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.

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.

Jello Jigglers... toddler style

I had to share this great recipe from Anna.

Eliza, Olivia & Alayna made Jello cut-outs with Grace and Anna yesterday. Anna reported to me this morning how easy it was to make it:

You just get some hot water, mix some salt into it, take a nap and then it is done!

Thanks honey :)
And a BIG THANKS to the Lowe girls for their help yesterday while I rocked out with my hubby at the U2 concert!

Golden-Crusted Brussel Sprouts

This recipe is taken from a great cooking blog, 101 Cookbooks. It has become the most requested recipe in our house... and was Grace's special 5th birthday meal with sear-roasted pesto salmon and white rice.

~~~

This is the only way to eat brussels sprouts: cut in half and cooked until deliciously tender inside and perfectly brown and crusted on the outside.
Use brussels sprouts that are on the small size and tightly closed. You can finish these with many different types of cheese but I tend to go for Parmesan when the weather is good. I trade that in for heavier cheeses like gruyere or Gouda in colder weather. I finished them off with some toasted hazelnuts the other night - delicious!

24 small brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice (we use Parmesan or Asiago)

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact (or if you are lazy just toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil).
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. While you might be able to get away with keeping a platter of these warm in the oven for a few minutes, they are exponentially tastier if popped in your mouth immediately.
Serves 4. 

See 101 Cookbooks for a bunch more yummy recipes.

Hot Caramel Dip

When the weather starts to cool again and the apples are fresh off the trees...

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 c. brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix together all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to boil.
Let cool (very hot right off the stove!).  It needs to be somewhat warm to serve, so serve after cooled or refrigerate and then re-warm.

Serve with apple slices

Variation: Add 1/2 c peanut butter when cooking

Sear-Roasted Chicken Breast with Tomato Wine Sauce

This is easily the best chicken I have ever made. It is a favorite around here!

For the Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lb. total)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil

For the Tomato & Red Wine Sauce:
1/2 cup red wine
1 14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes (preferably “petite-cut”), with their juices
2 Tbs. loosely packed chopped fresh oregano
Pinch crushed red chile flakes (we like a very small pinch)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sear-roast the chicken:
Heat the oven to 425°F. Turn the exhaust fan on to high. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a 12-inch heavy-based ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until a droplet of water vaporizes in 1 or 2 seconds, about 1 min. (If the water skitters around the pan and doesn’t evaporate, the pan is too hot; take it off the heat for about 30 seconds to cool.)

Add the oil, swirl it around the pan, and then evenly space the chicken in the pan. Cook without touching for 2 min. Using tongs, lift a corner of the chicken, check that it’s both well browned and easily releases from the pan, and flip it over. (If it sticks or isn’t well browned, cook for 1 to 2 more min. before flipping.) Cook the second side for 1 min. and then transfer the skillet to the oven.

Roast until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is firm to the touch, about 5 to 8 min. Using potholders, carefully remove the pan from the oven, transfer the chicken to a large plate, tent with foil, and let it rest while you prepare the sauce in the same skillet.

Prepare the pan sauce:
Pour off any excess fat from the skillet. Return the pan to high heat and add the red wine. Cook, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to incorporate any browned bits, until the wine is reduced to a glazy film. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the red chile flakes; cook until the juices reduce to a saucy consistency, about 3 min. Stir in the oregano and Parmigiano; season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately spooned over the sear-roasted chicken.

Serve with pasta or rice on the side.

Credit for this photo and recipe to Fine Cooking.com

Pierogies

This recipe comes from my grandmother, who learnt from her mother, who came over on a boat from Austria as a young girl by herself.  This makes quite the hearty meal with a ham!

4 cups flour
2 eggs
salt - about a tablespoon
3 tbs butter
1 cup warm water
10 lbs mashed potatoes
1 lb longhorn cheese

Mash potatoes with longhorn cheese
Mix flour, eggs, salt, butter and warm water into dough
Knead until smooth
Roll dough out until it is very thin
Cut dough about 3 inches square

Place a small spoonful of mashed potatoes on the dough square
Dampen edge of dough with water by running a wet finger over the edge of the dough
Fold over the dough to form a triangle
Pinch the edges with a fork

Place the pierogies into a pot of boiling water until it floats ( 3 to 5 minutes )
Eat or cook in a frying pan with a little butter until lightly brown.

Eat and enjoy!

Summer Corn Cowder with Scallions, Bacon & Potatoes

Makes 5-1/2 c.

5 ears sweet corn, cut from cob (4 cups frozen)
7 oz scallions (about 20)

3 slices bacon

1 Tablespoon butter

1 jalapeno diced (opt)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt, add more to taste is necessary

black pepper to taste
3 1/2 c. chic broth
1 1/2 c. gold potatoes, cut to 1/2 inch
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
2 T. heavy cream (or plain yogurt)

Slice scallions thinly, separating white and light green from dark green.
Cook bacon 5 min in large pot. Remove & empty all but 1 T bacon fat. Add butter & return to Medium heat.
Add white & light green scallions, jalapeno (opt), salt & pepper. Cook until soft (about 3 min)
Add broth, corn, 2 corn cobs (when using fresh corn), potatoes & thyme. Bring to boil. Reduce & simmer 15 min or until potatoes are tender. Discard cobs.
Remove 1 cup of soup & blend smooth in blender. Return to pot. Add cream, dark green scallions & bacon.

Yum!! The kids love this soup. Great with fresh cornbread on your super woman days. ;)

Garlic-Basil Tortellini Soup

4 servings

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon butter

3 1/2 c. (2- 14.5oz cans) reduced-sodium chicken or veg broth

1/2 c. water

1/3 c. minced fresh basil (or 1 Tablespoon dried)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2-1/2 c. frozen cheese tortellini

1 can (19oz) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the broth, water, basil and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in tortellini. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for about 3 minutes or until tortellini begins to float. Stir in beans and vinegar; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

Julie's Grilled Bread/Pizza

This is actually a pizza crust recipe that I threw on the grill one day and... yum!

1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 c. warm water (105-115)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
2 1/2-3 1/2 c. flour
 1 Tablespoon cornmeal
Toppings - sauce, cheese, etc for pizza
                  OR garlic salt and parmesan for bread sticks
Extra olive oil

Directions for using a stand mixer to make dough... much easier than by hand!
Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add sat olive oil, and 2 1/2 c. flour. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix 1 minute.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 c at a time, and mix about 2 minutes, or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.

Place doung in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down.

To Grill: Pre-heat grill on High.  Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll out each, not too thin, to about 12 inches by 10 inches. Sprinkle with cornmeal to help it not to stick to grill and place on cookie sheets to transport it outside. Take out with you the olive oil, a grill brush, grill tongs and your choice of toppings. BE SURE NOT TO SET DOUGH SHEET TOO NEAR THE HEAT WHILE WAITING TO BE COOKED. (Makes it almost impossible to get it on the grill in one piece.)

   Turn one burner down to Low and leave one burner on High. (See Fine Cooking for a great demo video for how to cook pizza on the grill.) Brush the first piece of dough with olive oil on one side and put the oiled side down on the High burner. Let sit 2-3 minutes, or until nice grill marks appear on oiled side (kind of need to babysit). Remove from grill to cookie sheet. Brush other side with oil and flip over still on cookie sheet. Add toppings to already cooked side (may need to brush with more oil to get the garlic salt and parmesan to stick for bread sticks). Move topped bread onto Low burner and finish cooking for 2-3 minutes, or until nice grill marks on the bottom. Rotate each dough piece through this process until done (a new one on High burner, while one is on the Low finishing). I cut bread into sticks to serve.

To bake Pizza in oven: Sprinkle cookie sheet with cornmeal. Roll out dough into one large pizza. Add toppings as desired. Bake at 450 for 15 to 20 minutes.