Dipped Gingersnaps

A Witmer Christmas tradition

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups oil
2 eggs
1/2 cups molasses
4 cups flour
4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tblsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Additional sugar for rolling
2 - 12 oz. pkg white choc. chips
1/4 c. crisco (opt. to make it smoother)

Combine sugar and oil; mix well. Add eggs. Stir in molasses. Combine dry ingredients. Gradually add to cream mixture. Shape into 3/4" balls and roll in sugar. Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 min until cookie springs back when touched. Let cool.

Melt white choc chips and crisco and dip or drizzle. Place on waxed paper.

Salmon with Brown Butter and Almonds

We tried this quick and easy recipe last night and it was a hit!  Feel free to substitute any kind of veggies you have on hand for the green beans...I used mixed frozen veggies in a pinch and that was still great!  The best part is that you can whip this up in less than 30 minutes.

What you'll need:
4 T unsalted butter
1 1/4 lb. skinless salmon fillet, cut into four pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
1 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 T capers

Directions:
1. Heat 1 T. of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Season the salmon with 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.
2.  Cook the fish until opaque throughout, 3-5 minutes per side.  Transfer to individual plates.
3.  Meanwhile, fill a second skillet with 1/2 in. of water, bring to a boil, and add 1/4 t. salt.
4. Add the green beans to the second skillet, cover, and steam until just tender, 4-5 minutes.  Drain and transfer to plates.
5.  Wipe out the green bean skillet and heat the remaining 3 T of butter over medium heat.
6.  Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until almonds and butter are golden brown (but not burned), 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the capers.  Spoon over fish and beans.

And a link here for a 1-cooler weekend getaway menu that I tried, that you might want for any last minute summer trips!  It was easy and fun (I tweaked it a bit, and took out all the alcohol...)  Enjoy!

Honey Half-Whole Wheat Bread

I have been searching out a lighter Wheat bread recipe the past couple of weeks. Here is the best one so far. I started with the basic recipe from Tammys Recipes and modified it to mix it with my Kitchen Aid stand mixer.

Time: About 2 hours from start to finish

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients: 

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (plus 1/4 c. extra - see note)

Instructions: 

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.

2. Add yeast, stir to dissolve.

3. Add flour, one cup at a time and mix low until it is incorporated. Mix on level 2 until dough clings to hook and cleans bowl. (Or knead by hand until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes if you do not have a mixer.)

Note: If it is still fairly sticky, too sticky to form a ball, add an extra 1/4 of flour to the mixer to help make a ball of dough. I have needed to do this this summer.

 4. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40-60 minutes.

5. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf by patting. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, place foil on top.

7. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm! Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.

Roasted Sweet Potato Planks

I just made this favorite tonight, and thought I would post, as I was thinking of you all!

4 sweet potatoes

1-2 T. olive oil

1/2 tsp. paprika

Cut sweet potatoes in wedges, sized according to your family's preferences, and toss with olive oil and paprika in a ziplock bag. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, on greased pan. I also added a dash or two of garlic salt and cinnamon to make them just like the restaurants. Yum! (They were a hit tonight with Paul and Oma... *smile*)

Thanks Bev, for sharing this with me several years ago!

hugs

Ruth

Lasagna Tart

PHOTO and RECIPE taken from 101 Cookbooks (www.101cookbooks.com)

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini, sliced into very very thin coins
scant 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Tart Crust
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or spelt flour)
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
scant 1/2 cup cold water

Tomato Sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
scant 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

How to Make:

Preheat your oven to 375F degrees, and place a rack in the middle. Oil a 10-inch tart pan and set aside.

Start by tossing the sliced zucchini with the salt in a medium bowl. Transfer the zucchini to a colander and let it drain while you make the tart shell and tomato sauce.

To make the tart shell combine the flour, salt, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the flour and stir that in as well. Drizzle the cold water over the flour and mix with a fork just until it is absorbed. Knead one or twice - just until the dough comes together into a ball. On a lightly floured surface use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle roughly 13-inches across. Ease the pastry into your tart pan and press it into the corners and up the sides without stretching the dough. Trim away any excess dough, and place the pan in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes. When the dough is done resting, prick the crust with a fork a few times. Now line the pastry with parchment paper and fill the tart with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and pie weights, then toast the tart crust in the oven for another five minutes or so before transferring it to a rack to cool. Leave the oven on, but dial it down to 350F.

In the meantime, you can make the sauce. Stir the garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and salt together in a small, cold saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the garlic starts to sizzle just a bit. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer, cook the sauce down a bit, 10 minutes or so, then remove from heat.

When you are ready to assemble the tart, use a spatula to spread half of the ricotta cheese across the base of the tart shell. Now spoon about half of the sauce over the ricotta and arrange half of the zucchini in a single layer on top of the sauce (see image). If your zucchini is still quite wet, press it into some paper towels. I use my fingers for this next part. After spooning the remaining ricotta over the zucchini, push it around a bit with your fingers so that it forms a layer. Arrange another layer of zucchini and finish with the remaining sauce. You want the filling to nearly, but not quite fill the pan.

Place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet - in case you end up with an overflow - and bake for roughly 40 minutes or until the tart is cooked through. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. I would have dusted the top of this with a bit of Parmesan, but was out of it!

Serves 8.

Angela's revisions:

1. I made a whole wheat pie crust (like I would for a quiche) instead of the tart since I do not have a tart pan.

2. I used regular (vs. low fat) cottage cheese instead of ricotta. I just put it into the food processor for a minute until smooth.