard way). If that does happen, put it back on the heat and stir.
Line an 8x8 inch square baking dish with wax paper leaving about an inch over the top for easy removal, and spray generously with cooking spray and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup whipping cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and reduced apple cider. Set aside.
In large stock pot, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/3 cup whipping cream plus enough water to reach the 1/2 cup mark. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves, insert the candy thermometer and simmer until it reaches 234 degrees Fahrenheit. This took about 45 minutes for me, and because of the altitude my candy never reached that exact temperature- you can tell when it should be removed. The candy will turn dark in color and begin to thicken, the bubbles will look differently as well. Don't over cook.
Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream and cider mixture- might splatter a little, be careful. Add butter a little at a time in cubes or spoonfuls and mix until well incorporated. Return to low heat and re-insert candy thermometer and cook, stirring frequently until the mixture reaches 248F, about another 30(ish) minutes. Again, mine never quite got that hot- you can tell by the texture and color etc. Again, don't over cook. You'll end up with toffee instead of a caramel. Trust me!
Remove from heat and pour into prepared baking dish. Let cool completely before removing from pan (with the wax paper). Cut horizontally... (I used a pizza cutter)

Then cut again vertically...

You can kind of make whatever size caramels you'd like... I ended up cutting these in half again to about the size of a Tootsie Roll. Cut wax paper into 2x4 inch squares, and wrap each individual caramel, and twist the ends, also like a Tootsie Roll.

Wrapping them is very tedious, I wont lie. If your caramels stick to the wax paper as you are trying to remove each little square, don't worry mine did that, too. Just go slow and use a knife to scrap them off... patience young Padawan.

Makes about 80 Tootsie Roll size pieces, and 40 average caramel size pieces.  

Source: Our Best Bites   

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

{pumpkin pie has met its match}
I saw these when I was browsing... somewhere out there in cyberspace. And all it took was one look, and I was immediately head over heels and the site was saved in my bookmarks three seconds later. To say that I was excited to try this out, is an understatement. This definitely worked as a great test run for YW's In Excellence in two weeks- I'm in charge of treats, and I've been brainstorming ideas for the evening, and these I think are in my top 5. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ginger
1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the frosting:
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 8oz package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a bowl, and whisk together. In another bowl, beat brown sugar and oil until combined, then add the pumpkin, and whisk together. Add vanilla and the egg, and mix again until combined. Fold in dry ingredients until incorporated. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Use a melon baller (or something that measures 2 tablespoons) to scoop the batter on to the cookie sheet- two inches apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes, OR until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cookies sit for 5 minutes before moving to a wire wrack to cool. 
To make the frosting, beat the butter until creamy, about 30 seconds, then add in the cream cheese. Beat on medium for about 1 minute until mixture is creamy and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat again until desired consistency. If too thick, add a couple teaspoons of milk and if too runny, add 1/2 cup powdered sugar. 

Once the cookies are cooled, and the frosting is all frosting-y, using a small spoon, scoop up some frosting and dollop it on the flat underside of one cookie, and sandwich it with another cookie, flat sides together. Repeat. If you wanted to get fancy, you could pipe the frosting.

Once they are all assembled, put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving!

Just a tip: if the tops of your little cookies are a bit rigid from sticking to the utensil you used to scoop them onto the baking sheet- before baking, dip the tips of your fingers in water and smooth out the little peaks. 
Source: Teenie Cakes 

Turkey!

{oh my goodness i love thanksgiving}
This was my first time hosting Thanksgiving. You're thinking, 'Thanksgiving, on October 24th?'. Yes. I missed Canadian Thanksgiving, and here in Canada, American Thanksgiving isn't recognized, and you don't get time off of work. So we decided to do it yesterday, and it was a success! I have to admit, without Warren it wouldn't have happened... I gagged the whole time when he was playing with the bird before it was cooked. Blech! You laugh, but it's true. Also, let me tell you the secret that made our turkey especially delicious. Thanks to my good friend Erin, who sent me a link on to do this with a chicken, we now have a perfect recipe for turkey to go into our recipe collection. Boo ya! Want to know the secret? Okay, you twisted my arm. It's Mayo! Say what?! Yeah, Mayo.

Ingredients... really?
A turkey
a cup of Mayo
basic seasonings

What ya do is, once all the giblet bags are out (you're gonna wanna make sure it's thawed first), you are going to spread Mayo all over the turkey (minus the bottom, obviously). Then add your seasonings. I used thyme, some oregano, some garlic powder, and some salt and pepper. Cover with foil, then pop that bad boy into the oven and cook it for the time specified on the package. Best part... no basting needed!

Ta da!
Source: Rookie Cookie Roast Chicken   

Cranberry Pummmmpkin Bread

{tis' the freakin' season}
Can I just tell you how much I love pumpkin flavored anything? It's funny because pumpkin pie, is not my number one favorite. But put pumpkin in anything else, and I'm yours. I can't get enough of it! I especially love the way it makes your house smell. Reminds me of grandma's house during November and December. It's so welcoming and pleasant. I thought that breads like this were for experienced bakers only. To my surprise, it was quite easy-- minus of course, my big flaw of not cooking the first loaf entirely before taking it out of the oven. That's right my friends, this is the second loaf! The inside of the first loaf, literally was the same consistency of the batter that went into the oven in the beginning. I went ahead and did some research on why this happened, and what I could do to rectify it. So here is what I found:

Bread sticks to pan. Unless you're using high-quality nonstick metal or silicone baking pans, you should always grease the pans before you pour in the batter. The best thing to use for greasing the pan is shortening, because its melting point is higher than any other kind of fat, which helps maintain a "shield" between pan and batter while the bread is baking. A high-quality cooking spray--one that won't bake on to your pans and discolor them--is also a fast, easy fix. You can also prevent sticking by removing the bread from the pan sooner: let the bread cool for at least twenty minutes in order to set (Bundt loaves should cool twice as long) before inverting the pan.
There are big holes and "tunnels" in the bread, and/or the bread is tough. These problems are usually caused by over-mixing. See above, Mixing the Batter, about mixing technique.
There's a big crack down the middle of the quick bread loaf. The crack on top happens when top of the loaf "sets" in the heat of the oven before the bread is finished rising. Don't worry--it's normal for quick breads. Drizzle the loaf with icing or dust with confectioners' sugar.
The bread looks done on the outside but it's still raw in the middle. This is one of the most common quick bread problems, and it can be caused by a few different factors. The oven temperature could be too high. (Use an oven thermometer to check: they're cheap and available at most supermarkets.)
Try lowering the oven temperature and/or putting a loose tent of foil over the top of the bread so it won't burn before the middle has time to catch up.

Another cause of "raw center" syndrome could be using a different pan than the recipe calls for. One of the nice things about quick breads is that you can use the same batter to make muffins, mini loaves, jumbo loaves, or rounds. But each size requires different baking times--and some require different baking temperatures. The larger and thicker the loaf, the longer it's going to take to bake. If you're using a different size pan than your recipe calls for, adjust the baking time accordingly and check the bread often.

Taken from allrecipes.com. So... I had to try it again to prove that I could do it. And whadda know... it worked! I adjusted my oven temperature and I covered it with foil the last 10 minutes, and now I have yummy, yummy pumpkin bread to eat!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (optional) (you could also throw in nuts and/or chocolate chips)

Directions:
Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix; set aside. In another bowl sift flour, baking soda, and spices. Gradually add dry ingredients to creamy mixture. Mix until just blended. Fold in cranberries. Grease one loaf pan or four mini loaves. Pour batter into pans. For one loaf, bake at 350F for about 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. For mini loaves, bake at 350F for about 35-40 minutes.

FYI... this makes a fantastic gift to give to your neighbors and friends!
recipe adapted from The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

Stuffing & Mashed Potato Cupcakes, anyone?

{i have no idea what to call these- other than delicious}
I saw these on one of my new favorite foodie blogs, way far back in her archives. I must have been looking for something specific. With Thanksgiving coming up (Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner) these looked and sounded wonderful, not to mention EASY and ADORABLE!

Ingredients:
1 box Turkey Stuffing (and the ingredients to make it)
4 servings of instant mashed potatoes (or the real stuff depending on how much time you have) (and the ingredients to make it)
1 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar)
Dried Parsley 

What ya do is: Prepare stuffing as per directions. Spray cupcake pan with cooking spray. Scoop a spoonful of stuffing into each little cupcake slot, and press the stuffing down so not to have air pockets, like this:

Then make your mashed potatoes (or if you are making them scratch, you probably would have wanted to start making them hours ago). Once your mashed potatoes are done, scoop a spoonful and plop it on top of the stuffing in each cupcake slot. Press down. If you have left over potatoes you can obviously add more to each cupcake. Sprinkle with cheese and Parsley. Bake for 10 minutes at 325F. Goes great with turkey for Turkey Day! 

Source: The Ungourmet

Mummies

{who said your food couldn't be cute, too}
Great for Halloween... perhaps?

Ingredients:
1 package (8 bread sticks or 11 oz.) bread stick dough
1 package (16 oz) hot dogs (Brats, Cheddar Dogs, Cheddar Brats maybe even... yum!)
Mustard and poppy seeds for the eyes (if you want you could opt the mustard for Cheese Whiz)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Using 1 dough strip for each, wrap hot dogs to look like mummies, leaving opening for eyes. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Place dots of mustard and poppy seeds for eyes.