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Gail Watson

Molasses Crisp Cookies and Some Holiday Baking Tips

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Sugared Molasses Crisps, full of Winter spiciness.

I spent some time with my neighbors yesterday decking the halls of my apartment building. This family is renowned for the over-the-top decor. It took them the best part of yesterday- about 8 hours- to tack up lights, glistening glittered candy canes, tinsel and hanging snowflakes. The transformation is so staggering that when I came home last night after being out I had trouble finding my door!

Before I headed out to assist in untangling miles and miles of colored lights, I made up a couple of batches of cookies. The first being these molasses crisps.

I love these spicy cookies, and I love the way they make the house smell when they’re baking too. The best part is they have a ring of crunchy goodness on the outside and a chewy soft interior. LOVE that in a spice cookie.

As I was making these I started to think about some words of wisdom I might share about holiday baking. I know for some baking is not a regular thing, and even if it is, the high volume and intensity of cookie swapping and gift giving can be a major undertaking. So let me offer you a few words of advice that may make things go a little better for you.

7 Tips to Make Holiday Cookie Making a Success
 
  • Take a moment to write up an action plan and pin it up for you to see. The recipes that call for chilling the dough should be made first. The same goes for cookies that need to be filled. Put them at the beginning of the preparation order.
  • As with the action plan, write up all your recipes and post them on up where you can see them easily. Chefs keep their orders at eye level and it’s for a good reason. If you have to keep retrieving greasy slips of paper from under the flour sack it will start to make you crazy.
  • Before baking the entire batch try a test cookie or three. This may feel like a waste of time but it is SO worth it. The test batch will let you know if your oven is too hot, if the racks are too high/low, if your dough is too warm/cold, etc.
  • Don’t try to make doughs and bake at the same time. It’s hard to keep too many plates spinning at once. Dedicate dough preparation time and then baking time. Utilize the time that the cookies are in the oven to clean or just pull together the ingredients for the next batch.
  • If time runs out you can set unbaked cookies on a baking sheet, cover and store in the fridge until you have the time to bake them off. Just be sure that the dough is at the correct temperature before baking- and still do that test run.
  • Update your baking soda and baking powder. They lose their potency over time, so start with a fresh box if it’s been awhile since you’ve used them.
  • Lastly, keep notes. We all tweak here and there, and we all learn to nuance our kitchens and work methods. Update your recipes with what worked and what didn’t- this information will be invaluable the next time you bake, and it’s the legacy that you can pass on to your family.

 

 
 
 
 
 
There will be more baking to come over the next few days, so stay tuned!
Spicy Molasses Crisp Cookies
makes approx 4 doz cookies
 
2c all purpose flour
1t baking soda
1t ground cinnamon
.5t ground cloves
.25t ground nutmeg
.25t salt
1 generous T fresh minced ginger
1.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened
.5 c sugar
.5c dark brown sugar
.25 c molasses
1 egg, room temp
1c demerara sugar
 
Preheat oven to 350˚ and line cookie sheets with parchment or cut brown paper bags- or you can simply grease a cookie sheet.
 
In a large bowl sift together four, baking soda, salt and dried spices.
 
In a stand mixer, beat the butter, the sugars, the molasses and the ginger until creamy and fluffy. About 5 mins. Add the egg and beat smooth.
 
Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until evenly incorporated.
 
If the dough is too soft to handle you can pop this into the fridge for awhile, or even overnight. Just let the dough come to room temp before baking.
 
Pinch off enough dough to make a 1″ ball and roll in the demerara sugar, or another course sugar you may have.
 
Place on the cookie sheet allowing at least 2″ between. Using a flat bottomed glass, mash down the balls to a 1/8″ thickness.
 
Bake in the middle of the oven for ~15 minutes. Since the color is dark you can’t use that as a baking guide. I press on mine to test for doneness. They should feel fully cooked but still give.
 
Cool on racks.
 
 
Happy Baking!!!

Spice Marinated Roasted Salmon

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Between the holiday gatherings and indulgences it is becoming increasingly more important to eat well whenever possible. I hate the thought of a “diet” as to me that triggers images of falling into the droning pit of Hell that is salad and cans of tuna.

The better antidote is to eat well AND eat healthily. Healthy for my heart, healthy for my hips, and healthy for my soul. We eat at least three times a day, and will do so for the rest of our lives. These are multiple opportunities a day to take the power to create your own best self. It’s also multiple opportunities a day to celebrate and enjoy. ENJOY!

This salmon dish is perfection. Easy to prepare and super kind to the heart and hips. I’m sure by now you don’t need me to tell you how good salmon is for you. Rich in omega 3’s- so good for keeping those blood vessels flexible and healthy. We don’t get nearly enough in most cases, and though taking a supplement can seem like a good idea, the power of food is far healthier- not to mention more delicious.

Roasting is a miracle to fish cooking. First off it’s virtually fool proof (I’ll teach you how), it minimizes the fish smell in the house that you get from stove top preparations, it requires less attention at the stove, and it’s super healthy. If you have any fears of preparing fish this can save you.

Not only that but roasted salmon is so moist, almost creamy in texture, that I promise you’ll fall in love. If you like your fish with a crusty skin, a quick sear in the pan on top of the stove does the trick. Then  simply toss your oven proof pan directly into the oven.

The spice marinade is where the fun is in making this dish. Quick toast some spices in a dry pan. This only takes a minute or two. When the kitchen fills with warm spicy goodness remove the pan immediately and set aside a minute to let the grains cool. Then simply mash them into a powder (or use a spice grinder), add a touch of oil and apply paste to the top of the fish. You can just let this sit for a bit while you set the rice to cooking for instance, or even marinate the fish do the night before and keep in the fridge until ready to roast.

The simple sauce is made with Greek yogurt with chopped fresh mint and cilantro. The combination added a bright fresh note that played against the depth of the rich fish and the spices.

What is also fantastic about this meal is it’s a wonderful thing to prepare for a group. The fish can be lined up on baking sheets and kept in the fridge. The rice can be made ahead of time and rewarmed, leaving just quick sautee of asparagus for last minute.

Spice Marinated  Roasted Salmon
serves 4

4 5oz pieces of fresh salmon
1T cumin seeds
1T caraway seeds
2t fennel seeds
1T white peppercorns
2T olive oil
S&P

3T finely minced fresh mint
3T finely minced fresh cilantro, including stems
1t olive oil
1c Greek yogurt
milk for thinning- if desired
S&P

In a dry frying pan place the spices over medium heat. Toast carefully until they begin to release their aromatics. Taking care not to burn. This will take just a minute or two.

Remove from the flame and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Place the spices into a mortar and pestle, or spice grinder, and reduce to a rough powder.

Stir in olive oil and salt and pepper, creating a paste.

Rinse and pat dry fish, then place skin side down onto a lined baking sheet. I use paper shopping bags to line my sheets, cut to size.

With fingers, spread the marinade paste over the entire top of the fish. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap and allow the flavors of the marinade to permeate the fish for a few minutes.

Preheat oven to 400˚

In a small bowl combine the herbs, yogurt, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

When the oven is ready set the fish into the center of the oven. The rule of thumb is ~10 minutes per inch of fish. After about 8 minutes I employ the poke method. I simply press down on the top of the fish. If it feels jiggly or resistant in the middle I give it more time. A minute or two later I’ll check again. The feel is one of give, not resistance.

When it comes to salmon you can err on the side of undercooking, and some people even prefer it. After you remove the fish from the oven it will continue to cook for another minute or so, so be brave and go for the sooner than the later.



The After Feast- and Gingerbread

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Stacks of Dishes with my morning Gingerbread
The gathering was easy and the company divine. Good food, delicious laughs and familial ease. It was a lovely day, one of the nicest I’ve had with my family in awhile. We were a small group, so there was plenty of opportunity to share and really get to speak with one another. My children are adults now and starting to point themselves into different directions. It’s one of the hardships when pulling together large groups. I love to entertain large raucous crowds, it’s so nice to “see” everyone, but I always leave feeling like I didn’t get a chance to really visit.
Yesterday was a sweet day for visiting. The sunny afternoon was filled with relaxed talk while my Mother and my son leaned back into couches, Olivia danced with herself in the corner as we put the desserts together, and my Uncle Joe told me stories of my Grandfather- who passed when I was too young to know him- as I put on the coffee. Priceless ease.
My favorite time, once the evening is over, is the quiet morning after. I’m a bit of a pain in that I really don’t like people cleaning up my kitchen. It’s not that I’m such a control freak or anything, it’s that there is something beautifully zen about the sound of soapy water, and the clattering of dishes and silver while I review the events of the evening. There is ceremony in the storing away of platters and serving pieces- my loved things amongst loved ones, now put to rest until the next gathering. As I look around there are remnants of the evening imprinted in the dents in the pillows, crumbs on the carpet, and scattered smudgy wine glasses. It all tells a story, and every story touches me. Beauty.
The morning held no rush for me. Everyone had headed off into the evening to their own homes so I was left to myself in the morning light to putter and fuss. This year for Thanksgiving my fiancee is at home in Louisiana with her family. It’s hard to juggle families and holidays. I know so many that have to do it, it’s not like I can complain really, it’s just that she is also my family, and it’s hard to be separated. This fact just made my morning that much quieter and that much more introspective.

Late yesterday, after finishing all my dinner preparations, I had a small chunk of time and a half a can of pumpkin left over. Since the oven was already on I pulled together a tasty Gingerbread for my after-feast breakfast. A simple homey tea cake.

This quick bread is SUPER moist with a nice mellow hit of molasses and a tender bite of ginger. The pumpkin doesn’t reveal itself, it merely adds moisture and depth. As you can see it slices quite nicely and could even do with a toasting and a pat of butter if that’s your preference.

I sliced mine up super thin to enjoy with my milky latte. It was a nice quiet moment in the morning light, before I began my post feast ritual.

Morning After Moist Gingerbread
makes one 4″x11″ loaf~ enough to serve 8-10
 
.5 can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2 large eggs
.5 c vegetable oil
.75c water
.5 c molasses
1c white sugar
1.75c all purpose flour
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1t ground cinnamon
1t freshly grated nutmeg
2T freshly grated ginger
 
Preheat oven to 350˚ and grease 4″ x 11″ loaf pan
 
In medium bowl combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, molasses and sugar. Stir smooth.
 
In large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
 
Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl and stir just until incorporated. This makes a fairly wet batter.
 
Gently spoon into the loaf pan and spread evenly.
 
Place pan into the center of the preheated oven and bake. After ~40 minutes test for doneness- Gently pressing on the top of the cake. When it is springy to the touch is it done. Alternatively use a toothpick to poke into center of cake. When the toothpick comes out clean it’s done.
 
Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan.
 
 
 
 
 
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!