The Great Bake V

I managed to find time away from today's Iron Mom, dealing with my appliances and the related fall out to continue with a little baking. Since I'm on nights for the next two, I'm not sure how much more baking I can get done before our big thing this weekend. Nevertheless, we press on.

My mom used to make these every Christmas. The whole house would smell wonderful from the toasty coconut and almond flavours. She usually puts a small cherry bit on top of each mound, but I omitted that part this year. (Sean will be disappointed as he likes them to look like boobs.) I need my cherries for another recipe and quite frankly, I didn't feel like chopping the damn things up this morning. You can garnish as you will.

These lovely coconut confections are so seventies, and so very yummy. I've watched quite a few doubters as they take their first bite and then five minutes later I've had to smack their hands away from the tin. Don't worry loves, I can hook you up... the first one is always free.

Coconut Macaroons

You will need:

3 pkgs (200g ea.) flaked coconut
1 can condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 C). In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut, milk, vanilla and almond extract, mix well. Drop by rounded spoonful onto a well greased cookie sheet. Bake on middle rack of oven, 12 @ a time, 10-12 mins or until browned on the edges. Cool slightly. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Store loosely covered at room temperature. Makes about 4 dozen.

Variations

Chocolate: Omit almond extract. Add 4 squares (28g ea) unsweetened chocolate, melted. Proceed as above

Chocolate Chip: omit almond extract. Add 1c mini chocolate chips. Proceed as above.

Lightly Toasty Coco-nutty Loveliness

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Four bloody ingredients, does it get any simpler?

You will want to squish them together and mound them up a bit as they never seem to drop from the spoon intact. Again, I use parchment paper for everything which is handy for these as you don't want the bottoms to be anything more than slightly toasted.

My bed and then duty await.

Happy noshing.

"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may work." ~ Anonymous

The Great Bake III

This one is a "two-fer"...

I have been looking for a good gingersnap recipe for a while... one that gives you the snap that you are looking for, but is safe enough for my kid to eat without crying. Like chilies, you really have to titrate the ginger to your own/your guests tastes... to me, what I made are wimpy as I cut the ginger a bit, but you can feel free to let her out to dance.

I have a fantastic Gingerbread Person recipe from my Aunt Linda, but that dough is a different consistency and made for rolling and cutting out. This is softer and chewier and fantastic with a cup of tea. I found this recipe somewheres on the in-tarwebs. If I find the link, I will post credit where due...

Gingersnap Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, vegetable shortening or margarine, room temperature
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 c molasses
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
Granulated sugar (for rolling in)

Lightly grease or spray (with non-stick cooking spray) your measuring cup before adding the molasses. This prevents the molasses from sticking to the cup.

In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, egg and molasses until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt; stir or beat until well blended. Cover the dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls of dough into the granulated sugar, coating them thoroughly. Place balls, 3 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown (cookies will puff slightly and then collapse slightly, and tops will be covereed with little cracks). Remove from oven and cool on wire racks

(Makes 3 dozen or so)

Mmm.... we're completely snap-happy here

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The spacing on the pan is very important. These cookies spread a lot and you will be breaking them apart otherwise. I forgot that, so a few of mine have small break marks on one side. I used everyday sugar on them, so in low lighting, they twinkle. You can use a larger grain for really visible sugar.

My son won't leave them alone!

As promised, this installment is in fact, a two-fer. After Quinn went to bed last night, I made some Kentucky bourbon balls. Guess what I used for bourbon? ;) However, after the addition of Tennesee's finest and some Georgia pecans, I'm not sure what makes them "Kentucky" balls... food for thought over a glass of the amber nectar... These are a new addition to the recipe book this year and are an instant inclusion in my list of holiday classics. One year Vic and I made rum balls (I have a good recipe for that too), but it didn't make a lot for the effort put into it. To stretch it out, we rolled them small. Her husband Steve dubbed them "Christmas Pills", which they have remained since, despite how big I roll them. Well, if those are pills, these are certainly Mommy's Little Helpers. These should not be eaten and then get behind the wheel. These should not be given to those pregnant and breastfeeding. These should be served only to people you like, or better yet, hide them in the linen closet and use them to get through the holidays. Inlawsh? Wat inlawsh?

No Bake Kentucky Bourbon Balls

4 T unsweetened cocoa
2 c + 1/2 c powdered (confectioners) sugar
1/2 c good quality bourbon whiskey
1/4 c light corn syrup
2 1/2 c crushed vanilla wafers (cookies)
1 c chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or hazel nuts)

In a large bowl, sift cocoa and 2c of the powdered sugar together. Add the whiskey and corn syrup; mix well until blended. Fold in crushed vanilla wafers and nuts and mix thoroughly.

Roll dough into small balls and then roll in 1/2 c powdered sugar. Store in an air tight container.

Yes, I have combined my love of chocolate and Jack. Help me.

Jeebus Crispy in a rowboat these are good! As you let them sit (if you can resist them that long), the booze will permeate throughout the cookie more and the white sugar will fade. I opened the tin this morning to take this shot and a snootful of deliciousness greeted my nostrils.

These may not make it to Christmas. I'm just throwing that out there now.

The Great Bake

Oh Blogosphere, how long has it been?

Too long, by my records.

The garden eased it's way into fall nicely with the killer frost some time in October. Now with November's warm rainy weather (and I'm not complaining TOO loudly, mind!), all the bulbs I planted are starting to grow. My grass is still green. It's going to be an interesting winter.

November has almost slipped away and our minds have naturally turned to the upcoming Holiday season. In this house, that means Christmas. Lots of family, lots of stress, and most importantly, lots of $$$. Well, we have an abundance of the first two and very little of the last one. Try and act surprised at what you get this year, K?

Back in my days of yore, I used to bake everyone gifts. I love to bake and it provided a needed outlet from school and life stress. That eventually evolved into baking with others, splitting costs and having memorable visits with a few dear ones. I can still smell the shortbread in the air at Vic's old place in Newmarket as we cleaned up quickly to head outside for a sneaky smoke. I can also remember baking gingerbread with my Mother in law and laughing at each other's attempts as we tried to place teeny candies on each cookie. So many good memories, so much time has passed. The BFF now lives in Windsor with her delightful, raucous family and Marg is sadly no longer with us. Over the years I have baked less and less, spending what time I had on shopping, babies and getting Christmas dinner together for my immediate family. I think last year I made a batch of shortbread and a package of Pillsbury reindeer cookies. Yes, I had sunk to that level...

This year, Sean's Mom's family is trying something new. We're all convening in Kincardine before Christmas to have a meal and a visit with Grandma. Each family is assigned to bring something different; I got "a dessert tray of assorted cookies and squares". Once my initial panic settled down and I had consulted my schedule (I'm working actual Christmas this year and nights for the two weeks leading up to it) the (small!) sane part of my brain thought "F@#k it, I'll just go to a bakery". Sometime after I had considered all the functions we are invited to and the actual dinner I have to cook for my family, my pride welled up and throttled that small sane part of my prefrontal cortex. Bakery be dammed! Get the sifter honey, we's is havin' an old fashioned bake off!

But what to make? I do have an adventurous palate, but I recognize that many in my life do not. To be honest, I've almost had it with pretentious baking as well. Your poppyseed bran concoctions with lentil glaze and rice flour may taste good initally, but I'm tired of trying to be diet conscious, fat free and "healthy". It's a cookie dammit! It is supposed to have sugar and fat in it. Martha's OCD can also take a long hard one on my ever-widening ass. Her food is lovely but her recipes should include a crate of mood stablizers with each ingredient list. So, what to do?

In the last two weeks I've compiled a tome of my favourite recipes. Some are more homespun than others, granted, but they are all simple foods that are easy, reasonably inexpensive and can be made with one eye watching a small child. I've decided to get back to basics... no fondant, no exotic spices. Just old fashioned yummy treats that I and anyone else can whip up in no time flat. Some are childhood favourites, others I have picked up along the way from family and friends. Like the ornaments on my tree, each is a thread in the tapestry of my lang syne.

Today I made my first batch and started with the most simple and arguably the tastiest recipe of all. My Mom's chocolate drop cookies. If you really want the super slueth award, yes, there is fibre in them.

Chocolate Drop Cookies

(These take 5 mins to make)

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly:

1/2 c milk
1/2 c butter
6 T cocoa
2 c white sugar

Remove from heat and add:

3 c rolled oats
1c fine coconut
1/2 c walnuts (optional... I never add them)

Mix well and drop by teaspoon on waxed paper.

Does it get any simpler? One tip I will add: wait a few minutes before beginning to drop them onto the waxed paper. You want them gooey, not runny. In a few minutes they will harden into sweet chocolate loveliness. Hide them from your family. You will want to make a second batch to replace the one you just ate.


"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o`clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap." ~ Al Hutchinson


I will add more (and images too) as time allows. I also have a series of pre-schooler crafts that at least a few of you will appreciate. Now if you will excuse me, it is time for a nap.

Pretty Posies and Tasty Treats

My kitchen is currently bursting with colour.

On Friday, one of my colleagues dropped off a bouquet of flowers, a (more than generous!) certificate for HomeSense (yay!) and the nicest card I have ever recieved. The card read as follows:

"To our beloved friend and colleague Jen,

On behalf of William Osler Mental Health and especially the staff on the MH Intensive and MHESU, we want to wish you the best of health and speediest of recoveries. In short, we love you and have missed you. Please enjoy your gifts. They are directly from the heart.

With Love from your friends,
XXXOOO"

As you may have already guessed, I was a bit overwhelmed. Thank you all so very much.

Yesterday I had a lovely few minutes to myself and picked up the camera... they were far too beautiful, far too full of colour and texture not to.

A Duo of Trios

Flowers from Friends

(Unknown) Macro

There were more surprises to come... At one point there was much hush-hushing in the kitchen (and broken off toddler exclamations); much to my surprise, my husband and son walked into the living room a few minutes later, each bearing six long stem red roses. Quinn said, "Here Mommy. These are for YOU! They're flowers! Happy Val-wem-times!"

How could one not melt?

Love ♥ Love ♥ Love

They were very, VERY appreciative to the homemade cinnamon buns that I made in return. I tried to pinch them into heart shapes, but they rose in the oven and went back to a round spiral. In the spirit of creating a simple pleasure, I took my time making these and was rewarded with an excellent dessert. They are not calorie wise, they are not heart smart or anything like that. They are good, old fashioned, everything in moderation food. They are also DIVINE! If you are interested, here is the recipe:

2 envelopes yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
6 tblsp shortening
1 tsp salt
3 beaten eggs
2 tsp + 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup + 2 cups flour
brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts, raisins and cherries to taste
butter or margerine

Add yeast and 2 tsp sugar to water and let stand for 10 mins then stir. Add milk, shortening and salt to 2 cups flour to make a batter. Add yeast and eggs. Beat well. Add remaining flour. Knead lightly and put into a bowl. Let rise to double in bulk then punch it down.
Roll out flat and spread with butter or margerine. Sprinkle with cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins, nuts and cherries to taste. Roll and cut into rolls. Place in a buttered and cinnamoned pan. Bake @ 375F for 15 minutes.

(I used cinnamon, brown sugar and pecans in mine and then made a quick drizzle icing for them. I also used a flat pan with Pam, so they were slightly less gooey. They were marvellous!)

These are the simple things that make life enjoyable...

Making the simple complicated is commonplace;
making the complicated simple,
awesomely simple, that's creativity.
--Charles Mingus