st. nick is coming...(recipe: gingerbread cookies & red velvet cookie link)

St. Nick is coming to town

Spicy, warm & crunchy-Santa will appreciate these idyllic holiday cookies.  When rolling out cookie dough, make sure you roll them 1/4" thick.  This will ensure you that your cookies will hold together nicely.

Gingerbread Cookies
yield:  18 cookies (depending on your cookie cutters)
3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
Royal Icing
Sugar Sprinkles, Sanding sugar for decoration

1. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper & salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed until fluffy.  Add egg and molasses to the cream butter/sugar mixture, mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until dough is formed.
3. Shape dough into a disc and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured board to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.  Space 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets, refrigerate for 15 minutes, until firm.  Bake cookies for 12 minutes, until cookies are crisp, but not dark.  Cool on sheets resting on wire racks.
5. Pipe designs on cookies and sprinkle with sugar immediately.  Let stand for a few minutes before tapping excess sugar off of cookies.  Let icing dry for at least an hour.  Store in an airtight container for 5 days.

***To pipe designs, I use a mini squeeze bottle, available at craft supply stores.  I love squeeze bottle because they are reusable and the tip is fine enough to get by drawing designs.

Royal Icing (Quick & No Raw Eggs)
yield:  1 1/4 cup
1/2 pound confectioners sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder

1. Put sugar, meringue powder & scant 1/4 cup water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Mix on low until smooth, about 7 minutes.  If icing is too thick, add water, a teaspoon at a time; if too thin, mix icing a few minutes more and add more sugar if needed.

Link to Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies here.  Doesn't this color just scream Christmas!  So easy to make.  I wanted to use white chocolate chips, but didn't have any, so I followed the recipe exact.  Either way, I think Santa would approve.

The reindeer need to eat too! (Recipe: Magic Reindeer Food)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve....

I normally do not like my house dark and you will hardly ever find me sitting in a dimmed lit room.  Tonight, however is different.  I sit curled up on my couch as the soft glow of my netbook highlights my face.  Overhead a string of white pearl lights are twisted throughout a glowing strand of holly and draped over the loft balcony.  The silver beads hung on the Christmas tree act like little mirrors against the blue lights twirled up the tree.  That is what Christmas does to me.  For that small amount of time at the end of the year, you will find me in the darkness, enjoying the small, twinkling lights, sipping chamomile and feeling like a kid again.

Its a wonderful way to unwind, don't you think?  Today was an amazing day filled with Christmas songs, the unveiling of my girlie white feather tree, some holiday house cleaning, a Christmas pageant, and the making of Magic Reindeer Food. 

We woke up to heavy fog which didn't burn off well until eleven o'clock this morning.  As the verse "...then one foggy Christmas Eve..." from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer kept repeating in my head,  I knew we had to make Reindeer Food.  We made a big batch to share with the Baking Tot's classmates. It is very easy to make, fun for the kids, and safe for the wildlife once it is scattered.  One SUPER plus for me was the exclusion of glitter and substitution of sanding sugar (you could easily use edible glitter-but sanding sugar is what I had on hand.)  We placed them in bags and included this little poem I found on the web:

Sprinkle on the lawn at night

The moon will make it sparkle bright

As Santa's reindeer fly and roam

This will guide them to your home.

Magic Reindeer Food

2 cups Sunflower Bird Seed
2 cups rolled oats
2 T. red sanding sugar
2 T. green sanding sugar

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and bag them for gifts.
2. Sprinkle on the lawn Christmas Eve night!

I recommend you NOT eating this...(Homemade Play Dough)

Today was a day spent indoors.  Although it was bright and sunny, the wildfires affecting this area has left our air quality poor.  We pick and choose our outdoor days wisely, yesterday, being one because it was Baking Tots "Super Hero Pool Party".  So that left today filled with indoor games, singing, cuddles, tickles and play dough.

The Baking Tot has spent the majority of our day playing with play dough.  After I shaped them into various fruit shapes he has carried them around as if they were gold.  He even wanted to take the apple & orange with him to nap time.

Last year I had made homemade play dough for the Baking Tot's birthday favors and forgot to share it with you dear readers.  I don't remember how much it makes, or where I even found the recipe but I do remember it is really easy and fun to make.  The dough is soft and supple and the colors can be as bright and vibrant as you want.  Try it with your little one-it will be a hit.

Play Dough
4 cups of plain flour
1 tbsp cream of tartar
2 cups table salt
4 cups of water
1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
Food coloring (I prefer using gel based food dyes)

1. Combine the dry ingredients together.
2. Mix all of the ingredients in a large pan and heat it over medium heat.
3. Stir constantly until the dough feels like stiff, smooth, mashed potatoes. At this point, take it off the stove. Once it has cooled enough (about 2-5 minutes), knead it until it is blended smoothly.
4. Divide the dough into several balls. Add food coloring to each ball and knead until color is blended in. This works best if the dough is still warm. 
5. Store the dough in an airtight container or bag.

The Monkey, A Toddler Story; Recipe: Boardwalk Bananas

from our family blog, July 9, 2011

Linkletter and Cosby had it right, kids say the darndest things.  Baking Toddler has been in speech therapy for almost a year and has improved greatly; and for that I am very grateful and pleased with all the work we have done.  Grateful yes, but today however was a different story.

As I was rifling through honeydew at our local grocery store, Baking Toddler became VERY excited and started to yell, "A MONKEY, A MONKEY!!!!"  I responded, "Really, where do you see a monkey?"  Following his tiny excited index finger, I turn around looking for a banner, sign, stuffed animal, picture on a shirt, and finally my eyes fell upon an older woman not more than 4'5" tall.  Her facial structure resembled that of a Neanderthal and she had wild, black, long hair.

A little tickled and a bit embarrassed, I strolled him a few feet over and quietly told him that his "monkey" was actually a lady.  He just sat there and looked at me for a minute, processing what I had said.  I pulled around the corner and the little old lady happened to be standing 15 yards from us.  Baking Toddler turned to her and chirped, "OOH OOH AHH AHH!"

Oh the things little ones will say, especially when they are just breaking out of their shell to talk.  This just so happened to occur a few days after Baking Toddler had a meltdown at school because his chocolate fell off of his frozen banana.  Therefore, this post is for my silly, sweet, happy boy who just so happens to love chocolate covered bananas and uhhhh....monkeys....

Boardwalk Bananas

makes 18 to 24 banana pops
adapted from Chocolate Holidays, Alice Medrich

6 to 8 firm ripe bananas
3/4 stick butter
10 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped nuts, jimmies, sprinkles for toppings

2 dozen disposable wooden dowels (used for caramel apples) or Popsicle sticks
Tall Skinny Glass or container (I used a 6oz. pilzner)

1. To prepare the bananas, cut the ends off of the bananas and into thirds, leaving the peel intact.  Push Popsicle sticks 1 inch or more into the flesh of the banana.  Peel the bananas and place in the freezer.  If not dipping right away, transfer them to an airtight container or Ziploc bag and return to the freezer.
2. Clarify the butter.  Cut butter into small pieces and put it in a 1 cup glass measure or a small glass jar.  Set the glass in a pan of simmering water and heat without stirring, until the butter is melted and hot and has separated into three layers:  foamy milk solids on top, golden butter oil in the center, and a watery substance on the bottom.  Skim and discard white foam, spoon out the golden oil (clarified butter) and discard the rest.  ***Alternatively you can ditch the glass container and heat the butter straight in a pan until it separates; skim the foam off, save the clarified butter and discard the rest.  If you have never clarified butter however, watch it closely because your butter can burn easily this way.
3. In the top of a double boiler, combine the chocolate and 4 tablespoons of clarified butter.  Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the glass.  Line a shallow pan with wax or parchment paper.  Have the toppings ready.  Remove the bananas from the freezer.  Holding the stick, dip the banana quickly and completely in and out of the chocolate.  Hold it over the lined pan and sprinkle all sides with nuts or sprinkles before the chocolate sets, which will begin to harden immediately.  Set banana on the lined the pan.  Repeat with the remaining bananas.  Transfer the bananas to the freezer to harden completely, then to an airtight container or freezer bag.  Keep frozen until ready to serve.

Leftover coating may be frozen and used again.

Thank you, Anthony Bourdain (Recipe: Chicken Barley Soup)

I really, really hate taking the Baking Toddler to the doctor.  First let me say that Baking Toddler is a great toddler.  He is happy, listens, minds well, bubbly and very hyper...that is until we walk into the doctor's office.  Then he turns into the devil.  The screams.  The sobs.  Ridiculously non-cooperative and what I can only imagine as the worst patient at NB Pediatrics.  I dread taking him.  DREAD IT.

Enters mysterious fever.  Mysterious fever would not go away for days and I threw in the towel and made an appointment.  Reluctantly I told him we were going to see the doctor in which he eagerly replied, "Doctors help ears, Toodee saw Doctor."

This probably does not make any sense, so let me explain.  He had months of ear infections and ear related issues and therefore we went to the doctor every 2 weeks for almost 5 months.  So he had visited his fair share of doctors.  Toodee, however, is a character on Baking Toddler's favorite show, Yo Gabba Gabba.  And guess what, the "Doctor" episode was awaiting patiently in the DVR.

Brownie Bites

Alright.  I have to admit that I hate edges on brownies.  I just don't understand the allure of making brownies in that pan.  I want my brownie to be chewy, fudgy and soft each and every bite, with that said, I created the edgeless brownie.  It's simple, I took a biscuit cutter to an already made and cooled batch of brownies and cut brownie circles straight from the pan.

It was perfect-no edges...and they were all the same size...and they make great gift packages.  But then I realized there were brownie remnants left over.  What should I do with all of these bits of brownie left in the pan?  Make brownie bites, of course!  This is easy, can be a little messy and I think children would LOVE to make these tiny morsels of bite size brownies.

Brownie Bites
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3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1-9"x9" square pan of baked brownie or left over brownie edges and pieces (that what I use!)
2 cup sparkling sugar or nonpareils

1. Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.  Set aside to cool.
2. Trim off any super hard edges of brownie.  Grab about a tablespoon size piece of brownie, and roll into a ball with your hands, pushing the crunchy surface pieces to the center.  Place on a parchment or wax paper lined sheet pan and repeat with the rest of the brownie pieces.  
3. Roll the brownie bites into the sugar syrup and then roll into sparkling sugar or non pareils, coating well.  Brownies bites can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered.

The Breakfast Cookie (Banana Oatmeal Cookie)

These cookies remind me of the old adage "everything under the kitchen sink," except it would be called "everything in the toddler's pantry cookie." I really liked these cookies-oh and by the way, they are one of my "ones left behind" recipes.  This cookie is an adaptation of NutureBaby's Banana Oatmeal Cookie or as our household dubbed it "The Breakfast Cookie."

I was so happy to have found the NurtureBaby website when The Baking Toddler was transitioning into solids.  I loved He loved the Super Mac N Cheese and their recipes inspired me to dive in and feed him bolognese, lentils and other foods I really didn't think about giving him at the time.  If you have babies or are interested in making your own baby food I highly recommend the site.

These cookies came from NurtureBaby except I added some dried fruits to the batter to make it extra special.  The Baking Toddler didn't quite like dried apples or raisins at the time, but when I put them in a cookie, he quickly changed his mind.

Breakfast Cookies (Oatmeal Banana Cookies) 
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1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 ripe bananas
1/4 cup freeze dried apples (found in baby food section at grocery store)
1/4 cup golden raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk WW flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and oats in bowl and set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla and bananas. Mix until bananas are well incorporated, then add flour mixture. Add apples and raisins and stir until just combined; over mixing will make the cookies tough.
3. Spoon cookies onto baking sheet and cook for 12-13 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Apple Cider & Rosemary Ice Pops

First Snowfall

I had such a wonderful vision for this blog post.  Vision, as in an 'ah-ha' photog moment.  My 2 year old son, wearing the cutest Gap-like clothing, would be in our somewhat still green backyard holding a golden ice pop and I would snap the perfect autumnal shot wrapped in adorable toddler wonder. 

Boy was I wrong...needless to say I don't have the shot.  It could be because my model wouldn't hold the pop, or because he ran and hid behind the truck, or maybe it was because I relied on a two year old to cooperate period.  Oh well, I'll just share one of my favorite fall time photos instead.

Apple Cider & Rosemary Ice Pops
Makes 6

2 cups apple juice
¼ cup water
¼ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 whole clove
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in saucepan. Bring mixture to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until mixture is reduced, about 20 minutes.
2. Strain into 2 cup measuring cup; add vinegar and vanilla; cool to room temperature.
3. Pour into six 1/3 cup ice pop molds. Insert pop covers and sticks; freeze overnight.

Snickerdoodle Mini Muffins

The other day I saw a tee shirt advertised in a magazine that said, "Muffins are just ugly cupcakes."  For some reason I took offense to this, gasped, and quickly came to their defense "ARE NOT!"  Except, there was no one to argue this point with, the only other person in the room was BabyBoy, and there is not much talking coming from him!  Regardless, I found this statement to be wrong.

I love muffins.  They are so cozy and warm and I find myself "popping the top" much like Elaine had done on Seinfeld (except I eat the stumps too).  Similar to pancakes, the secret to a great muffin, besides using fresh ingredients, lies within the mixing.  Overmixing can produce a rubbery, rather than fluffy, texture.  And I suppose then, and only then could a muffin be called ugly!

Making Muffins, Step By Step

1. For best results bring milk, eggs, and butter to room temperature.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another.
3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients.
4. With a large rubber spatula, fold wet mixture into dry one, with few strokes as possible.
5. Fill buttered muffin tins about three quarters of the way with batter.  This leaves enough room for a crumb topping and makes muffins that are the right size for snacking.

You're Not So Ugly Snickerdoodle Mini Muffins

yield 2 dozen
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10 T. (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1 c. sugar
1T. plus 1t. ground cinnamon
1 ½ c. flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ c. buttermilk
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a mini-muffin tin, and set aside. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining teaspoons cinnamon; whisk to combine.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine 6 tablespoons butter, remaining ½ cup sugar, buttermilk, and egg; whisk to combine.
4. Using large rubber spatula, fold butter mixture into flour mixture; use no more than 10 strokes. The mixture should be lumpy.
5. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each prepared cup, and bake until tops are nicely golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool in pan 10 minutes before transferring to rack to cool
6. Dip top of each muffin in remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter and roll in reserved cinnamon mixture. Serve warm or room temperature.

The Amazing Disappearing Rice Krispie Treat

If there is one sweet treat that seems to pull off the greatest of all disappearing acts it is the Rice Krispie® Treat. Seriously! I could set a decadent chocolate cake, fudgy brownies, a delicious fruit filled pie and Rice Krispie® treats out on a table and I guarantee the familiar cereal squares from childhood would be the first to go (and in record time, mind you).

What is it about this goody that sends kids and adults alike running toward the dessert buffet? Is it because it creates a feeling of nostalgia? Is it because of our secret adoration for Snap, Crackle and Pop? Or, is it because of the sweet, sticky, gooey concoction that holds the little puffed rice together? Whatever the reason (and I'm pretty sure it is a combination of all the above) they don't last very long around my house.

These treats are very simple to make and not too time consuming. I've used different cereal too, Cocoa Krispies®, Cocoa Puffs®, Fruit Loops®, Cap'n Crunch®...the list goes on... This recipe trends a little off of the original-they are a little bit more buttery and gooey!
Melissa's Cereal Treats
yield: 16 squares
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7 cups mini marshmallows
5 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 t. salt
6 cups of puffed rice cereal (or any other crunch, puffed cereal)

1. Coat an 8x8-baking pan with nonstick spray. Line with a sheet of waxed paper, allowing for an overhang to allow you to lift the cereal treats out of the pan. Spray with nonstick spray.
2. Cook the marshmallows, butter and salt over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until smooth.
3. Remove from heat and stir cereal into the marshmallow mixture using a heat resistant, rubber spatula; mix thoroughly and fold the mixture bringing up marshmallows from the bottom of the pan.
4. Spoon in mixture. Coat hands with nonstick spray and press mixture firmly into the pan. Press into the corners of the pan and the top to smooth. Allow to cool.
5. Remove from pan by lifting the overhanging waxed paper ends. Cut into cubes.

Popcorn Balls-Happy Halloween

I had plans to write something fun, witty, spooky, "Halloweeny"...but my brain is exhausted and I can't think clearly enough to write something worth while. My plans were foiled when my popcorn popper decided to bite the dust in the middle of making these great treats. So I'm reposting an entry from my family blog site. I hope you make these for your little ghosts and goblins!

Original Post: Seven Wonders Of The World, October, 2008.

Happy Halloween. . . well almost. Popcorn balls have a special place in my heart. My Nanny always made them every Halloween and yes it was exciting to go to her house to show off our costumes but it was equally (or more) exciting to sink our teeth into the sugary, sweet, crunchy and sticky goodness known as the popcorn ball.

This first recipe is for the traditionalist. It calls for a sugar syrup poured over freshly popped popcorn and formed into baseball sized balls. I use an aluminum roasting pan to avoid clean up.

Grandma Anderson's Popcorn Balls:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup white syrup

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup water
3 qts. popped popcorn (9 tablespoons of unpopped kernels)

• Boil sugar, syrup, salt, vinegar, vanilla and water to soft ball stage or 250 degrees on candy thermometer
• Pour sugar mixture over popcorn that has been placed in aluminum roasting pan (let cool before forming with buttered hands)
• Shape into baseball or small softball sized balls

The second recipe is for the kid in all of us. It has a marshmallow base, rather than syrup and has a hint of caramel from the brown sugar. Oh-and chocolate! How bad can that be?

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
4 T. unsalted butter
1 ten oz. bag miniature marshmallows
1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
3 qts. popped popcorn
1 c M&Ms

• Place popped popcorn and M&M's into an aluminum roasting pan.
  
• Melt butter in heavy pot over low heat. Add marshmallows and brown sugar, stir until melted. Remove from heat. Let cool for 2-3 minutes
• Pour over popcorn and M&Ms; toss well. With buttered hands, shape into balls.

*I found that spraying your hands with non-stick spray works really well when shaping balls. Keep it on the counter and spray as needed.

Pumpkin Pancakes & Pumpkin Smoothie

Hmmmm???Which pumpkin shall I pick???

My 13 month old is a picky eater. But then again, I've come across alot of moms with finicky toddlers, so I know I'm not alone. From the beginning he immediately snubbed his nose at jarred food, refused any type of meat and only ate Tyler Florence's Sprout baby food. Tyler was a saving grace, though I have prepared many items that Eli just L-O-V-E-S. So, I thought I'd share them with you since they are very "fall"-after all!

I've been playing around with pumpkin and adding it to many of Eli's dishes. He loves pumpkin mac-n-cheese (and I admit I do too!), slurps down pumpkin smoothies and chows down on these beautiful pumpkin pancakes. Toddler approved, but I'm sure any adult can enjoy them too! And why not? Pumpkin is a super food...super food for a super boy. (Sorry, I had to throw that in...I just love my baby boy!)

Pumpkin Pancakes
yields: 2 dozen silver dollar pancakes
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. allspice
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 1/3 T. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. pureed pumpkin
1 t. vanilla
2 c. milk

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg into a medium sized bowl.
2. Add sugar, eggs, pureed pumpkin, vanilla and milk and whisk until smooth.
3. Add spoonfuls (I used my trusty cookie sized ice cream scooper) to a lightly oiled and heated griddle. Turn pancakes over once bubbles have formed and tops look like they are drying.

Autumn Smoothie
yield: one for Mom and one for Baby!
1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
1/2 c. vanilla soy milk
1/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. applesauce
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
dash of ginger
1 frozen banana

1. Combine in a blender and blend until smooth.