Lemon~Ginger Chip Bars

This week, it's just Maddie & Me.  We both miss Ari, although when I said I was going to bake this morning, Maddie announced, "I don't have to share, right, Mimi?"  They both love to bake and that makes me happy because it's my passion.  I have such great memories of baking with my Mom and her letting me discover how much fun it is...never a chore, and they're discovering that too. 

I couldn't quite decide what I was going to bake until I remember a new product I had bought from King Arthur Flour a while back--Lemon Juice Powder.  It provides a really nice boost of lemon flavor to cookies, cakes, icings, sauces and glazes--perfect for this bar.  Maddie seemed open to my experimenting with it as well as adding Lemon Chips and Ginger Chips.

Lemon ~Ginger Chip Bars
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. Lemon Juice Powder
2 3/4 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/3 cup Mini Ginger Chips
3/4 cup Lemon Chips

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan (I used my spring-form pan) with a non-stick baking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars thoroughly.  

Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and lemon and mix on medium for 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides once again.  
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low to combine, then on medium for 1 minute.  Stir in the lemon and ginger chips.  Spoon cookie batter into the prepared pan.  Spread to smooth.

Always let your assistant lick the utensils to test the batter--YUM!

Bake in the preheated oven about 18 minutes or until golden brown and firm to touch.

Let cool 10 minutes.  If you have a spring-form pan, remove the sides to cool thoroughly.  Mix up glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T Light Karo Syrup
1/4 tsp. Lemon Juice Powder
2 T hot water

Blend all ingredients together and do your best "Jackson Pollack" to drizzle the glaze on top!

I asked Maddie if she wanted to try a bar and she said, "Mimi, can I have the center one?"

"Yes, you may!  Enjoy!!

Joe Frogger Cookies

This is my BIG baking week as I need to get my cookie boxes sent to family and friends.  I can hardly believe that one week from today, it's Christmas--where did the time go?

This year, I'm feeling very nostalgic and wanted my baking to reflect that feeling.  The first cookie I'm making is called a Joe Frogger that dates back to Colonial times in Marblehead, Massachusetts.  It's been a cherished cookie by generations of residents there, but also in our family.  I love this ginger/molasses cookie because, to me, it "tastes" like Christmas and secondly, it can be made up ahead of time.  The cookie was originally baked by a man known as Old Black Joe Brown and an Aunt Crese, who maintained a tavern on Gingerbread Hill (isn't that fitting!) in Marblehead.  The fishermen would take barrels of Joe Froggers with them on their trips because the cookies would keep for long periods of time.

This recipe comes from an old book I bought years ago when we lived in Massachusetts, called New England Cookery, which is, unfortunately, out of print.  I have since found recipes for Joe Froggers in other books, but I will tell you, do not substitute butter for the vegetable shortening--the cookie will spread and lose its shape.  Also, the original Joe Froggers were much larger--about the size of a coffee can, but the baking time I'm giving you is for a 3-inch cookie so they'll fit in my cookie boxes.  Feel free to make them large like the traditional ones, just increase the time; you're looking for dark around the edges and firm in the centers.

Joe Frogger Cookies
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I used the sticks for convenience)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup molasses
3 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
2 T dark rum
1/3 cup hot water


Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking to combine.  Set aside.  In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, beat the shortening, brown sugar and molasses together.


Combine the hot water and rum and alternately add with the dry ingredients to the sugar/molasses mixture.  (If the dough is dry, add a tablespoon or two of additional water.)


I place a sheet of parchment on my dough board and scooped up half of the dough on top.  

Place a second sheet over the dough and roll it to 1/4-inch thick.  

Place this on a baking sheet and repeat with the other half of the dough.  

Refrigerate the two doughs for at least two hours.  *The original recipe called for doing this step with waxed paper and that works too.


Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment.


Cut the dough into 3-inch cookies with either a round or scalloped cutter.  

Remove the excess dough from around the cut cookies and use an off set spatula to lift and place on the prepared cookie sheets. 

Bake 10 - 12 minutes (I bake using CONVECTION heat, so I set the temperature on 360F-degrees and baked for 10 minutes).  As explained above, the cookies are baked with they are dark around the edges and firm in the centers.  

Let the cookies cool for at lease 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.


Some kind of ginger cookie has always been part of my holiday baking and these simple cookies meet that criteria.  Our grandson arrives on Wednesday and he's already asked me to have my Kelly's Giant Ginger cookies waiting for him, which I will also bake, but I bet he's going to like these too.   And, with a cup of cocoa, these are great for Santa!

Later, I'm mixing up chocolate/pistachio dough that I will form into rolls and refrigerate to bake tomorrow. It's going to have an orange buttercream filling--Come back and visit.  Enjoy!
 

Ginger~Pear Scones

The calendar may still say it's Fall, but if you go by the cold temperatures, early snowfalls, and frosty mornings, you'd swear we're already into Winter.  I know that's what I'm feeling as a icy rain falls this morning...not to mention my next-door neighbor has already lit up their house with Christmas lights-LOL!

Also, you may have noticed the changes of fruits in your local markets.  Apples, cranberries, and pears are bountiful, replacing the stone fruits, and  since I like to use what is local, I turned to pears to create a warm scone for my breakfast.  The cultivation of pears in cool temperature climates may date back to prehistoric times, although earliest notes of the use of pears is found in early Roman "cookbooks," where it was stewed with herbs for meals.  Our present day pear is thought to have originated in Western China, in the foothills of Tian Shan and spread to the north and south along that mountain range.  What we know as the Asian Pear is often confused with apples, but one bite will tell the difference.  This morning, I had a ripened Bartlett, but a Bosc or even Asian Pear would have been just as delightful.

Ginger~Pear Scones
4 cups (+more for kneading) King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 T + 1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Kosher salt
2 tsp. ground Ginger
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark), packed
2/3 cup (10 1/3 T) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 T Molasses
1/3 cup Ginger Mini Chips (or diced candied ginger)
1 cup + 1 T Half & Half
1 large egg
1 pear, peeled, cored, and cut in 1/2-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, combine 3 1/2 cups of flour and the next seven dry ingredients.  Add the butter "cubes" and mix on low speed to incorporate.  The mixture will still have some same pieces of butter, but be mostly mixed to a rough state.
Add the molasses and ginger chips and mix about 1 minute to incorporate.  Whisk together the egg into the measurement of the half & half and with the mixer running, slowly pour the egg/milk into the dry ingredients, reserving about 2 Tablespoons of it for brushing the tops of the scones before baking.

Stir 1/2 cup flour into the diced pears.  Use a spatula or dough blade to incorporate into the scone mixture.

Place dough on a floured board and lightly knead until smooth--do not overwork the dough.

Roll dough out to about a 10-inch circle, 3/4 to 1-inch thick.

Use a 4-inch scalloped cutter to cut the dough.  Place on the parchment lined baking sheet.  I was able to get 9, but if you like them "fatter" you may only get 8.

Brush tops with the reserved egg/half & half mixture, then, sprinkle with Sparkling Sugar Crystals.

Bake in preheated oven 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

There's nothing like a warm scone with a cup or tea, coffee or cocoa to take the chill off.  I know, from experience, that just baking warms the heart and these scones warm the stomach.  I had mine with some butter and my Cherry-Cranberry Jam.

Take time during this busy holiday season (that has been pushed upon us) to get back to the memories that warm your heart. Enjoy!


 

Ginger Spice & Everything Nice Cookies

When I returned home (sadly) on Monday from my week with my grandson, Ari, I had The Baking Sheet from King Arthur Flour awaiting me.  The first thing that caught my eye was these Ginger Spice Cookies and I thought I would share them...because you just can't have enough ginger cookie recipes : )

Kelly's favorite (and mine) are the Giant Gingerbread Cookies I made in May, but these are a very close second in flavor and comfort for those snowy, cold days hitting much of the United States.  Even I came home to snow Monday evening, but nothing like New England faced with two feet or more, and ours has melted with temperatures in the 50s.  However, this is a great recipe to add to your cookie file and would be even better made with your kids.

Ginger Spice Cookies
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup crystallized ginger 
 2 1/4 cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon (I added this, it wasn't in the original)
1/2 cup Sparkling Sugar Crystals 

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat.
In the KitchenAid, using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and molasses, blending well.  Add the dry ingredients; scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix in the crystallized ginger.  Chill dough for 10 -15 minutes or even overnight.

Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with tablespoon scoop and roll in Sparkling Sugar Crystals.

Place the balls 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and set.  Mine baked for exactly 11 minutes, so I suggest you set your oven timer for 10 minutes to check for doneness, adding more time if needed.

Let cool about 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.   The recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies.  


One of the games I played with Ari was "Dinosaur" because he received a very precious gift from Heidi Witte (humbleluna@gmail.com) of a dinosaur tail.  

It was cold and snowy outside, but feeding my little dinosaur became such a wonderful game and I know he would have loved these cookies.  Make Believe and Baking just seem to go together when you're snowed in with your kids!  Enjoy!

Kelly's Giant Gingerbread Cookies

My mother was a strong woman.  She raised eight children, a lot of the time on her own while my Dad was away during WWII, Korean War, and on "Mediterranean cruises" with the navy.  As I was raised, I've raised our daughters to be strong, but also, kind, generous, forgiving and tolerant and it's these qualities that will help our older daughter Erin and myself go on after Kelly's death on May 14, 2010.  I made promises to Kelly, that I intend to keep, one is going on with this blog.

These cookies were one of Kelly's favorites.  She made a version to send to friends from "The Big Fat Cookie Book" by Elinor Klivans that I gave her one Christmas.  I was reminded by her friend Steven that he looked forward to these cookies as a special treat from Kelly.  I created this version as a memory to our sweet daughter, who always put others first.  They're GIANT because Kelly would say, "if I can only have one cookie...I want it to be Big!"

 Kelly's Giant Gingerbread Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
2 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
1/2 tsp. Ginger Extract
3 cups All-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup Ginger Mini Chips
Sparkling White Sugar


In the KitchenAid bowl, using the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth.  Add the sugars and beat well.  Add the molasses, spices, and extract and beat well again.  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt.  Whisk together, then, add to butter mixture.  Fold in the crystallized ginger chips.

Use a one-third scoop to measure the dough.  Roll tops in the Sparkling Sugar Crystals.

Place on a parchment-lined (or use a Silpat) baking sheet.  Allowing room for cookies to spread.  I was able to get five on the baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 350F-degree oven.  Set timer for 7 minutes, then turn the pan and bake another 6 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a rack to cool completely.  

I ate mine with a Diet Coke, but Kelly would have preferred a cup of herbal tea.  Enjoy!


While you're eating your cookie, I'd like to share with you a short story Kelly wrote me for Mother's Day in 2001. It was definitely one of my favorites of her view of the women in our family.  Kelly was a wonderful writer and was recently published in the Spring 2010 Brain Child magazine.  Other narratives can be found on the blog she did with her best friend, Kandyce, Notions & Threads. 

HIPS

     The bathing suit was pink and purple with stripes that pointed in towards a center seam and formed large V's down my body.  It was last summer's bathing suite, the bathing suit of a ten year old.  At eleven, my body pushed out the fabric and caused the once straight and symmetrical V's to spread and bend in distorted angles.  Panicked, I stepped away from the full length mirror only to shut the door to my bedroom.  I should've tried the suit on earlier I thought, staring again at my reflection.  The pool party was a week away--not enough time to shrink my body down to the straight lines of a year ago.  I was consoled by the fact that my hipbones still protruded quite a bit though they no longer strictly defined my shape.  Instead they were lost in mounds of flesh that curved out from my waist and extended around to my backside.  As I pinched my sides and stretched the skin away from my bones, I thought of the dissected cat I'd seen once while peering into one of the high school classrooms.  Cut open and pinned helplessly to a tray of black hardened tar, the cat's skin had been pulled back so that globs of yellow, stickly fat spilled out.  I pulled my tee-shirt and shorts over the suit and ran down to the basement to search through piles of discarded junk until I found the collapsible stationary bike my mother had bought and never used.  I'd use it, I decided.  I'd use it every day until the offensive yellow globs dissolved away from my beautiful, small bones.

     All that week at school I stared enviously at my best friend's undeveloped body--thin despite the constant intake of junk food.  Her body reminded me of a bird's skeleton.  I imagined I could see through her pale, tissue paper skin to the hollow, weightless bones of a bird.  I felt heavy and awkward around her.   Her thighs were the same width pressed against the seat of a chair as they were when she stood up unlike mine which doubled in size.  When I plopped down cross-legged, half moons unfolded at my sides where my backside met the floor.  It was the thought of this friend and others like her that made me unfold that bike and pedal like hell--like Dorothy frantically trying to escape the wicked witch--every afternoon until the day before the pool party.

*     *     *     *

     Once again in front of the mirror, once again pulling the fat away from the child's body hidden beneath it, I choked on the realization that nothing had changed in seven days.  My body had taken on a new shape and I felt clumsy and stifled in my skin like I had been zipped into a horrible Halloween costume.  The zipper on my costume was stuck; this unrecognizable body was mine to keep.  As I turned away from the mirror to get dressed I began to sob, my shoulders rising and falling with the spastic outpouring of held in tears.  My mother, hearing my outbursts, rushed in to inspect me for wounds.

     "What's wrong? Did you fall? Did you cut yourself?"

     "My bathing suit..." I sputtered. "Look how fat I am! It doesn't fit!" She stood behind me and looked over my shoulder into the mirror.

     "You have hips!" she exclaimed, giving a name to the fat that had overtaken my middle.

     "Hips?" I repeated.  I had been somewhat prepared for the development of breasts...but hips? To me, hips were reserved for grown women who carried bags of groceries while trying to get their car keys out of their purses.  They were the things mothers swung their children up and on when they became too cranky to walk.  When my aunts put their hands on them, it was a warning to stay out of trouble and when, as a small child, my mother pulled me to her, they were what I cradled my head.

     Hips and stomachs and breasts.  Warm, soft places that curve out and hold babies and children and men.  Suddenly the pink and purple suite felt out of place, childish, on my round swing-side-to-side-as-I-walk-down-the-street, hips.  I imagined holding armfuls of brown paper bags while cleverly carrying a ring of keys in my mouth.  I saw myself moving easily with a crying baby balanced on my curved out hip.  I belonged in the kitchen at night with my aunts, sitting around the table smoking cigarettes and sipping creamy coffee while pulling at loose strands of hair.  I would understand their jokes and loud laughter.  I would know what caused small lines to creep around their eyes and mouths and why they always seemed to collapse into their chairs at the end of the day.  All of this I would know and the knowledge would fill out my body and settle in soft hills.  In my stomach, breasts and hips.

Kelly Jo Feinberg

8 October 1972 - 14 May 2010