Where I do my thing.....

My new baby... I LURV her.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY 14 - Procrastination and ladies accessories.

Building a Gingerbread house... a tradition. 2 MORE SLEEPS!!!

Every year for as long as I can remember... my brothers and I have built a gingerbread house. The last couple of years we've been able to share the tradition with Bad Robot.... he loves it of course.

BAH! HAHA! HAHAHA!!!

The men... brother, son, brother.

Do do do do (jeopardy count down theme music) 7 MORE SLEEPS!!!

Last night, Buzz Lightyear and I baked Ginger Molasses Cookies. Holy crap they're good!

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 1 extra-large egg

• 1/4 cup regular unsulphured molasses

• Granulated sugar (for coating cookie dough before baking)

Method

1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in center. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

2 Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger into a medium bowl. Set aside.

3 Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Lower to medium speed, beat in the egg and molasses, the increase speed to high and beat about 1 minute longer, until mixture no longer looks curdled.

4 Mix in the flour mixture on low speed. The batter will be rather stiff. Place some granulated sugar on a plate, and using an ice cream scoop or measuring cup form 1/4-cup portions of dough. Transfer dough to your hands and roll each portion into a rough ball, then roll each ball into the sugar. Place six sugared balls on each baking sheet, spacing them evenly, because they will spread during baking.

5 Dampen your fingers with water and press down lightly on each cookie to flatten it a little and dampen the top. Refrigerate one filled baking sheet while the other bakes.

6 Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and are firm to the touch. Allow to cool and then eat.

• 2 1/4 cups flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 1 extra-large egg

• 1/4 cup regular unsulphured molasses

• Granulated sugar (for coating cookie dough before baking)

Buzz Lightyear ---> SUPER BAKER

It wouldn't be baking without a taste test... Mmmm... brown sugar.

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in center. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

2. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger into a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Lower to medium speed, beat in the egg and molasses, the increase speed to high and beat about 1 minute longer, until mixture no longer looks curdled.

4. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed. The batter will be rather stiff. Place some granulated sugar on a plate, and using an ice cream scoop or measuring cup form 1/4-cup portions of dough. Transfer dough to your hands and roll each portion into a rough ball, then roll each ball into the sugar. Place six sugared balls on each baking sheet, spacing them evenly, because they will spread during baking.

5. Dampen your fingers with water and press down lightly on each cookie to flatten it a little and dampen the top. Refrigerate one filled baking sheet while the other bakes.

6. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and are firm to the touch. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Ready to go in the oven...

Oh Baby... where's the EGG NOG?!?

Let the count down begin! 9 more sleeps!!!

It's that time of year again... the time that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside... Christmas. I seriously can't stand the excitement. It's sickening really. Last week the Robot and I kicked off Christmas when we walked to where "Willy's Trees" is set up and picked out our tree. Then I (being the amazon woman that I am) carried it back to the house and set it up ALL BY MYSELF. The boy made things more difficult helped of course. We waited until Papa got home to decorate... I thought the boy was going to explode with anticipation!

before

after 

Of course there was snackage. Mozzarella/prosciutto/coriander roll (OMG SOOO GOOD!), pate, fruit, veggies and dip. And of course - virgin eye openers (gingerale, orange juice, and grenadine) - a holiday staple in our home...