Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies

 

Wanted to make Molasses cookies today as they're a favorite and it's that time of year. Kids pulled out the ingredients and we didn't have what we needed. PIVOT. So I found this recipe we had everything we needed (almost) but made it work. These have now become probably my all time favorite Christmas cookie. They're almost on the verge of savory. Because no one wants to read an entire book before the recipe. I present to you the best cookie you've ever made. 

Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies

3/4 cup salted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp cinnamon 

Powdered sugar

*When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375° and line cookie sheets with parchment paper

1) Cream butter and brown sugar until completely combined

2) Add in egg and molasses, mix until the dough is fluffy

3) Add in baking soda and spices

4) Mix the flour in, 1/2 a cup at a time

5) Refrigerate for 1-2 hours (do not skip this part)

6) Roll the cookie dough into a ball, then roll in powdered sugar

7) Bake the cookies @ 375° for 9-10 minutes. 

8) Place on wire rack to cool

Mangia! Mangia!

Instant Pot Giardiniera

 

I know everyone loves a really long intro prior to a recipe, but I don't. I want to just read the recipe, not the hour long story about the recipe. So I keep these short.

We love a good pickled anything. All time family favorite is cauliflower, but it's hard to find in stores. I found a recipe in an Instant Pot cookbook that I've been trying and perfecting. So now I'll share it with you. I'll leave the recipe to include other vegetables so you can test other favorites.

Giardiniera

1 1/3 cup cold water

1 1/3 cup white wine vinegar

1 1/3 cup white vinegar

8 garlic cloves peeled, left whole

20 black peppercorns

2 tsp garlic salt (can sub for regular salt)

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 small bay leaves

1 head of cauliflower left whole

2 medium carrots, left whole

2 celery ribs, left whole

1 small fennel bulb, sliced in half

Place all vinegar, water, garlic, salt, sugar, fennel seeds, bay leaf and peppercorns in bottom on Instant Pot. 

Place a steamer basket in the bottom of the pot, then layer with the denser vegetables on bottom, carrot, cauliflower, then celery and fennel. 

Place IP lid on and close, select the pressure cook option (I have 2 IP's, one has a manual button I use, the other has the Pressure cook button). 

Pressure cook on High for 0 minutes (yes....that is correct 0 minutes)

Once pot is done, do a quick-release of pressure. 

Bring all the vegetables out while steaming hot, slicing them into bite-size pieces

Place all vegetables in a sterilized jar and pour the hot brine over the top. You may not need all the liquid, if you don't have quite enough make sure to get at least 3/4 full and you can top off with filtered water. 

Let stand 10 minutes and then cover and place in the refrigerator. 

Mangia! Mangia!

These can be stored in the jar for up to a month. Ours never last two days, as they're eaten so fast. But good luck to you

***I put the peppercorn, fennel seeds and bay leaves in a cheesecloth as when you use the remaining liquid in the jars I like to omit those, you could also strain at the end if you don't want them in your jars.

Pickled Radishes & Finnochio

Pickled Finnochio

2 medium bulbs Finnochio

1 cup white wine vinegar

1 cup water

2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1/2 tsp coriander seed

1)Thinly slice Finnochio with mandoline, cuisinart or by hand if you're very talented. 

2) In pot add all other ingredients and bring to boil until sugar dissolves

3) Strain out coriander and fennel seeds

4) Place finnochio inside jars, pour liquid on top to cover

5) Twist on lid and place in fridge

Mangia! Mangia!

Pickled Radishes

1 bunch radishes

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp honey

1)Thinly slice radishes with mandoline, cuisinart or by hand if you're very talented. 

2) In pot add all other ingredients and bring to boil until honey dissolves

3)Place radishes in glass jar, pour liquid on top to cover

4) Twist on lid and place in fridge

Mangia! Mangia!

 

Pickled Onions

Three weeks in a row our farm box sent Pompeii Onions, think a small red(ish) onion growing with the green onion tops. I love a good onion but wasn't using them as fast as we were getting them. Truth be told I forgot we had them until the next week when I put them back in the fridge. Tuesday seeing I had 6 of these onions I decided to try my hand at pickling. Not knowing which would be our favorite I mixed it up a bit and tried different variations of vinegar.  Our favorite was the White Wine vinegar as well as ACV, I honestly wouldn't make the white vinegar one again. Also I did add the "green onion" part of the onion and one jar I even added cilantro (next time I'll use the whole bunch of cilantro)

Here's my super simple recipe:

Pickled Onions

2 medium size onions

4 cups boiling water

1/2 cup vinegar of your choice (White Wine, ACV, White, Rice, etc)

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp sugar (can sub honey)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp peppercorns

1.) Peel the onions and slice thinly, I used my Cuisinart.

2.) Add sliced onions to the boiling water and let sit for 5 minutes

3.) Drain onions

4.) Place onions in bell jars (or whatever you're going to keep them in)

5.) Place vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, 1/2 cup water and salt in a container that you can close and shake. 

6.) Pour liquid over onions completely to cover, place on lid and refrigerate.

*Mangia! Mangia!

 

Korean Chili

We recently bought a bag of Taekyung Red Pepper Powder to make Hot & Sour soup, it was a 1lb bag and had no idea what other uses for this powder. Well we found another use and it is so good and so versatile. So here it is.

Korean Chili

1/3 cup Taekyung red pepper powder

1/4 cup coconut aminos

4 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Sesame oil

1 clove garlic

Place all ingredients in saucepan and cook until warm. Serve on anything and everything!

Mangia! Mangia!