Gingerbread Sugar Cookies

My mom has a cookies & cocoa party with the grandkids each year before Christmas. The last couple of years I've hosted my own cookies and cocoa party with some of my favorite little people in Doha. I generally make my favorite sugar cookies and this whipped frosting and then let the kiddos do their own decorating. This year there was a new addition: gingerbread sugar cookies.  

I thought I didn't like gingerbread cookies, just like my sister who shared this recipe with me, because they tend to be crunchy. Cookies should not be crunchy, in my opinion. But these. I like these. They are soft and chewy and close to the texture of a sugar cookie, but with the yummy spiciness of gingerbread.

GINGERBREAD SUGAR COOKIES 

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar. Cream together until fluffy. 

Add molasses and egg and continue mixing until the molasses is fully incorporated. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt. 

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time until the dough comes together and the flour is fully incorporated. 

Divide dough in half, form each part into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for one hour. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Roll out dough and cut out using cookie cutters. Use flour as need to prevent the dough from sticking to the counter and cookie cutters.  

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to darken. 

Cool on a wire rack before decorating. 

Source: Katie Neilson 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

A good recipe for broccoli cheddar soup feels like something everyone should have in their recipe box. This doubles easily if you're cooking for a crowd. I generally serve it with fresh artisan bread and a salad. I served this exact menu just this week for book club and it was a crowd-pleaser and worked well for my gluten-free and vegetarian friends.

BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped small
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup half-and-half (or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup heavy cream)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
• 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped small 
• 1 cup carrot, chopped small (1 large or 2 small)
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated 

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.  

Stir in flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth.

Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add broccoli and carrots to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Discard the bay leaf and adjust seasoning if needed. 

Note: Err on the cautious side with the salt because the cheese will add a bit. Be sure to check the flavor a few times throughout the cooking process.  

Puree soup to desired texture with an immersion blender. (Or you can transfer small batches of the soup to a standard blender.)  

Back on the stove, add cheese and stir until melted, about 1 minute.  

Source: Smitten Kitchen 

Artisan Bread

Years ago I was introduced to this great and simple way to make bread. I love that you really can't mess it up. (You'll notice that I say don't worry a lot in the instructions below--seriously, don't worry, it will all work out and be delicious.)

I had forgotten about this bread until I got a huge box in the mail this fall. My dear friend, Kelly had returned the book along with my bread container by mailing them from the U.S. to the Middle East. I didn't even know she had them. And, just like that, my love of this bread, of the simplicity and deliciousness, has been rekindled. 

The recipe below will make 4 small 1-pound loaves or two larger loaves. 

ARTISAN BREAD 

• 3 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt 
• 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

Equipment Needed: 

• 5-quart plastic food container with a lid, but not air tight (something like this)
• baking stone 
• broiler tray (to hold boiling water for steam) 
• parchment paper 
• pizza peel (for transferring bread in and out of oven) 

In 5-quart container combine water, yeast, and salt. Don't worry about it being all dissolved. 

Mix in the flour. Add all of the flour at once, mixing with a wooden spoon. No need to knead. Keep mixing until everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. Use your hands if that's easier. 

Allow dough to rise. Cover with lid (not airtight). Allow to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, approximately 2 hours. Don't worry too much about paying attention to how much the dough rises. You can leave it for longer and it won't affect the result. 

Note: You can use the dough any time after this point, but I usually throw it into the refrigerator as doing so will produce a dough that is less wet and easier to work with. 

When you're ready to bake a loaf, sprinkle the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour. Pull out a hunk of dough and use a serrated knife to cut off a piece. 

Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all sides, rotating as needed. The bottom might appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but no worries, it will flatten out during resting and baking.  

Place the formed loaf on a piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel.

Let loaf rise for about 40 minutes, uncovered. Do not worry if it doesn't look like it rises very much.  

Twenty minutes before baking, turn on the oven to 450 F with the baking stone placed on the middle rack and the broiler tray for water on any other shelf that won't interfere. 

Sprinkle flour on top of the loaf. Using a serrated bread knife, slash a 1/4-inch deep pattern into the top. (See photo above or make your own design.)

After the oven has preheated for 20 minutes, put the bread in the oven onto the baking stone, using the pizza peel. Don't worry that the oven is not yet up to 450 F.

Quickly pour about 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and firm. Don't worry if the top gets a little dark, it will still be perfectly moist on the inside. 

Allow to cool completely, preferably on a wire cooling rack. 

Store leftover dough in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. 

Source: Artisan Bread in Five 

Fried Rice

There's something deeply satisfying about cooking up a flavorful, satisfying dinner in a matter of minutes. And I particularly appreciate things that reheat well and that I don't mind eating several days in row. This fried rice checks all the boxes. The only downside being that good fried rices takes a little forethought as cooked and cooled rice is needed. When it's on my meal plan for the week, I cook up the rice ahead of time, spread it out on a baking sheet, and leave it lightly covered in the refrigerator for a few days or until I'm ready to use it.

 

FRIED RICE

• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil 
• 3 eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 cups bok choy, chopped 
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled (or ham, chopped into small pieces) 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups rice, cooked and cooled 
• 5 green onions, sliced thin

Combine oyster and soy sauce in a small bowl; set aside. 

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Swirl to coat pan bottom, add eggs and cook, without stirring, until just set, about 20 second. 

Scramble and break eggs into small pieces and cook, stirring constantly, until cooked through but not browned, about 1 minute. Set aside. 

Increase heat to high and heat remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons oil until just smoking. Swirl to coat pan bottom, add peas and bacon and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. 

Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

Add rice and oyster/soy sauce mixture and cook, stirring constantly and breakup up rice clumps, until heated through, about 3 minutes.  

Add eggs, bok choy, and green onions and cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 1 minute.  

Source: modified from America's Test Kitchen