Gingerbread

After sampling gingerbread at William Sonoma I decided I could make it at home so the search began for a recipe.....Some say to top with a cream cheese frosting....Will have to decide if I want to add that to the top.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons molasses
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups sour milk or cream
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Serves / Yields
one 9x9 or 9x13 pan

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together the dry ingredients. Add the molasses and melted butter. Add the eggs and milk or cream (if using cream, omit the butter). Sift together the flour and baking soda, and add to the mixture. Beat for 2 minutes. Turn mixture into a 9x9 (9x13) pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 40 minutes.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES


Found this recipe and will bake them later today. The batter tastes delish!

1 1/4 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
10 oz bag Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips, divided
3/4 c Hershey’s Cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well. Combine cocoa, baking soda, salt and flour; then blend into creamed mixture. Add peppermint baking chips, reserving 1/3 c. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Top with a few reserved baking chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies will soft. They will puff during baking, flatten upon cooling. Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes 4-5 dozen.

P.F. Changs Mongolian Beef

I found this recipe on recipezaar.com and made some of my own changes. I doubled the sauce and marinated the corn starch dredged meat for a few hour. I deided to stir fry it instead of cooking it in a cup of oil.
* added red pepper flakes and a T. of honey. At the end of cooking the meat and sauce I added a dash of seasame oil.



Ingredients:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup)
1 lb flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions

Directions
Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat. Don't get the oil too hot. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.
Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices.
Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef.
Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.
As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil).
Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges.
You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly.
After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet.
Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions. Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate.

S'More Muffins

Adapted a few different recipes. Another nummy muffin that can be frozen for a quick out the door breakfast! I made one regular muffin pan and one mini-muffin pan with this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk the flour and next 5 ingredients togehter until well blended; set aside. In a big bowl, whisk the egg until lightly beaten; then whisk in the sour cream until smooth. Whisk in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips and marshmallows; then stir in flour mixture until the chips and marshmallows are evenly distributed in the batter (don't over mix). Fill muffin cups that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray 3/4 full.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-17 minutes or until muffins have firm, rounded, lightly browned tops; a pick should come out with a few crumbs attached.
Place pan on a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn out muffins; cool on wire rack 5 minutes. Cool muffins completely before storing in an air-tight container or freezing them in freezer bags

Chocolate Butterfinger Bars

Found this recipe on the blog, Picky Palate. I have these in the oven right now since I have been in the mood to bake. Enjoy!

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder)
2 tsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

2 Full size Butterfinger Bars, crushed

1 1/2 Cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use a cookie sheet with a silpat liner.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients then stir in crushed butterfinger and chocolate chips. Using a medium cookie scoop, drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 9-11 minutes, should still be soft in center. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

3 dozen cookies

Peanut Butter Texas Sheetcake

I oombined two different recipes: One for the cake & the other for the frosting.

PEANUT BUTTER TEXAS SHEET CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter (may use creamy if you prefer)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil; stir in peanut butter and oil until blended. Add to dry ingredients; mix well. Combine eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; add to peanut butter mixture. Mix well.
Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° F. 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean

ICING:

1 stick butter
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box confectioners' sugar

Place all ingredients except the confectioners' sugar in pan and bring to boil on medium heat. Remove from stove and add sugar. Stir until well blended. Cool and spread on cooled cake