Lessons From the Bottom of a Coffee Cup: baking

Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Baking Day With Mama May Makes a Comeback and Ginger Molasses Cookies

I'm so thankful for my friend, Stephanie.

She has been my kindred spirit, confidant and best friend for many years now.

We laugh, we cry, we embrace multiple personalities.

She's a fantastic mama, wife, nurse and hospitality guru.

Her home is always open

and her heart is always so full of things to share.

She's gifted in multiple ways and finds ways to exercise those talents.

It's been awhile since we've done a

"Baking Day with Mama May"

event in our middle school ministry.

But, Josh and I were both soooo excited when she felt it was time to bring those special times back!

This November was the kick off.

On the menu:

Ginger Molasses Cookies with Icing

I've included the recipe below.

Four wonderful ladies joined us for this baking day and it was perfect!

All went home with a huge plate of cookies they made.

Thanks Steph for opening up your home to us!!

I enjoyed the cookies (I was a taste tester!) so much that I have made them twice since then, once for Josh's life group and once for Thanksgiving.

Ginger Molasses Cookies with Icing

1 1/2 c. shortening

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. molasses

2 eggs

4 tsp. baking soda

4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 Tablespoon milk

Icing

1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons milk

For the cookies, start by creaming together the shortening and sugar. I used a mixer which was faster than doing it by hand. Then add in the molasses, milk and eggs. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add them to the wet ingredients. Once the dough is well mixed, roll them into small balls. You can also make them bigger, just adjust the cooking time. Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 7-9 minutes. If you want them a bit chewy, go for the shorter time. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Whisk the icing together until all of the clumps are out. Dip the top of the cookies in the icing, add sprinkles, if desired, before the icing dries. Let them sit on a cooling rack until completely dry. Store in an air tight container or distribute to friends and family!

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Homemade Oatmeal Bread

The thunder and lightening have just collided outside and the rain is absolutely down pouring!!

This sort of weather makes me feel the most productive inside on a cozy day.

Addy is taking her nap, I'm home from work, Cocoa is barking because he doesn't know what to make of the war zone happening outside. My menu planning is done for the next two weeks and doesn't require me going to store more than probably one more time for some small perishable items. Praise the LORD!!

My peppermint bark candle is lit and I'm baking homemade bread.

Good day.

Blessed day.

Did I mention I'm listening to Christmas music?!

Yeah, well last night I needed to regain some sanity after a super rough night with Addy (read terrific two's were reeking havoc). The sort of night that moved a friend to stop by just to give me a hug and let me cry on her shoulder. Yeah, one of those mommy nights.

So...Christmas music and creating a playlist of about 1500 songs in a Christmas playlist was most definitely necessary last night.

But that was last night. And now, the time was well spent as I'm all cozy inside.

As Miss Stacy told Anne, "Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it...yet."

So, here's the recipe for the Oatmeal Bread. I've tweaked it a bit over the years of making it. And I want to make it more often, buying less bread from the store. Less horrible ingredients that I can't pronounce. This recipe only has six ingredients, plus water!

And it makes one loaf.

(Ahhhhhh Mahalia Jackson just came on the playlist!!!

Ohhh the memories of Christmas' growing up! )

Oatmeal Bread

1 c. boiling water

1. old-fashioned oats

1 package (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast

1/3 c. warm water

1/4 c. honey

1 T. butter (melted)

1 t. salt

2-3 c. white-wheat flour (you can use all-purpose too)

Melted butter

Additional oats

Combine the oats and boiling water in a glass bowl.

Dissolve the yeast and warm water in a small bowl.

Add the yeast and honey, butter, salt and 2 cups of flour to the bowl. Mix. Add enough flour to form a soft dough. I usually use about 2 cups total.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured mat till smooth, about 5 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn once to coat the top. I preheat my oven to 350 degrees, cover it with a dish towel and let it rise for about an hour or more or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, check on barking beagle who remains put out by the thunder and lightening and
torrential down pour outside.

Skip this step if you don't have a barking hound dog.

Once the dough has risen, punch down in the bowl and remove.

Shape the dough into a loaf shape.

Place in a greased loaf pan.

Brush melted butter over the top of the loaf and sprinkle with oats.

Pre-baked amazingness...

Next, when sleeping toddler awakes, provide a project to occupy the time while the bread bakes in a 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes, or until lightly browned.

This project was a birthday present from her Great Uncle and Auntie and cousins. She LOVED it! And hasn't stopped playing with the finished bag, carrying her babies around.

Showing off her finished project.

After bread has baked, sit and stare at it while it cools.

Smell it.

Breathe it in.

The whole house smells amazing...

Nothing like it.

Fresh.
Homemade.
Bread
No added nothing.

I like that.