Lately, with my husband’s recent retirement, we have spent quite a bit of our time traveling. Sometimes he accompanies me on business trips, while other jaunts are just for fun.
On our recent trip to Portland, OR, while other tourists spent time waiting in long lines for the world-famous VooDoo Doughnuts (also posted by Jennifer here) or Portland’s popular farm-to-cone handmade ice cream shop, Salt and Straw, I found my self happily browsing the aisles at Penzeys Spices located in downtown Portland. Knowing I had lots of holiday baking in my future, I filled my small shopping basket with all of my favorite spices: two types of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, etc. Notice I purchased them in zip lock bags. They were less expensive plus I can now put them in my own decorative containers!
Garlic for baking you ask? Actually, the clerk popped this one into my bag as a thank you gift. Scary when you spend enough to get a freebie.
I mention this today as I am spending time in my kitchen baking batches and batches of my two favorite cookies (sugar and gingersnaps) for the BIG event on Sunday – an exhibit of all the quilts in our very latest edition of Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!! Yeah! Since I have no idea how many guests will be joining us, I plan to bake until the ingredients run out. It is a good thing that cookies freeze well.
While making the dough for the gingersnaps, I couldn’t resist (please don’t tell!) taking a small taste. Wow, I had no idea what a difference good-quality spices could add to the flavor. If you like ginger as much as I do, here’s the recipe for these delicious treats, compliments of my friend Sherry.
———————————————————————————————————-
GINGERSNAPS
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened * 1/2 cup sugar * 1/2 cup brown sugar * 1/3 cup dark molasses * 1 egg * 2 cups flour * 2-1/2 tsp. ginger * 1/2 tsp. cinnamon * 1/4 tsp. allspice * 1 tsp. baking soda * 3/4 tsp salt
Cream butter and sugars. Add molasses and mix. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients and mix. Chill for 1 hour. Form into small balls and then roll in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins.
———————————————————————————————————-
Here’s a copy of the invitation to our party. There will be lots of quilts, music, flowers, refreshments, and of course, cookies! Please come help us celebrate if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Until next time, happy sewing everyone.
Komentar