Ginger COWs

Today I wanted sweets. Not just any sweets; I wanted spicy sweets. What better way to meet the need than with ginger? Ginger makes for some of the best spicy sweet treats around! But my sweet tooth was more specific than that. I wanted cookies! The only trouble is, it's really hard to make cookies without butter. My pantry was lacking but my creativity was not! After rummaging around, I found a jar of coconut oil. Perfect! Coconut oil makes a delicious butter substitute in baking, offering a subtle coconut flavor that I adore. I also had a jar of molasses that desperately needed to be used up, a knot of fresh ginger sitting in the crisper, and on the counter I had an orange leftover from snack time with the kids. Coconut, ginger, orange, molasses?...Yup! Sounded like a good cocktail of flavors to me! Since we've also switched over to eating completely GMO free in our household, I have been doing more baking with GMO free wheat flour as well. So into the mix it went!

You guys...seriously. These cookies are AMAZING! I am quite proud of them. So much so that I am actually writing up this blog right after I took them out of the oven. And you all know how often I blog. Not often at all. Now you know how special these cookies are. Make them! Consume them! Love them!

Why do I call them "ginger COWs"? If you haven't figured it out, it's an acronym: Ginger C-coconut O-orange W-wheat cookies. Why didn't I add molasses into the title too? Because ginger COWs sounds funnier, plus "molasses ginger coconut orange wheat cookies" is a mouthful. Instead of a mouth full of words, enjoy a mouth full of cookie instead.

Ginger COWs

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil (at room temp)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup finely grated fresh ginger
the zest of 1 large orange
1 large egg
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses

Whisk together all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat coconut oil and sugar on medium-high until fluffy. Beat in fresh ginger, orange zest, egg, and molasses. Beat in flour mixture.

Scoop dough into 1 1/2 inch balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place balls 2 inches apart on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until centers are just set, 15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Makes two dozen cookies.

Spicy Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts. Bleh! As a kid I grew up thinking brussel sprouts were nasty baby cabbages that were grown for the soul purpose of torturing little children at dinner time. Now, my mother is a fantastic home cook. But that being said, for my entire childhood, the only way she would prepare brussel sprouts was by boiling the life out of them. As I sat there looking at their steaming, pale green, lifeless little bodies, I knew that I would NEVER eat brussel sprouts once I grew up.

I was dead set on it, determined to never purchase and consume the dreaded vegetable for as long as I lived. For years I successfully avoided them. That is, until my husband and I had some friends over for dinner and, as a side dish, they brought brussel sprouts. There I was, faced with a stomach churning obligation to eat the little green balls of death once again.

Waiting and watching to see if they were going to bring out the double broiler of doom, I was surprised to see them preheat the oven and bring out an array of spices. Curious, I watched as the two of them worked together; one sliced the sprouts while the other tossed them in a bath of oil and spices that caused me to salivate. 

Brussel sprouts tasting good?...No stupid taste buds! It's a trick! Don't fall for it!

Onto a pan and into the oven they went. And when the brussel sprouts emerged from the warm glowing oven, they dazzled me with their crispy new coats and mouth watering aroma. My friends served them up warm on a plate and, for once in my life, I actually wanted to eat brussel sprouts. As I took a bite I couldn't believe my tongue. They were good...REALLY good! An explosion of heat, flavor, and crunchy texture erased any remaining thought of bland squishy cabbage babies. For the first time in my life I realized: I like brussel sprouts!

**A special side note**

So often vegetables are steamed to death, removing any color and flavor they once had. There are so many other options to help preserve and honor the vegetables and their beautiful flavors. Please help join me in saving the vegetables. Just say NO to steaming.

Spicy Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

brussel sprouts (either a bundle, a whole stalk, however you wish to buy them. I usually do roughly 2-3 cups worth)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

a pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the brussel sprouts in half.

Toss brussel sprouts in a bowl with olive oil and spices. Arrange brussel sprouts on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping the sprouts half way through. I like mine pretty crispy, but adjust the cooking time to your own desire.

Apple Pie

For someone who loves sweets and has been baking for years, I have sucked at making pies. No seriously! Other than pumpkin pie and lemon meringue pie (which took me a long time to master), most of my pies ended up having a lackluster crust and would basically turn into pie soup as soon as I would cut into it. Although the flavor may have been there, the pies I made just didn't hold up to any others....well...they didn't hold up at all. They were just sweet piles of goop.

But this recipe...this beautiful apple pie recipe....it is by far the BEST apple pie recipe I have ever had the pleasure of using! Trust me when I say, I have served my fair share of sad apple pies in the past. But this recipe has redeemed my apple pie baking credibility. This never-fail recipe has time and time again produced gorgeous golden apple pies, complete with a sweet crunchy crust on top, and a warm gooey filling that is to die for. If you serve this apple pie at any future event, I promise you, you will not be going home with any leftovers!

So because I love you guys, I shall pass on this magic apple pie recipe that has even made me look like I know what I am doing in the pie department. Enjoy!

Apple Pie

Ingredients:

1 recipe for a 9 inch double crust pie

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

Place the bottom crust in your pie pan. Fill with apples, mounding slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so it does not run off.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue to bake for 35-45 minutes, until apples are soft and crust is golden.

Serve warm.