gingerbread cookies, old recipe, new designs

Gingerbread cookies! I just love 'em! My favorite recipe for gingerbread cut-out cookies came from my Home Economics/Cooking teacher, Mrs. Johns, my senior year of high school, 1988.  She made us keep a recipe box all semester. We students would grunt a little, what with the constant copying of recipes from the board. But, I have kept that box, and cherished that box, almost weekly, if not daily, for the past 24 years. I remember, each class, we'd add to it daily. Some recipes Mrs. Johns gave us...some recipes were from other students...some were of dishes we prepared during class. One I'll never forget...Steak in a Bag, cooked in the microwave. We actually cooked a steak, in a brown paper grocery bag, in the microwave. I kid you not! Truth is...it was down right delicious and very tender! I still have that recipe tucked away in that box...and I am never ever gettin' rid of it...or any other recipe in that box...especially the recipe for gingerbread cookies!

Well, you can't make gingerbread cookies without molasses. Here's the brand I use. 

Brer Rabbit Molasses. Don't you just love the vintage art work on this bottle?

It is simple, classic and beautiful.

Ok, let's get to the cookie designs! I could not resist making a gingerbread Yeti. You know, the Abominable  Snow Monster that lives in the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal. I guess you might say he is Sasquatch's snowy cousin. LOL! I just love the folklore behind Sasquatch and Yeti. It's just too fun! Don't forget the ever famous clay-mation, Abominable Snow Monster character from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

Boo!

Beautiful snowflakes...holiday colored Sixlets chocolate candies in the middle. 

Gingerbread Cookie Cut-outs

1 1/2 cups dark molasses

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup cold water

1/3 cup shortening

7 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. allspice

2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix molasses, brown sugar, water and shortening with electric mixer. Beat in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate dough until chilled. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake 10 minutes. Cool and decorate with any basic decorator frosting and sugar.

Enjoy!

old fashioned nut rolls, yields 5

A good old fashioned nut roll...just like grandma used to make! Oh my gosh, I just love nut rolls. They are so delicious. I especially love when some of the nut filling oozes out of the roll while baking....it gets all crisp and sugary....oh man, that is the best part! It's pure heaven! There is nothing better than sitting down to a cup of coffee or hot tea and a few slices of nut roll. It just makes my afternoon. Especially on those cold, snowy days....it's the best! 

How do you like this wintery, owl wrapping paper? Isn't it adorable? I bought it at Target, in the Christmas section. (about $5 dollar)  I'll be using this paper to make into bags for the nut rolls. I purchased long, clear, "hoagie sandwich" type sleeve baggies to put each roll in. You can usually find them for sale at your local cake and cake supply store. I purchased mine for 14 cents a piece. I wanted something extra special to package the nut rolls in...that's where this cute owl paper comes in!  It will make great custom made bags for gift giving!

Nut Rolls
*makes 5,  15 inch rolls

the dough:
1/4 C. lukewarm water
2 packets dry yeast
2/3 C. evaporated milk
2/3 C. water
6 C. flour (possibly more, depending on dough)
1  1/2 C. sugar
1  1/2 tsp. salt
1/2  C. butter
1/2  C. vegetable shortening
4 eggs, beaten

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and set aside. Beat together eggs, shortening and butter. Add the sugar and salt and mix. Add the evaporated milk and the 2/3 C water, the yeast mixture, and 1 C of the flour. Beat well. Add the remaining flour gradually. It is quite possible you will need more than the 6 cups of flour. Sometimes I need to add as much as 2 1/2 cups of extra flour. You are done adding flour when your dough is no longer sticky and it is smooth and elastic and easy to knead without it sticking to your hands. Don't over add flour...just be careful and do it a little at a time. Knead the dough until smooth. Place in a greased bowl and cover until the dough has doubled in size. This dough will not rise as much as bread dough, so don't worry. Give it a good hour or so, and you will be fine! While the dough is rising, make your nut filling.

nut filling:
2 pounds shelled walnuts
2 1/2 C sugar
1 C melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Grind the walnuts in a food processor for best results. The walnuts should be ground to the consistency of finely chopped. Combine all the ingredients into a large saucepan and cook over low flame until thickened. Stir almost constantly and keep flame low. Cook for at least 10 minutes. Allow nut filling to cool. This will take a while and I sometimes divide up the mixture into 3 separate bowls to help the mixture cool faster. You can refrigerate for a few minutes as well. You don't want to spread the raw dough with hot nut filling, so make sure it is at least cooled down to just warm to the touch.

assemble nut rolls and bake:
When dough is doubled, divide it into 5 equal parts. Roll each piece out to about 1/4 inch thickness. You do not have to roll dough into a square. Roll the dough out into a circle...not a perfect circle...but a big awkward circle...this will be just fine! Divide the nut filling into 5 equal portions and spread filling on each circle of dough you roll out. Spread to within a 1/2 inch of the edges. Roll up like a jelly roll and tuck in the ends. Place on baking tray. Prick top of roll with a fork a few times and brush with an egg yolk wash. (1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tsp. water) Let roll sit 30 minutes before baking. Rolls do not need to rise like bread dough. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing. Enjoy!

I remember.....handmade ornaments

This is one of my favorite ornaments. It was made by my son when he was 3 years old. He was in Playgroup at our church...pre school for 3 year olds. My son is now 14. Fourteen. My baby boy is 14. When I think about him, being 3, his tiny little hands painting and glittering this pine cone.....it's just too precious. I wish I could go back in time and glimpse a shot of him, sitting at the table, creating, watching the other kids, waiting for me to come pick him up, giving me this ornament, hanging it on the tree. Days gone by. It's almost torture for a mom to think back on these memories. Though they are fond and precious and sweet and wonderful...the longing to be there again, just for a moment...it's a little torture-ous.  Those precious, sweet, innocent days. I miss those days. Little boy, so cute and sweet, red hair, freckles, little nose, little mittens, little winter coat. 

If I told him of this memory, how much I adore it... he would say to me "ok"....and I would have to say "ok??? What do you mean, ok? You should say, aw mom, that is such a nice memory." Then my 14 year old will repeat what I said he should say....in a monotone voice, "aw mom, that is such a nice memory." 

Stinker! 

Kids!

LOL!

But, really, I just love this pine cone!

Children's art, it's a beautiful thing

You know.....

my boys amaze me with their art projects they bring home from school.

I know I'm their mother...but come on....look at that! 

Look at the depth perception! 

The tree is drawn from the view point of someone looking up. 

The tree is not drawn straight as an arrow... it has life!

It is looming into the night sky.

Look at the gradation of color on the tree trunk.

How it goes from very dark, 

to very light... 

as the tree climbs higher into the moon lit night.

Notice the sparse leaves. 

Notice the gradation of blues... 

as they stream down from the bright, bright light of the moon.

First stark white... 

then pulling off into multiple shades of blue...

getting darker and darker as they reach the earth. 

Look at the tree limbs closing in above...

encircling the viewer.

That is brilliant!

Ok, seriously.

That is just a beautiful work of art.

I asked my son...
Did your art teacher give instruction on color gradation?

Yes.

When they first enter the class...

they gather 'round her at a table.

She will draw and give a lesson 

on a technique she wants them to learn.

Then the kids will go to their tables 

and begin their own creations.

I asked him if the teacher helped him with his drawing and gradation.

No.

So, you did this whole piece on your own?

Yes.

Wow!

I am impressed.
I am very, very impressed.
I am in love with this!

What is it about child art that is so captivating??? 

I honestly...

HONESTLY... 

enjoy it MORE than any famous artist.

And that goes for any child... 

Not just my own.

There is just something so raw and organic about it.

When a child is asked to draw or paint...

they just do it.

They don't painstakingly try to get it right.

They don't worry about proportion.

They do not fear judgement.

Look at the face of a child when they are drawing or painting.

Do you see stress? 

No. 

Their little faces are as calm and peaceful as can be.

That's a beautiful thing.

Should not we, as adults...

draw and paint with abandon?

Should not we, as adults...

just create... 

and not critique ourselves endlessly?

I think I we should try it.

It could be freeing.

It could be fulfilling.

Sigh.

Deep breath.

Let's create something and not worry about it.

You don't have to show anyone.

You don't even have to keep it.

Just give yourself permission to try.

Give yourself the freedom to mess up proportions.

It's okay.

It's 

OK!!

The Popcorn Ball Incident

Autumn is slowly moving into winter. It's rainy and cold, and I've been in the mood to make some sweet treats for my boys.  A couple of days ago, in honor of Halloween, I made popcorn balls {recipe link for popcorn balls below}and candy apples. Both recipes turned out fantastic!

While making the popcorn  balls, I was fondly reminded of a Trick or Treat night long ago.  It was  Halloween night, many, many years ago.  I was trick or treating with my little sister and my friends. We were all about or 8 years old, give or take. We were escorted by two of my friends' older brother and sister. At one of the houses, they were handing out homemade popcorn balls! We all screeched in delight! This was a real treat! In my opinion, getting a popcorn ball for Trick or Treat was the best thing you could get!!

Huddled 'round the front door, reaching up as high as our little arms would stretch,  we held open our  pillowcase candy sack. The popcorn balls were dropped into the sacks one by one. I remember small talk and laughter between the home owner and our teen escorts. Everyone was happy. Everyone but one. One little girl who did not get her popcorn ball.

That little girl was me.

I knew I was accidentally overlooked, but I was too shy to say anything! I wanted desperately to say something but I just couldn't!

I was devastated!

Oh, I fancied Cracker Jacks, Reese's Cups and Clark bars...but a popcorn ball!! It was the CROWN JEWEL of Trick or Treat!!

As I stood there with a lump forming in my throat, I prayed silently that they would SOMEHOW notice my misfortune. Good-byes and good-nights were warmly exchanged, and we wandered back into the night. As we walked away, toward home....down the dark street lit by the white glow of street lights....I hung my head low.

Finally I spoke up.  "I didn't get one." My friend's big brother Steve said, "What?! You didn't get one?!" He reached inside his bag and pulled out his popcorn ball. "Here, you can have mine." Shocked and absolutely delighted, I was dumbfounded that anyone would actually GIVE UP a  popcorn ball...willingly!!

I was thrilled! I took his popcorn ball for my own and dropped it down into my pillowcase...all nestled between the Sugar Babies, Mallow Cups and Hershey Bars.

Wow, what an incredible, kind gesture from a teenage boy! How selfless! His parents raised him well. I can only hope that either one of my son's would do the same for a small child in a similar situation.

Recently, I have been reunited with my childhood friend. Her older brother is the one who gave me the popcorn ball. I mentioned the cherished memory to her, and she asked him if he remembered. No....he doesn't remember...but that's ok.
I remember!!
And to this day, I love popcorn balls!
It's one of my favorite Halloween treats!

The end!

*recipe for popcorn balls found here: justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com