I'll Be Back In A Snap

This may be my last post ever....on this site. Madaket Market is growing, moving and changing! I hesitated making the change during the most festive, crafty and food-centered season of the year, but there is no turning back now. Look on the bright side, 2011 will be a blank canvas for fresh cooking and homemaking inspiration. So in the meantime, while I continue to work behind the scenes, I encourage you to bake the gingersnaps below and master your favorite recipes. The new blog may have a place guest cooks and recipes!

On to the good stuff- Gingersnaps! All the credit goes to Colleen for bringing these into my life. She recently broke into my house and left a batch in the kitchen. 27 batches later, I couldn't help but share this divine recipe.

Side note- We had a false alarm this week with a happy ending. Gammy's original recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of baking SODA. Colleen accidentally has used baking POWDER. Turns out they are both fab! So Merry Christmas-

GINGERSNAPS A LA GAMMY

(the original recipe)

You will need:

3/4 cups shortening (Crisco)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger*

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Extra sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream shortening and sugar until mixed and fluffy.

Add eggs and molasses and mix well.

Add dry ingredients.

Mix LIGHTLY in the mixer or to be safe, mix together gently with a wooden spoon.

Roll spicy dough into balls.

Swirl around in a bowl full of sugar to coat well.

Place gingery balls on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes for chewy snaps and 12 minutes for drier/crunchy snaps.

Cream shortening and sugar until mixed and fluffy.

Add eggs and molasses. Mix well.

Add dry ingredients. Mix LIGHTLY in the mixer or to be safe, mix together gently with a wooden spoon.

Roll spicy dough into balls. Swirl dough balls around in a bowl full of sugar. Place dough on a cookie sheet.

For chewy snaps, bake 10 minutes and for drier/crunchy snaps bake 12 minutes.

*Try 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger instead of dried ground ginger if you have on hand!

Merry Christmas!

What I Am Thankful For (Part 2)...

...Nantucket and Nantucket Cranberry Pie. The name of this pie alone was the reason I added it to our Thanksgiving menu. I tested it last night to make sure it wasn't poisonous. Hopefully Tutu's Fluffy Pumpkin Pie doesn't get offended because this pie made the cut with flying colors.

NANTUCKET CRANBERRY PIE

You will need:

butter for greasing

2 cups (heaping) cranberries

3/4 cup pecans, measure then chop

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

2 whole eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 35o degrees.

Rinse enough cranberries to fill about half a pie pan.

Butter a glass pie pan.

Fill pie pan with cranberries, 2/3 cup sugar and pecans.

Mix together flour, sugar, melted butter, eggs, almond extract and salt.

Drizzle batter over cranberry mixture.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar for added crunch.

Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and dream of Nantucket.

It's easy as pie!

Veggie Pizza

Roasted red peppers, caramelized red onion, goat cheese and fresh basil made for a wonderful pizza last night. Someone (I won't name names) was originally upset that I didn't not include sausage on the pizza. Four slices later he exclaimed, "this vegetarian pizza is awesome". Although I think sausage would been a perfect meat addition to these flavors, the veggie only combination felt healthy and tasted perfect.

ROASTED RED PEPPER, CARAMELIZED ONION AND GOAT CHEESE PIZZA

You will need:

1 cup roasted red peppers

1 onion (red or sweet variety is best)

1 teaspoon sugar

8 ounce package goat cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

pizza dough (I like Publix)

basil

olive oil

coarse salt

Roll out the dough with a little flour into the shape you desire.

Smear a little olive oil on a sheet pan.

Place dough on pan.

Smear crust with a little olive oil.

Sprinkle crust will a little coarse salt.

Slice red onions into thin half moon shapes.

Heat a little oil in a saute pan.

Place onion slices in hot pan.

Sprinkle with a small bit of sugar.

Saute until soft and golden.

Top pizza with roasted red peppers, sweet onions, globs of goat cheese and a thin coating of shredded cheese.

Bake according to dough package directions.

Dress with chopped basil and enjoy!

What I am Thankful For...

...Tutu's Fluffy Pumpkin Pie. This recipe has been in my family for years and has graced our Thanksgiving table for as long as I can remember. It is amazing how many people don't like pumpkin pie. This FLUFFY pumpkin pie will change your mind. Its is fluffy, soft, no-bake and the most heavenly texture. I dream about this pie year round.

FLUFFY PUMPKIN PIE

You will need:

1 cup sugar, divided

3 egg yolks/3 egg whites

1-1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

9" pie shell, baked

Whipping cream

Cook 1/2 cup sugar and next 6 ingredients in a double broiler over hot water until thickened.

Dissolve gelatin in cold water.

Add gelatin to pumpkin mixture.

Chill pumpkin mixture.

Bake store bought pie shell according to package directions.

Beat egg whites until white and thick, adding 1/2 cup sugar gradually.

Fold sweetened egg whites into chilled pumpkin mixture.

Pour into baked pie shell.

Dollop with whipped cream.

Preparing the heavenly pumpkin mixture. Please note my make-shift double boiler (round pyrex bowl in a oval dutch oven). It was pretty wobbly!

Gelatin is weird but you can find it with the Jello.

Adding the lovely egg whites to the pumpkin mixture.

I sure am thankful for this pie!

Chicken Not Pie

Get out your stock pot and hold on to your wooden spoon. Kathy's Famous Chicken Soup is so delicious and comforting that my mom made it for our Christmas day meal several years in a row. It's like the filling of a chicken pot pie, only a little soupier. Make it for a sick friend, make it for guests, make it for a holiday meal, make it for yourself, just make it!

KATHY'S FAMOUS CHICKEN SOUP

You will need:

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup chopped celery, about 4 stalks

1 cup chopped carrots, about 4

1/2 cup chopped onion

Several (10ish) chicken bouillon or

"Better Than Bouillon"

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup flour

1 cup rice

1 small carton whipping cream, don't whip

*Rumor has it that English peas are also good to add.

Disclaimer- The measurements for the water and bullion are not precise. Don't get scared. Soup is hard to mess up. Start with less and add as much water and bullion as you need.

Place chicken in a stockpot with several teaspoons of "Better Than Bouillon" and 1/2 to 1 cup of water.

Stew for an hour or more on low until the chicken is cooked.

Meanwhile, chop the veggies.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pot (don't discard broth).

Shred with your fingers.

Add chicken back to broth along with onion, celery and carrots.

Add water to cover, about 10 cups.

Add more bouillon, several tablespoons.

Melt butter in a small saucepan (low heat not to brown).

Whisk in flour until thick.

Cook while whisking for a minute or so (to cook out some raw flour taste).

This is called roux.

Add roux to soup and simmer for an hour or more. The longer the better.

Add cup of rice towards the end of cooking.

Stir in whipping cream just before serving.

Tips-

Not thick enough? Melt more butter, add flour and throw in pot.

Want more rice? Add some more!

Too thick? Add more water

Needs more flavor? Add salt, pepper and more bouillon

I ended up adding more roux, rice, water and bullion to this batch. And it was GOOD!

Place chicken in a stockpot with several teaspoons of "Better Than Bullion" and 1/2 to 1 cup of water. Stew for an hour or more on low until the chicken is cooked.

Meanwhile, chop the veggies.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pot (don't discard broth). Shred with your fingers. Add chicken back to broth along with onion, celery and carrots.

Add water to cover, about 10 cups. Add more bouillon, several tablespoons.

Melt butter in a small saucepan (low heat not to brown). Whisk in flour until thick. Cook while whisking for a minute or so (to cook out some raw flour taste). This is called roux.

Add roux to soup and simmer for an hour or more. The longer the better! Add cup of rice towards the end of cooking. Stir in whipping cream just before serving.

Thank you for this yummy recipe Kathy!