Frosted Ginger Cookies

1 ½ cups butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

½ cup molasses

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 ½ cups flour

1 tablespoon ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cloves



Frosting:

1/3 cup butter

3 cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk or more (enough to make frosting spreadable)

Add some cinnamon



*Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in molasses and vanilla. Add dry. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes. (Don’t over bake.) Cool. Frost. Yields approximately 6 dozen.

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

* 2 sticks butter, softened
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
* 10 ounces dark chocolate chunks
* 3/4 cup dried cherries

Instructions: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugars and salt until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla, beating after each addition. Slowly add in the baking soda and flour, beating until well combined, taking care not to overmix. With a spatula, fold in the chocolate chunks and cherries.

Using two tablespoons or a small ice cream scoop, form cookies and place on ungreased baking sheets. If baking right away, the cookies should be 2 inches apart on the baking sheets, and should be baked for about 9 minutes in a 350° oven.

If freezing, place cookies right next to one another on one cookie sheet, and freeze for at least 30 minutes until firm, then transfer cookies to a self-sealing plastic freezer bag.

You can pull them out as needed and bake them directly from the freezer in a preheated 350° oven for about 11 minutes.

Catsup

8 lbs tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 inches stick cinnamon, broken
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon salt

Core and quarter tomatoes, drain. In an 8 or 10 quart pot combine tomatoes, onion and red pepper. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring often. Press through a food mill or sieve. Discard seeds and skins. Return to pot, add sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or til reduced by half, stirring occasionally.

In a saucepan bring vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and celery seed to a boil. Remove from heat.

Strain vinegar mixture into tomato mixture, discard spices. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Simmer for 30 minutes or to desired consistency, stirring often.

Makes ~ 4 half-pints

Ladle hot catsup into hot, clean half-pint jars leaving 1/8 inch headroom. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Boil closed jars in a pot with at least 1 inch of water covering top of jar for 15 minutes.

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Adapted from Gourmet, lifted from Smitten Kitchen

Pudding filling:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not more than 60% cacao), finely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chilled heavy cream

Bittersweet chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)

Make pudding filling: Whisk together cornstarch, 1/3 cup sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then gradually whisk [tips alert!] in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, then boil, whisking, two minutes (mixture will thicken). Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla until smooth.

Pour filling into cooled shell and chill, its surface covered with wax paper (if you want to prevent a skin from forming), until cold, at least two hours.

Just before serving, beat cream with remaining two tablespoons sugar until it just holds soft peaks. Spoon onto pie and garnish with bittersweet chocolate shavings, if you’re feeling fancy.

Chicken Pepperoni

1/2 lb pasta
~6 oz pepperoni
1/3 cup flour
1 lb chicken breast, boneless
1 large can tomatoes diced
1/3 cup water
Oregano, Basil, Tarragon, Garlic powder, Onion powder to taste

Dice pepperoni into 1/4" cubes

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces

Cook in skillet over medium heat until mostly degreased, Remove from skillet and set aside.

Season flour with spices and toss chicken in mixture.

Brown chicken in pepperoni fat, remove chicken, stir in tomatoes and remaining flour.

Stir in chicken and pepperoni.

Add water to cover meat. Allow to simmer 30-45 minutes until chicken is tender.

Serve over pasta.

Pumpkin Waffles

Adapted from several sources -- lifted from Smitten Kitchen

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined.

In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks (as in, far softer than the over-beaten whites you’ll see in my picture above). Folk them gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.

Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter (about 2 cups for four 4-inch Belgian waffles) into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

Watermelon Lemonade

From Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Bubby’s

Makes enough to fill two glasses with ice cubes; we quadrupled it to fill a pitcher. We already need more.

1/4 cup (2 ounces) fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup (4 ounces) fresh watermelon puree, strained through a coarse strainer to remove seeds
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) simple syrup*
3/4 cup (6 ounces) cold water

Stir it all together and serve over ice. Garnish it with a thin watermelon or lemon wedge, if you’re feeling fancy.