Peanut Butter Molasses Spice Cookies

There are few things cuter than a fat baby hand holding a cookie.

This little hand keeps sneaking cookies while I'm not looking.

I can't blame him.

These cookies are soft and molasses-y, they have peanut butter, they're a little spicy...

...and they're the perfect afternoon treat to accompany tea or a good book.

Peanut Butter Molasses Spice Cookies

(Eat Shrink and Be Merry)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice and salt

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon molasses

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Set oven to 350*.

Sift together flours, soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt.

Beat together sugar, peanut butter, butter, molasses, egg and vanilla.

Stir wet ingredients into dry with a wooden spoon. Mixture will be very thick.

Place 1 1/2 inch rolled balls onto a lined cookie sheet. Press down lightly with a fork.

Bake 7-8 mins.

Espresso-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Christmas is coming...really, it's almost here.

We haven't yet begun decorating or planning but here is one thing I am doing.

I am am making these cookies.

Here's the deal, you can make the batter, seal it in a ziplock bag (all rolled out and ready), freeze it and then cut off as many lovely little squares as you need to bake.

I have a serious weakness for shortbread.

I grew up eating my Dad's shortbread. His recipe originally came from a Scottish lady that used to live next door.

Perfect rounds of his shortbread was and is always in little tins around my Mum and Dad's house at Christmas time.

This recipe is rich and espresso-y with the occasional melt of chocolate.

They're perfect! They get RAVE reviews!

And since this bag is going in the freezer to be baked at a later date, you'll have to stay posted to see it finished product...or jump over to Smitten Kitchen to see how they turn out.

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

(Discovered at Smittenkitchen.com)

Makes 42 cookies

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 tablespoon boiling water

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool.

2. Working with a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth.

Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.

3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

Ideal Easter Cookies

We spent a long time with my Gramma today making cookies for Easter. She has some fantastic old spring chicken and bunny cutters. What I failed to do, even though I took my camera, was take a single solitary photo of us together...sad.

We used Martha's "Ideal Sugar Cookie" recipe. I love Martha's Ideal Sugar Cookies. I especially love that they're called "ideal"...that makes me laugh.

That said, these cookies are ridiculously easy to make, yield a dough that is perfect to roll out and bake into a beautiful, light and tasty cookie.

We inherited a large amount of cookie decorating supplies from a sweet friend the other day, which proved quite inspriational to the decorating of our cookies. And, of course, Clara made her signature violet and tiffany blue icing for them.

After the icing hardens, they can be placed in a container in the freezer so they stay fresh until the weekend comes.

The only thing to do now is try and stay out of them.

Ideal Sugar Cookies

(Martha Stewart)

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons brandy (or milk)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar; mix until light and fluffy.

Add egg, brandy, and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture.

Mix until just combined.

Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness.

Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between.

Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more.

If the dough or the cut outs are getting soft refrigerate them again before cooking.

Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Ice and Decorate.

Clara's Signature Icing

2C sifted icing sugar

2-4 Tbsp warm water or juice

blue, red and green food colouring

Mix sugar and water together in a med size bowl.

Divide icing into 2 smaller bowls.

To the first bowl add 1 drop of blue and one drop of red. Stir well.

To the second bowl add 1 drop of green and ond drop of blue. Stir well.

Shove the icing into 2 separate, small ziplock bags, cut off a small corner and pipe onto cookies.

Vegetable, Cookie, Banjo

Beans and greens are a wonderful combination. This salad is cheap, filling, has simple, healthy ingredients and is quick to throw together.

I have never cooked with black eyed peas before but they have great flavour and really go well with the kale and sweet fennel. I'm always looking for more ways to use kale so I know I will make this over and over this summer.

Today we ate it on top of some amazing sausage that my Dad keeps his freezer stocked with.

The salad could easily stand on it's own feet at one of those epic summer barbecues that are inevitably approaching. (Yay!)

I did sample, and love, the taste of the dish when I first made it, but it got better with time. So if you can make it an hour ahead of eating time, it will be even better.

Black Eyed Peas with Kale, Fennel and Tomatoes

(adapted from Moosewood Cooking for Health)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

3 garlic cloves minced

1 tsp herb de provence (or 1/2 tsp ground fennel)

1 tsp oregano

1 1/2 Cups chopped fennel

4 Cups chopped kale (stems removed)

1 Tbsp Soy sauce

1 Cup chopped tomato

2 cans (15 oz) black eyed peas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/4 Cups dried beans, cooked)

ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over med heat, warm the oil. Add onions, salt, garlic and herbs. Cook, stirring often until onions soften. About 10 mins. Add fennel, cook another 8 mins.

Stir in kale and cook, covered 5 mins or until softened. Add soy sauce, tomato and peas.

Simmer 5 mins. Season with salt and black pepper.

Let sit 1 hour or so if possible. Not necessary but it will develop the flavours.

_________________________________________________________________

As for the cookie, made Joys Brownie Cookies tonight for my class...they were stupendous.

Make them!

I used 3/4 of a PC Dark Chocolate Bar in the cookie and then topped them with sprinkles and mini marshmallows. Pretty decadent.

Last thing, my Jimmy is the most inspiring person I have ever known.

He's an optimist, he will try anything and teaches himself all kinds of things.

Being around him has made me, a perfectionist who is scared to try anything that I might do wrong, learn and try stuff I never would have otherwise.

"You could totally do that, Jess.", he says. Then comes along side and helps me push through all my, "I just can't do it"(s).

Well, Jimmy has started teaching himself the banjo...and it pretty much rocks!

Another One For the Cookie Jar

Clara and I made these today.

It's a little like a granola bar, a little like a cookie.

Perfect for taking along on the little bus ride excursion we're going on this afternoon. They'll be filling enough to get us through to dinner.

A little note: the batter is very chunky and will look weird for a cookie dough...just hang in there, when they bake they'll hold together fine.

Oatmeal Granola Bar Cookies

(Moosewood Cooking For Health Cookbook)

2 Tbsp butter, room temp

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1/3 C brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1/2 C spelt flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 C Rolled Oats (not instant or quick)

1/2 C chocolate chips

1/2 C golden raisins (craisins, dried blueberries, or apricots), chopped

1/2 C walnuts (pecans or cashews), chopped

In the bowl of an electric mixer or with a whisk, beat together butter, oil and sugar. Bean in vanilla and eggs. Sift in flour, soda and salt. Mix until well combined.

Stir in oats, chocolate chips, raisins and nuts.

Batter will be chunky.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or grease with oil. Drop batter by tablespoonful. You will probably need to use your fingers to clump the dough together. Press down lightly with a wet fork.

Bake at 350* for 10mins or until the edges are golden brown. Do not overbake.

Cool and eat with a glass of cold milk.

Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

These are not your usual sugar-butter laden peanut butter cookies. They're reasonably healthy, easy to prepare and will surprise the skeptics.

I was a bit skeptical myself. Sugar-free, spelt cookies don't sound very promising.

If you don't know what spelt is and you have never baked with it before, go to the bulk food store, buy just what you need for these cookies and be pleasantly surprised at how normal it feels to use it.

Spelt actually gives these cookies wonderful flavour. The batter will look a little more gritty than regular flour but will taste perfect when they're baked.

I took these to share with a group of friend last night and everyone agreed, they're good!

...(despite being healthy)

One thing I will mention, Heather from 101cookbooks recommends you buy a well combined peanut butter and not a super oily one. I used PC Crunchy and it worked beautifully.

Heather's Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

(101cookbooks.com)

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 cup organic, chunky natural peanut butter

1 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350* degrees. Place racks in the top third.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate larger bowl combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla.

Stir until combined. Pour the flour mixture over the peanut butter mixture

and stir until barely combined - still a bit dusty looking.

Let sit for five minutes, give one more quick stir, just a stroke or two.

Now drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets.

Press down on each one gently with the back of a fork.

It's a loose batter, so if you're set on doing criss-crosses,

go ahead and chill the batter for an hour or so before this step.

Bake for 10, maybe 11 minutes - but don't over bake or they will be dry.

Let cool five minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

The Cookie Jar

Here's what is in our cookie jar right now.

A Pretty-Perfect Cookie

The most memorable cookie I ever ate was in the kitchen of a B&B in Pennsylvania where my family stayed for a night probably 18 or so years ago. They will probably always be our family's favourite cookie. The owner of the B&B had just pulled a batch of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies out of the oven and we were lucky enough to have been right there to taste them hot. Made with chunky peanut butter and large morsels of chocolate, I'm pretty sure no cookie will ever measure up to those eaten that afternoon. We were kindly given the recipe and have since endearingly called them Dutch Colonial Treats.

I am quite sure my mum has made 500 batches of them, at least. I frequently had them in my lunch at school, we always had a cookie jar brimming with them and friends begged for them.

That said, sometimes we must break with tradition for a new cookie to enter the jar.

Keeping up with the constant need for a healthy supply and variety of cookies for my family, church, friends and other abundant events that call for cookies, can be quite an undertaking.

So when I find a new cookie that turns heads and tummies, I take note. (Thanks Martha Stewart for yet another delightful cookie.) These cookies have had rave reviews and I've made them a bunch of times in the last couple of weeks. My dad says they're one of his favourite cookies and has frequented my cookie jar quite a bit lately. I love you Dad:)

Say, what's in your cookie jar?

My apprentice rolling cookies.

Jibs says, "I give these cookies a big thumbs up!"

Perfect Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

(An Everyday Food recipe from Martha Stewart March 2011)

Yields: 3-4 dozen

1C AP Flour

1 1/4 Rolled Oats, Not quick oats!

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 C unsalted butter, room temp

1 C light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1C chopped pecans

1 C chopped chocolate or chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350*.

In a med bowl mix flour, oats, salt, BP and BS.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer (I use my Kitchenaid) cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 mins. Add egg and vanilla. Scraping bowl as you go.

With mixer on low add flour mixture, beat just until combined. Stir in nuts and chocolate.

Drop dough by Tbspfull 2 inches apart on a parchment or greased sheet.

Bake 12 minutes.

Should last about a week in your airtight cookie jar, unless little bitty hands get to them first!

Enjoy....we sure are.

Giant Oreos

Oreo cookies are really something most everyone can agree on. Introduced in 1912, they have quickly become the best selling cookie in the USA and probably in Canada too.

The other day, I had a bag with a few cookies in it, a few arrowroot biscuits and an Oreo. Jibs saw the bag and brought it to me expectantly. I reached in the bag and pulled out an arrowroot biscuit. His, once hopeful eyes, filled with tears and he crumpled to the floor...he wanted the Oreo!

Jibs is not the only one, Clara and Jim could easily eat Oreos by the tray full.

Curious as to whether or not I could come close to the Oreo goodness found in the Nabisco bag, I tried this simple recipe found here.

The chocolate wafer is a breeze to make if you have a stand mixer or food processor, just throw in all the ingredients and blend. The filling, just as painfully sweet as the true Oreo, is a delicious filling for its crunchy chocolate surroundings.

Clara was my taste tester and absolutely loved them.

Giant Oreos

For the chocolate wafers:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter

1 large egg

For the filling:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Set oven to 375.

Place flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix and then add butter and egg blending until a thick paste forms.

Roll teaspoonfuls into a ball and place on a paper lined baking sheet, pressing down lightly.

Bake 9mins.

Meanwhile, make filling. In the mixer, blend butter and shortening. Slowly add sugar, and then vanilla. Whipping until very well mixed.

Place a blob between 2 cooled cookies and squish.

Baking Season

Baking is always in season but at Christmas even the most timid baker feels daring and inspired to fill the house with sweet smells and delicious treats.

Clara is a gingerbread girl. Gramma Marion was always sneaking her gingerbread men, it was one of their many little 'secrets'.

Gingerbread cutouts are such fun to do if you have an open afternoon, a few cookie cutters and a sweet little helper. I always use Martha's recipe for Molasses Ginger Cookies.

They always turn out and the dough is lovely to work with.

{Just found this post that somehow wasn't posted in December}

Hot Wing Wraps and A Cookie...(or two)

My friend Shannon visited today and, as we tried to decide what to feed our families this week, I rediscovered a delicious and fast summer meal. I found an old issue of 'Cuisine Tonight' at Value Village a few years back, the sandwich edition and have made quite a few things from it. I love the freshness and simplicity of the recipes. Hot Wing Wraps are a one of our favourite summer dinners.

Hot Wing Wraps

1/4C hot wing sauce (we use Franks)

1/4C honey

1/4C lime juice.

1lb bnls, sknls chicken thighs cut into 1.5inch chunks

1/2 t cajun seasoning blend (we use Montreal chicken spice)

These toppings are merely a suggestion...

1/2 Cucumber sliced thinly

1/2 Green/or Red Pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 C celery, sliced thinly

1/2C carrot, grated

1 tomato chopped

bib or boston lettuce

Blue Cheese dressing (if you like it...we do.)

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a fry pan over med-high heat and add chicken. Sprinkle with seasoning and cook until it begins to brown. Add the hot sauce, honey and lime juice. Stir until sauce thickens and reduces. I cooked mine for about 10-15mins. Most of the liquid is evaporated and the chicken is glazed with a thick red goo...and it's delish.

Place chicken in a wrap with bib or boston lettuce, veg, grated cheddar, dressing and whatever else sounds good.

My Favourite Chocolate Chip Cookies

(River Cottage Family Cookbook)

Makes 12 large cookies.

3 1/2 oz (1/2 C...or there abouts) Good Dark chocolate

1/2 C melted Unsalted butter

1/2C (scant) Granulated Sugar

1/3C Brown sugar

1 egg

2 t Vanilla

1C All purpose flour

1/2 t baking powder

a pinch of salt (omit if using salted butter)

Preheat oven to 375.

Chop chocolate and line baking sheets with parchment.

Pour melted butter over sugars and beat with a wooden spoon.

Break egg in and add vanilla. Beat until well blended.

Sift in flour, baking powder and salt.

Stir them in and add chocolate.

It is pretty sloppy looking.

Drop heaping tablespoon-fulls onto baking sheets leaving lots of room between them. They really spread.

Cook for around 8 minutes...no longer than 10!

Eat!