Gingerbread cookies

These gingerbread cookies were the perfect recipe for the holiday season! My kids had fun decorating them and everybody loves getting them as gifts! :)

• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup butter
• 1cup granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cup unsulphered molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. flavoring extract such as vanilla or orange
• 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. Cream together shortening, butter, and granulated sugar.
2. Add the molasses and eggs and whip until light and fluffy.
3.  Sift all of your dry ingredients into a large bowl then use a measuring cup to add the dry ingredients about a cup at a time.
4. Separate the dough into three equal pieces, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour or two, or overnight.
5. When ready to take dough out of fridge, preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
6. Roll out on floured parchment paper to about 1/4 an inch thick and cut into desired shapes. Place the cut out cookies into the freezer for ten minutes or so before baking.
7. Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes for small cookies, 8-10 minutes for medium, and 10-15 minutes for large. Let cool, then decorate with vanilla royal icing.
    

Recipe courtesy: sweetsugarbelle.com 

The best sugar cookie recipe!

Anna strikes again! She wanted to make sugar cookies to bring to her MAST class for their Christmas lunch and she had to be able to do it all on her own!! I found a recipe for her that was described in the following way: "Soft cut out sugar cookie recipe that keeps its shape and dough does not need to be chilled before baking- perfect edges every time!" I thought, that is exactly what we are looking for here! Let's go for it. And go for it, she did! She mixed, rolled, and cut out the dough all on her own, and after I helped bake it, she finished the cookies off by decorating them with icing and sprinkles! Thy turned out out-of-this-world delicious and beautiful to boot! My guess is her classmates are going to love her tomorrow. :)))

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in vanilla  and almond extracts and eggs until well incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl combine baking powder with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients. The dough will be very stiff. If it becomes too stiff for your mixer, either switch from paddle attachment to dough hook or turn out the dough onto a counter top surface, wet your hands and finish off kneading the dough by hand.
5. Do not chill the dough. (If you must chill the dough just leave it on the counter top for 10 minutes before rolling or work the dough with your hands for a few minutes.) Divide into workable batches, roll out onto a floured surface and cut. You want these cookies to be on the thicker side (closer to 1/4 inch rather than 1/8).
6. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheets until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
7. Frost with you favorite icing. We used water icing on these, as it is very easy to work with. Just mix powdered sugar with very little bit of water and keep adding water a few drops at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Color and ice away! :)

Yield will vary depending on the size of your cookie cut-outs but I would say you should have anywhere between 4 and 6 dozen- the recipe makes a big batch of dough.

Recipe courtesy to Katrina's kitchen: best-sugar-cookie-recipe

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

These peanut butter oatmeal cookies are homey, comforting and simply delicious. They are also a cinch to prepare; in fact, my 9-year-old daughter made them almost on her own. What better way to spend a snowy afternoon than to bake a batch of these, enjoy a few at home and deliver some to your neighbors to spread some good cheer? :) Merry Christmas!

Ingredients:
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats (however, I used old-fashioned oats and they worked great)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tps salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Gradually add both sugars, beating until smooth, then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Add the oat and flout mixture, a little at a time, until well combined. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks while still warm and cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Makes 6 dozen small cookies.

Recipe courtesy: "All-American Desserts, 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts" by Judith M. Fertig

Greek Nut and Spice Cake (a.k.a. Karethopita)

Another amazing- and Sweet- dessert from "All-American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts" by Judith M. Fertig.
Here is what the author herself says about it: "Also known as karethopita, this moist cake, cut into diamond shapes and served on frilly paper doilies, is an annual hit at Greek festivals around the country. Besides its heritage though, this flavorful cake appeals to the modern cook because it's easy to make, stays moist, and is easily portable to the lake or a country home, where you and your guests can nibble it away during a three-day weekend."

Cake:
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 cup milk
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Sugar Syrup:
2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.

To make the cake, in a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the vinegar and the milk and set aside for several minutes to sour. In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. With an electric mixer, beat together the oil, sugar, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the vanilla and sour milk. Add the dry ingredients gradually, beating well. Beat in the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Allot the cake to cool completely in the pan while you make the syrup.

To make the syrup, bring the ingredients to a boil in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes. With a wooden skewer, poke random holes halfway through the cake, then pour the hot syrup over the cake. Let the syrup soak into the cake, then cut it into squares or diamond shapes and serve.

Recipe courtesy: "All-American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts" by Judith M. Fertig;
All-American-Desserts

Fresh Pear Torta

This delightful Fresh Pear Torta comes from my new favorite dessert cookbook, "All-American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts" by Judith M. Fertig. I have made a bunch of recipes from this gem of a book already and they all have been keepers. The Fresh Pear Torta is one of my personal favorites, as it is very easy to make and- as the name suggests- very fresh tasting. Do not omit the lemon zest- it really brings out the fresh pear flavor and makes this dessert "delicately delicious". 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus tablespoon (9 tbsps) unsalted butter, melted
5 or 6 ripe but firm pears, such as Bartlett, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides, tapping out the excess flour, and set aside.
   
2. Pour 1 tbsp of the melted butter into a large skillet over medium heat and cook the pears until softened, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
3.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar into a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of melted butter, the whole eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon zest. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth. With a rubber spatula, fold in the sauteed pears and their juices (if it looks like the juices they released are too much, strain first- you don't want a batter that is too thin). Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula.
4. Bake the cake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan. Transfer to a cake plate and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
   
   
   

Recipe courtesy: "All-American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts" by Judith M. Fertig: All-American Desserts

Quilt Country Pumpkin Brownies

These pumpkin brownies are so easy to make that your 9-year-old daughter can make them on her own! And they are so yummy that your entire family will love them! Even a family who previously hated all things pumpkin! Yes, this is officially the recipe which converted my pumpkin-hating family into pumpkin lovers!

This is what the Judith M. Fertig (author of  "All-American Desserts, 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts") says about these terrific pumpkin brownies:

"Quilters love to gather at a friend's house and work on their latest projects. But usually they don't just bring needlework with them- they also bring a dessert. Like a good quilt pattern, these cake-like brownies, can be modified and adapted to suit your mood or the season. Whether you frost them or leave them plain, these moist and delicious morsels are good nay time of year, but especially in the fall." I couldn't agree more!

Pumpkin Brownies:

• 2 cups Granulated/White Sugar
• 1-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 3/4 cups Canola or Vegetable Oil
• 1 cans (15 Oz. Can) Pumpkin Puree
• 2 whole Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten
• 1/2 cups Pecans (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional):

• 3-ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

To make the brownies, sift together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the oil and with mixer on low, beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the pumpkin puree and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and beat for another minute. Fold in the pecans, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (start checking at 30 minutes as ovens vary). Remove pan from oven. Let the brownies cool in the pan.

To make the frosting, if using, put the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium until light and fluffy. Stir in the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. (I like to put a large kitchen towel on top of my stand mixer while doing this, to avoid a cloud of powdered sugar dust all over my kitchen. :)) Continue beating until the frosting is smooth.

When the brownies have cooled, use a rubber spatula to spread the cream cheese frosting on top, if desired. You can also sprinkle chopped pecans on top before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from my new favorite dessert cookbook, "All American Desserts, 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts" by Judith M. Fertig: All American Desserts