Gingerbread Cookies

I am a huge fan of gingerbread cookies.  I like their crispness and the dark flavors of the gingerbread.  Paired with royal icing, these cookies are perfect for dunking, which is my test for a good cookie!

3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
1/3 cup dark molasses
3 cups all-purpose flour 
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and applesauce until smooth. Add the egg and molasses, mix well.nIn another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices. Add to sugar and molasses mixture, mix well. Divide the dough into two balls, flattened; cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.  Two hours should do it. Get the dough out, dust the work surface with some flour.  Work with one ball of dough at a time and refrigerate the other.  Roll the dough out to 1/8 to 1/4 thickness.  Remember to use a little flour if the dough is sticky.  Use a cookie cutter dipped in flour to cut out cookies.   Place the cookies 1 or 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Overnight French Toast

This is delish.  A little goes into the prep, but it's pretty easy overall.  Made for breakfast during a Christmas break, 2014.

Before baking

1 loaf Pepperidge Farms Cinnamon Toast presliced bread
8 large eggs
2 c half and half
1 c milk
2 T granulated sugar
1 t vanilla
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg

Praline topping

1/2 lb butter, softened
1 c brown sugar, packed
1 c chopped pecans
2 T light corn syrup
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Arrange slices of bread in a buttered 9 by 13 pan that can go from the refrig to oven.  Combine eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and spices and beat well.  Pour over bread, making sure sauce is between the slices.  Cover with foil, refrigerate overnight.

Next day:  Preheat oven to 350. Make topping by combining all ingredients in a bowl.  Pour over bread and bake for 40 minutes or until done.

Serve with warm syrup, bacon and fresh OJ.

Egg Nog Fudge

Eggnog Fudge

2 eggs
1 c eggnog
4 T butter, chopped
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1 pkg white chocolate chips
1 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff
1 t vanilla or rum extract
fresh nutmeg, grated

Whisk eggs with eggnog.  Place into large kettle and add butter and sugar.  Stir constantly until mixture reaches 234 degrees.  Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat and stir in white chocolate chips, fluff and extract.  Stir until smooth and creamy.  Add 1/4 nutmeg, stir.  Pour into a lined 9 by 9 pan.  Sprinkle more fresh nutmeg to the top.  Place in the refrig until set.  Cut into 1/2 inch squares.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash for every two people
1/2 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2T olive oil
1 lb mild sausage (chicken sausage would work, too)
1 rosemary quinoa mix
1/3 c pine nuts

Preheat oven to 375.  Slice squash in half, scoop out seeds and pulp.  Slice a piece from the bottom or top of squash so that they will sit on a baking sheet.  Place on baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in oven to roast for 30-35 minutes. Make quinoa mix according to package instructions, set aside.  Toast pine nuts by spraying a skillet with Pam, heating the skillet and then add pine nuts.  Toast until nuts are golden brown.  Remove from heat, set aside.  Cook sausage until no longer pink. Add veggies and cook until tender.  Add quinoa and pine nuts to the mixture.  Heat thoroughly.  Test the squash, they should be fork tender.  Remove from oven.  Spoon stuffing into squash.  Serve 1/2 squash per person. 

Terri's Gingerbread Trifle

Trifle is such an easy dessert to make and always look so festive.  This one is no exception!

1 jar lemon curd
2 boxes gingerbread mix
2 eggs
2 1/2 c water
1 jar sweet cranberry preserves
1 large container Cool Whip, thawed

Make the gingerbread according to package directions, which in my case, was the water and eggs added to the mix.  Bake and cool.

When the gingerbread is thoroughly cooled, find a clear glass bowl.  I used Irene Steffes' 1960's clear glass potato chip bowl!  Crumble half the gingerbread in the bottom of the bowl. Spoon lemon curd on the edge (next to the glass) all away around the bowl.  Spoon on a thick layer of cool whip.  Add another layer of gingerbread, then the cranberry preserves, then the rest of the cool whip.  I edged the outside with Pepperidge Farm gingerbread men.  To serve, use a large spoon to dig all the way down, in order to capture all the flavors.  Yum!

Terri's Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2 c. all purpose flour
1 c oatmeal
2 tsp. baking soda
1 box of pumpkin spice pudding (dry)
1 1/2 stick of butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. honey, maple syrup or agave

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and pumpkin spice pudding mix- set aside.  Cream together (on medium speed) butter and both sugars until fluffy (about 5 minutes). Then add eggs, one at time, followed by vanilla and honey. Scrape down sides. Then reduce to low speed and add dry ingredients. Combine until just incorporated.

Line baking sheet with parchment. Scoop out cookie dough balls onto sheet. Space the cookies 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Lorraine Steffes Fessler Lime Pickles

LIME PICKLES

7 ½ pounds of sliced cucumbers

2 Gallons of water with 2 C lime mix

Add cucumbers to water mixture and soak 24 hours.

Drain and rinse well.  Soak in cold water for 3 hours then drain. Put in large stock pot.

Vinegar mixture:

10 cups sugar

2 qts. Vinegar

3 TBS salt

2 tsp celery seed

2 tsp whole cloves

2 tsp mixed pickling spices

10 cups water

Mix together and pour over the pickles.  Let set for 12 hours. Bring all to a boil and boil for 30 minutes.  Then can them!