Hot out of the oven...from Pami

Maybe next time we'll get to see Pami's apron :-)...she write: No picture of the aprons my girlfriend & I donned (forgot), but here's our finale after a few hours of baking today!

The gingerbread cookies turned out really good - dark molasses might be the magic. Didn't get to the Lime Meltaways, may do those later.

Other ones are molasses sugar cookes, my Tita's biscotti (with anise and yellow raisins) recipe, and no-bake cookies. Tomorrow I'll gift package them for neighbors!

Thanks again for the recipes :) Pami

My response? Yum.....

Hot out of the oven...from Pami

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/12/hot-out-of-ovenfrom-pami.html

Real Simple - Gingerbread Men

Now, who doesn't make Gingerbread Men during the Holiday? Got to do it. Real Simple has a good looking recipe!

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Men
5 to 5/12 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium until smooth. Add the molasses and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla.
Stir in the flour mixture 1 cup at a time, blending until smooth.
The dough should gather into a semifirm mass. (If it's not firm, add another ¼ to ½ cup flour, but not enough to make it crumbly.)
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Divide in half.
Flatten into disks and wrap in plastic.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 week. Preheat oven to 350° F.

On a floured surface, roll each disk to 1/8 inch thick.
Use gingerbread-man cutters to make shapes.
Transfer them to a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Decorate, if desired.
Bake until firm to the touch, about 12 minutes.
Cool slightly before transferring to a rack
Yield: Makes 3 dozen medium gingerbread men

NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 164(29% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 3g); PROTEIN 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 19mg; CALCIUM 32mg; SODIUM 92mg; FIBER 1g; CARBOHYDRATE 27g; IRON 2mg

Real Simple - Gingerbread Men

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/11/real-simple-gingerbread-men.html

My "Deal" With Tom

I always love to share my "deal."

Today, I bought Tom. OK, I don't love Tom's price - but what I do love is the fact that he's not soy fed, is free range and fresh.

I did find the BEST Phoenix Valley price I could find for what I was looking for - organic - free range, fresh and non soy fed turkey. A whopping $1.27 a pound.

Why you ask? As I've aged and researched the realities of the "food" I'd always cooked and what it was doing in me, my husband and my family - I cringed.

All the years of eating boxes and chemicals (sorry, I know those are strong statements) have taken a toll on me physically. The food coloring, the msg, the hydrogenated oils, the pesticides, the soy fed stuff, etc. eventually catch up with us. Our bodies really don't know what to do with that stuff.

Today, it's a passion to somehow communicate to home builders - to evaluate what you're feeding your family. Please, evaluate. Read the labels. Ask older moms what they think. Ask them what they've learned. It's my thinking that if all you can afford is organic beans and rice then great - make beans and rice, but learn to be creative in the process.

One of the studies I'd done was on soy. We do tend to be an estrogen dominate culture. If you want to know what I think.....read here. . .

A BIG Thanks to Money Saving Mom, Crystal Paine, for extending the invitations and education that she does. Her mom's gotta be proud!

My "Deal" With Tom

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/11/i-always-love-to-share-my-deal.html

Cookin' a Little Basque

As many of you know our daughter, Jenni is in Basque Country. She's a wonderful cook! Here's something you might like to try - Tortilla de Patata (potato omlette)

Cookin' a Little Basque

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/11/cookin-little-basque.html

Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Besides Turkey, this will be on our Thanksgiving Day Table. The recipe comes from the Westin Price Foundation site.

Holiday Cranberry Sauce
This cranberry sauce makes a wonderful condiment for meat at Thanksgiving or Christmas. For a real treat, use any leftover sauce as a topping on apple pie.

1 -12 oz. bag cranberries1 cup water1/2 cup granulated maple sugar or Rapadura1 orange, zested, peeled and finely choppedzest of one orange2 medium apples, peeled and chopped1/2 tsp. ground cloves1/4 tsp. cinnamon1/8 tsp. allspice1/8 tsp. ginger1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Place cranberries, water and granulated maple sugar or Rapadura in a large pan and bring to a boil. When the sugar has dissolved and most of the berries have popped, reduce the heat and add the chopped orange, zest and apples. When the apples are almost cooked, add the spices and walnuts. Simmer until apples are just soft. Chill and serve cold.

Holiday Cranberry Sauce

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/11/holiday-cranberry-sauce.html