Skeleton Gingerbread Men

Halloween will soon be here and why not make these skeleton gingerbread men. It was my first time using this spooky cookie cutter. All was not frightful however delicious as they disappeared into thin air… 

                         

First you want to find yourself this cookie cutter. It is made out of plastic and has a dual purpose. One side to cut the body shape out and the other side to imprint the skeleton body onto the cookie. 

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Then you need a gingerbread recipe. The first recipe I made did not turn out at all. Fortunately having many cookbooks provides many recipes… I moved on to this one.

Gingerbread Men

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1/2 cup butter                                           

1/2 cup sugar                                   

1/2 cup dark molasses                                      

1/4 cup water 

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice                                                                 

                                                                

                                                                

Cream butter and sugar. Blend in molasses, water, flour, salt, soda, ginger, nutmeg and all spice. Cover; chill for 2 to 3 hours. 

Heat oven to 375º. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut with cookie cutter; place on a ungreased baking tray. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately remove from baking tray. Cool. Trim with icing. 

  

Notes:

First I blended all the dry ingredients together. Then added them to the wet ingredients. 

I used freshly ground nutmeg and the British spice called ground mixed spice.

Being busy meant the dough had to stay in the refrigerator for a couple of days before I could get to it. It was well chilled so I had to let it warm up a bit before rolling, by removing it from the stainless steel bowl and on to a floured surface.  

I rolled the dough out onto a floured surface with no cloth. When using this skeleton cookie cutter press firmly with the skeleton side of the cookie cutter the indentation has to make a groove to hold the icing.

You can make your own royal icing or icing to decorate. However I bought pre made ones from a baking supply shop. It saved me time.  

I found that the cookies I made were baked within 8 minutes. Ovens may vary so tweaking times may be needed. 

                                      

                                                     AND...

                                                            

                                                        

Copper Roasting Pan

Keeping up with my magpie status this was a recent find or more to the point a purchase. After looking online and being quite discouraged at the cost of copper cookware, finding this one at Winners meant the heavens had opened wide, very wide that day and granted me a wish... semi affordable copper cookware! To christen this I made the most hearty lasagne. I found the cooking and heat was even. And it cleaned up very nicely like a whistle. Have a great weekend everyone! - JW     

Eco Pan Clean Up!

Remember I spoke about this pan. You can find my post about this pan in the Labels section under cookware and bakeware. Still luv the pan and use it just about everyday. However... 

Over time a large blacken circle began to appear. Regardless the pan still worked like a charm. If anything the massive darken spot became annoying. Many months ago when I bought the pan I did read the care instructions. Since then and in all my excited glory I have forgotten one specific one... how to clean the pan if it gets to this point. It wasn't until we were browsing the aisle at Winners, where I bought the pan from, and spotted more of those very pans. I diligently picked one up and re-read the care instructions again. Baking soda! Baking soda, water and a non abrasive scrubby. Immediately after returning home we got straight to work and tried sorting out that pan. It was a daunting task and with many tries. By many I mean about up to 10 times, doing little bits here and there after we had used the pan. Determination and elbow grease go along way...

The blacken spot gone! The pan looks almost brand new. The bottom refreshed. All is smooth and clean. - JW  

The Cheese Room

Most kitchens I visited in England had this book tucked in their cookbook collection. Not surprising considering England is the land, the region of many, many cheeses. Only the English can have a 200 year old ceremony called Cheese Rolling. Where participants chase a large round of Double Gloucester down a hill... off a cliff only to be met by paramedics at the end. All for the luv of cheese. I have a passion for cheese however I would not go running after it. Patricia Michelson, the author of this book, has a passion for cheese and she turned that into a North London shop called La Fromagerie.

If you luv cheese than this book is for you! I was browsing the shelves at an Oxfam charity shop in Highgate that is where I had purchased it. Obviously the previous owner didn't have a passion for cheese.

The Cheese Room celebrates cheese in a different way. Patricia Michelson shows one how easy it is to make fresh and wonderful cheese at home, create amazing fondues and fabulous cheeseboards. She has travelled the globe in search of the most tastiest cheeses. France, Italy, Spain and America. There are plenty of cheese related recipes. She offers tips on storing cheese. Tips on ordering cheese in a restaurant. Which cheeses to serve during the four seasons. This book is fun, relaxed and passionate. One can really gather that she enjoys what she does. The photography is in two sections about 8 pages each of glorious cheese. 

Here is her answer to fast food. "At the end of the day as I stroll home across Highbury Fields I may see a pizza delivery scooter roar past me at full throttle, try to reach it's destination by the allotted time. I can't help thinking that when I get home I'll simply slice two thin pieces of sourdough bread, toast them lightly, brush over a fruity white wine, lay slivers of Gruyere on top of one slice and crumble a goat's cheese over the other. Then I'll grill them until they are golden and melting. Just eight minutes from start to finish. Fast food - my way." I will definitely have to try this the next time I want something quick.  

For more information and the luv of cheese regarding La Fromagerie click *HERE*    

Enjoy! - JW 

My Week in Food

We started off the long weekend with scrambled eggs. Slices of sausages, green peppers, green onion and dashes of cumin and paprika made this a hearty breakfast. A savoury way to start the day. 

Pumpkin Pie. Next to rice pudding and bread pudding this is so comforting and smooth. This is my son's favourite therefore no holiday would be complete without it. 

Hummus with Pita. Snacking and munching. Hummus is a favourite of mine. There are so many things you can add and have with hummus, that is why it is so appealing. Just blitz some chickpeas, tahini paste, crushed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a bit of water to make it all spreadable.  

I rarely and I mean rarely cook steak let alone red meat for that matter. And to be perfectly honest I wasn't quite sure on how to prepare and cook it. After much thought I decided to marinate it overnight in the following: ginger syrup, crushed garlic, honey, cumin, pepper and a pinch of salt. There were sweet hints of spiciness. Paired with Fortnum and Mason's Highgrove Spiced Fruit Chutney. Letting the contrasting flavours play with one another. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JW  

A Year of Victorian Puddings

I bought this cookbook for fun. Also on the back cover there was the mention of the classic Bakewell Pudding and Apple Charlotte which captured my eyes... and intrigued my stomach. This is a charming little book, only a 186 pages, this copy is a reproduction of the original from 1862. Still it is comprehensive and gives one a glimpse into the life of the Victorian Pudding. With current shows such as Downtown Abbey I can see this book having a bit of a revival. However, for me I enjoy adding all sorts of cookbooks to my collection regardless of how popular a TV show may be. 

The recipes are organised by month and consists of cheesecakes, pies, pancakes, tarts, fools, fritters, omelettes, custards and of course steamed puddings. The recipes are traditional English and seasonal for every day and month of the year. The author adds her no-nonsense advice as well as her musings on ingredients and their appropriateness. Fun as this cookbook may be, the other reason I bought this book is because it offers a bit of ease when planning a dessert. Look up the month, pick a dessert, prepare, bake and then serve. A pudding that is most appropriate and suitable for the weather outside.        

Georgiana 'Browning' Hill was an acclaimed cookbook author of the late 1800's. Her  three infamous cookery books are The Gourmet's Guide to Rabbit Cooking published in 1859, The Breakfast Book and How to Cook Apples were both published in 1865. Her early cookbooks were geared more towards the middle class and offered simple recipes. Whereas later on her cookbooks became more adventurous with recipes from Spain and France. 

Fun, no-nonsense and great little cookbook. - JW 

200 Fast & Easy Artisan Breads ~ No-Knead, One Bowl

Still on my quest for making bread I was given this cookbook. No Kneading and one Bowl sounds excellent to me! At 317 pages there was bound to be a bread I could make with much ease. I set my sights on the Oatmeal Honey Bread. Despite the tedious step by step instructions it was easy. The only thing about this recipe and others in this book was that after you made the dough the recipe seemed to stop. Now I am used to full instructions dished out and continuing on. However the Oatmeal Honey Dough recipe was on page 65 and the how to prepare and bake was on page 85. There was no reference to having to turning to page 85 once you had finished preparing the dough. One has to flip through 10 to 20 pages to find the baking instructions. Why? 

The only conclusion I can come up with, in this informative book, is that it is due to the book being done in three parts. Part 1: Let's Get Started, Part 2: Now You're Baking and Part 3: Master Baking. It is a pretty loose conclusion. Not all the recipes are drawn up like this. Some have flow and continuity. The recipes are not just bread, there are: Bagels,  Baguettes, Brioche, Boule, Cinnamon Rolls, Fougasse, gluten-Free Breads and Rolls, Naan, and Tea Rings. All sounding very delicious. And the bold colour photography sections in each part make your eyes and stomach appear larger.   

That is the Oatmeal Honey Bread I made. The method used... loaf tins. In the book the majority of the breads are to be made using a baking stone with a pan of water underneath. The loaf tins make it easier to slice and toast. I had a piece or two this morning with my dippy eggs and it was quite lovely. 

Oatmeal Honey Dough

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4 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups large-flake (old fashion) rolled oats

2 tablespoons instant or bread machine yeast

1 1/2 tablespoon fine table salt

1/3 cup wildflower, clover or other pale amber liquid honey

3 cups lukewarm water (about 100ºF/38ºC) 


1. MEASURE. One at a time, spoon the flour and oats into a measuring cup, level with a knife or your finger, then dump into the mixing bowl. Combine well. 

2. MIX. Add the yeast and salt to the flour mixture. Stir together with a wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk. Stir honey into the water. Pour into the flour mixture and stir together until just moistened. Beat 40 strokes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until the dough forms a lumpy, sticky mass.

3. RISE. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature (72ºF/22ºC) in a draft-free place for 2 hours or until the dough has risen nearly to the top of the bowl and has a sponge-like appearance .

4. USE RIGHT AWAY OR REFRIGERATE. Use that day or place the dough, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking. 

...Turning to page 85 to continue the recipe...


1. FORM. Place the dough on a floured surface and dust very lightly with flour. Divide it in half with a serrated knife and dough scrapper. Flour your hands. Working the dough as little as possible and adding flour as necessary, form each portion into an 8 inch (20cm) cylinder.Smooth the dough with your hands to form a soft, non-sticky skin. Pinch any seams together. Lightly flour any sticky places on the dough. The dough should feel soft and smooth all over, like a baby's skin, but not all sticky.

2. REST. Place each cylinder in a prepared loaf pan. Cover with tea towels and let rest at room temperature for 40 minutes. 

3. PREPARE OVEN FOR ARTISAN BAKING. About 30 minutes before baking place a broiler pan on the lower shelf and the baking stone on the middle shelf of the oven. Preheat to 400ºF (200ºC).

4. PLACE LOAF PANS ON BAKING STONE AND ADD WATER TO BROILER PAN. Using an oven mitt , carefully pull the middle rack of the oven out several inches. Place the loaf pans at least 3 inches (7.5cm) apart on the hot stone. Push the middle rack back in place. Pull the lower rack out, pour the hot water, about 2 cups or 500ml of hot water, into the broiler pan and push the lower rack back into place. Close the oven door immediately so the steam will envelop the oven.

5. BAKE. Bake for 27 - 30 minutes or until the crust is a medium dark brown and an instant thermometer inserted in the centre of the loafs registers at least 190ºF (90ºC). Transfer to a wire rack to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool on rack. 

* Note I did not have a baking stone however I placed the loaf tins in the oven on the middle rack and omitted the water in the broiler pan bit. The bread as you can see from the picture above turned out fine and was done in 30 minutes. - JW 

Leftovers #7 - Roasted Potato and Chickpea Salad

I made this quick and simple salad by putting to use the leftover roasted potatoes we had the other night and about 1/3 cup of chickpeas that were leftover from those yummy Chickpea and Chocolate Chip cookies. 

I first chopped the the celery and green onions and placed them in a bowl. I then added the chickpeas. I diced, without any rhyme or reason, the potatoes and added them to the bowl. Tossing gently and adding about 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and a 1/4 cup of greek yoghurt. Then came a couple of pinches of pepper. A 1/4 teaspoon of cumin and 1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder. You can always adjust the cumin and curry spices to your liking. I luv the taste and aroma of curry therefore I could not resist adding a bit more. Stir gently to coat. Let it mellow for about an hour, or longer if possible, in the refrigerator so all the flavours can come together. Then serve. 

I washed and cut the top of of a red pepper. Cleaned out the inside and placed the potato salad in the hollowed out pepper. There is a little bit left for today's lunch and I am sure the curry flavour has intensified.  - JW  

Chickpea Cookies

This looks like any chocolate chip cookie however there is no flour, no oil, and no white sugar. They are grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. The recipe has been floating around Facebook and I was very eager to try them. Thank you, Christie! 

For the recipe click *HERE*  

They are made with natural peanut butter although I made mine with almond butter. I do not have a food processor so I had to make due with a blender. Also I did not roll them into a ball as suggested instead I spooned them out onto the parchment paper lined cookie tray. I left them to bake in the oven a few minutes longer than the suggested 10 minutes. They are very delicious! 

At first, my kidlets were not too pleased to find that one of the ingredients were chickpeas. However once they were in the oven baking and the chocolate vanilla baked goodness starting wafting, they were all curious. And had to devour one mere seconds after leaving the piping hot cookie tray.  

Have a good weekend everyone! -JW 

Slow Cooker Curry Sausages

Last night I whipped this comforting dish up in the slow cooker. First you want to chop and place all the veggies (onion, carrots, broccoli, peppers, peas, corn, string beans) in the bottom of the slow cooker. Then add 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken or vegetable stock. Slice up the garlic beef and turkey sausages and place on top of the vegetables. Add a large can of diced tomatoes. Add about 3 tablespoons of curry paste. Give it a gentle stir. Set the slow cooker on high for about 4 hours. When the slow cooker has 1 hour remaining... take a large can of lentils and drain the excess liquid off. Add the drained lentils to the slow cooker. Give it another gentle stir. At this point I add some perogies, at my kidlets request. They like adding perogies to butter chicken and curries. When done serve over saffron rice. It was very delicious and had a lovely curry flavour.  

My son lent a hand in the kitchen and decided to grid some pepper using the mortar and pestle. He was quite pleased with his efforts until a pepper dust particle went into his eye. That did not deter his sister from getting in on the act. She then had to grind some pepper as well. Needless to say their efforts were greatly appreciated and now we have a nice bowl of ground pepper. - JW 

Low - Salt Cookbook

This is the only low salt cookbook I own. And since I purchased it for a mere $5 now you know why. Having a variety of cookbooks can have it's advantages however is it really necessary? For people who are watching their sodium levels, like myself, I usually just end up adapting a low salt/no salt attitude with the cookbooks I already own. Normally not stocked or flying off the shelves makes low salt cookbooks hit and miss. That is probably why I felt a bit compelled to purchase it.  

Every recipe has less than 350 milligrams of sodium. The coil spine makes it easy for the book to lay flat so following and recreating a recipe is easy. The six chapters start with breakfast and end with snacks. While everything from soup, salad, main dishes and desserts is thrown in-between. There are only 143 pages to this cookbook and no introduction. One can gather that they feel if you are purchasing this cookbook then you yourself would know why. Gluten-free, sugar free, dairy free cookbooks have an introduction explaining the why's and the idea behind such a book. Maybe low salt is more self explanatory and less complicated. Low salt doesn't have to mean, no flavour which I feel this cookbook is trying to convey.   

I tried their recipe Banana Bran Bread. Which was tasty and offered a bit more fibre. However the recipe called for 2 tablespoons of sugar substitute. Which I did not have so I just omitted that ingredient. Cooking and baking low sodium is fairly easy. For me it's just a matter of if it comes down to a science... like making bread all the ingredients are present for a specific reason. Therefore I would not omit the teaspoon and a half of salt. However I would be more willing to take my chances when whipping up a batch of cookies and omit the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. 

Lowering ones salt intake has health benefits just like lowering ones sugar and fat intake.  It is good to be conscious of all the things that our bodies can harbour. - JW