Molasses Cookies

Ever used black-strap molasses in a baking recipe before?

This was my first time. 

Never would have thought of that thick black goo making delicious cookies!

One of those ingredients I'd waited too long to add to my cupboard.

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups flour

1 3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cloves (or allspice)

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon for rolling cookies.

Instructions

1.) Cream together butter and sugar.

2.) Add in egg and molasses and stir until combined.

3.) In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except topping) and mix the dry and wet ingredient.

4.) Refrigerate at least a few hours before baking so dough is workable.

5.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

6.) Roll the dough into 1" balls and roll into the cinnamon sugar topping.

7.) Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet about 2" apart.

8.) Bake 8-10 minutes, but no more! They will firm up but remain soft and chewy once transferred to a cooling rack.

Enjoy these great flavors during this Christmas season!

Sweetheart Apple Pie

Fall is perfect for trying your first apple pie.

Something in the cool air inspired me to turn on the oven and practice my first creative pie crust design.

I thought a pretty crust was out of my reach, but if I could do this, then you should try too!

I'm so pleased with how it turned out. 

I recommend using a cookie cutter if you have one. Much faster than my hand carving.

Would be great for Valentine's Day too!

 Find the farmhouse scoop and gold serving knife for sale in my Etsy shop.

Ingredients
1 box of Pillsbury pie crusts
1 cup of water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped

Instructions
1.) Prepare pie crust according to box directions (and go for a pretty design!)
2.) In a large saucepan, combine water, lemon juice, sugar, spices, and cornstarch.
3.) Cook over medium heat until bubbling and thickened.
4.) Cook 2 minutes continually stirring.
5.) Remove from heat and add vanilla and apples.
6.) Preheat oven according to pie crust package instructions.
7.) Cool to room temperature, then add to pie and bake.
8.) I baked 10 minutes, then covered crust with foil and baked another 30 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Enjoy! 

You're a super homemade apple pie fancy crust queen! ;)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I finally made chocolate chip cookies that stay soft! 

No idea as to why this happened, but hopefully it's repeatable.

Adorable vintage Corning Ware cookie baking sheet.

Maybe it's because I used more brown sugar than usual...

Love my vintage Dutch milk glass jar!

Or from refrigerating the dough for several hours before baking...

The beautiful vintage Pyrex Horizon bowl I used to mix this batch :)

Perhaps it was just going ahead and taking the cookies out of the oven long before they were golden...

Maybe some mysteries don't need to be solved.  

They just need to be served with a glass of milk ;)

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips (all I had! I'd suggest 1 cup)

Instructions

1.) Cream together butter and sugars. Add in vanilla and eggs.

2.) Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3.) Mix and add chocolate chips.

4.) Refrigerate overnight (or several hours if you're husband is eager like mine was!)

5.) Preheat oven to 350

6.) Scoop tablespoon sized portions onto your cookie sheet ( I used parchment paper on top)

7.) Bake 12 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool.

8.) They may seem underdone, but they will set and give you that soft chewy perfection!

Dutch Chocolate Pudding

Looking through my Pinterest recipes the other evening, my husband looked over my shoulder and pointed to the chocolate pudding. 

I've made this before and thought it would be good to perfect!

I originally found the recipe here, but have made a few changes.

I used Dutch chocolate...because, well, you know.

Get excited! Pudding is about to happen!

Action shot! Slowly pour in the milk to stir out any clumps.

Thickened and ready to pour.

Find a lovely serving dish to pour your pudding into. Cover to keep a "skin" from forming.

Mmmm :)

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 T corn starch

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup half & half

1 cup milk

2 oz chopped chocolate (I used Dutch Verkade)

whipped cream and/or chocolate for garnish

Instructions

1.) Whisk dry ingredients (except chopped chocolate) in a small saucepan.

2.) Slowly pour in half&half and milk, whisking to prevent clumps.

3.) Place over medium heat and whisk until steaming.

4.) Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted and your pudding has bubbled and thickened.

5.) Remove from heat and pour into 4 serving cups.

6.) Put plastic wrap directly onto pudding to prevent a "skin" from forming.

7.) Refrigerate about 2 hours before serving.

Bell Pepper Breakfast Flowers

Add some color to your normal sunny side up breakfast! 

You'll need eggs...

Whichever boldly colored bell peppers your heart desires (there's orange too!)

Simply grease your pan. 

*Important Tip: Take notice of the top yellow bell pepper's inner pieces that I did not cut. That would have been better to apply to the other peppers for a more flower like look!

Add your eggs. Mine didn't stay in well, but I marched on!

Add a dash of salt & pepper if you wish!

 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

Bell Peppers

Eggs

Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1.) Grease your pan.

2.) Cut 1/2 inch thick rings of bell pepper.

3.) Crack in your egg.

4.) Cook covered over low heat until yolks are firm.

Strawberry Cake

This delightful Strawberry Cake makes a great brunch time eat, after dinner sweet, or bridal shower treat!

Let the fun begin!

Any arrangement will do!

Ingredients

6 T unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate

1 cup all purple flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 lb strawberries, hulled and halved *try shaping into hearts for some added flair!

Instructions

1.) Preheat oven to 350

2.) Butter a 10 inch pie plate

3.) Mix dry and wet ingredients separately (excluding strawberries), then combine.

4.) Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter. Press them in a bit.

5.) Bake 10 minutes at 350, then reduce to 325. Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes (my new oven) to 1 hour (my old oven), depending on your oven.

Let cool in pie plate on wire rack.

Enjoy!