I'm still here

It's been so long since I've posted, but all for good reasons. We've been very busy, and we've recently added a new member to our family. This little pixie face above is our newest family member. She just turned 3 months old and is a mix of Devon Rex and Siamese. We've been calling her Dev and it seems to suit her.

Christmas Eve

Truly, the most special day of the year. I love the expectation that is still in the air of what is to come.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. A safe and joyous Christmas.

Peace.

Gingerbread Cake

 

I've been thinking about making some gingerbread cake for a while and as I was going through some old copies of Cooks Illustrated looking for the vegetarian mincemeat recipe that I've made for the last couple of years, I came across this recipe.

Whipped it up last night and served it with slightly sweetened whipped cream. Awesomeness.

Gingerbread Cake 

(Cooks Illustrated Holiday 2009 issue)

 2 1/4 cups all purpose, unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting pan

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp Dutch processed cocoa powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmet

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp table salt

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

3/4 cup mild or light molasses

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

Confectioner's sugar for dusting, optional

1. Adust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9 inch square baking pan; dust with flour and tap out excess.

2. Whisk together flour, ginger, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

3. Beat butter, molasses and sugar in large blowl with electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in egg until incorporated. Gradually add buttermilk and milk until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed (do not overmix). Scrape batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake until top springs back when touched and edges pull away from pan, about 35 to 40 minutes. Set pan on wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Dust with Confectioner's sugar, if desired (or whipping cream) and serve warm or at room temperature. (gingerbread can be wrapped in plastic, then foil and refrigerated for up to 5 days).

Enjoy!

Christmas project?

I like to have a project to do during the holidays and decided that I would knit something for myself instead of for the shop or gifts. I love the yarn and patterns from Swans Island (not to mention their blankets), so I purchased some yarn and the the cable wrap pattern above to knit up while I'm taking a little winter break.

More goodness in the shop

 
Finally into December. My favorite month. I've recently hand stamped these jar covers and tied them with red and white gingham ribbon. They're festive to give out for gifts to teachers, crossing guards, etc.

Gingerbread Men

I made these gingerbread men for a bake sale recently. They turned out amazingly well, although I find that if you find your dough too sticky make sure you add a little more flour or your cookies will not cook well. This recipe is from Cooks Illustrated.
Enjoy!

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.

3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
3/4 cup molasses
2 tbsp milk

1. In food processor, process flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together until combined about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is sandy and resembles very fine meal about 15 seconds. With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk, process until dough is evenly moistened and forms soft mass, about 10 seconds.

2. Scrape dough onto counter; divide in half. Working with 1 portion of dough at a time, roll dough to even 1/4 inch thickness between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on baking sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes (or refridgerate for at least 2 hours or overnight).
3. Adjust oven racks to upper middle and lower middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Remove 1 dough sheet from freezer; place on counter. Peel off top parchment sheet and gently lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. Cut dough into 5-inch gingerbread men, transferring shapes to prepared sheets with tide metal spatula, spacing them from 3/4  inch apart.set scraps aside. Repeat with remaining dough until sheets are full.Bake cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint with touch very gently with fingertip, 8-11 minutes, rotating sheets fron to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets for 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack; cook to room temperature.
5. Gather scraps; repeat rolling, cutting, and baking in steps 2 and 4. Repeat with remaining dough until all dough is used. Decorate with icing.

Seriously?

I have cats, and I do think that they are intelligent, and I also think that they can be this dumb. :) (image found on Pinterest)