Good ol' White Bread

I have kind of amazed myself.  I am off to a good start with one of my New Year's goals.  I baked my own bread!  To be honest, I don't know what has kept me from baking bread.  It wasn't nearly as difficult as I had thought.  Plus, it's so amazingly delicious, warm from the oven with butter or jelly.  Seriously, it's like candy.  I started out with a simple white bread.  I figure it's good to master the classics first and then venture into something more complex and fancy. 
I'd be lying if I didn't say that I feel like I'm cheating when I eat white bread.  I know all the health benefits to 100% whole wheat bread and I grew up pretty much only eating wheat, but there's something amazing about white bread.  First of all, I love the taste, it has a more pure and decadent flavor than whole wheat.  And, in my opinion, it is the only bread to use for a grilled cheese or a blt.  Plus, it's such a treat!

I saw this recipe on the Brown Eyed Baker blog, so I'll send you there for the recipe (it's the right food blogger thing to do).  American Sandwhich Bread.

A little note about yeast:  I know that yeast can seem intimidating, but it's really not as picky or complicated as it may seem. I like Michael Rulman's take on yeast, it took my fear out of using it.  Here are my tips.  You want to make sure you have fresh yeast and that the water/milk that you use is warm, about body temperature or a bit warmer.  So, if you feel the water with your wrist, it shouldn't feel hot, just warm, almost like you can't tell the difference between your body temperature and the water temperature.
Once the yeast is mixed with the warm water, it will start to 'bloom' or get foamy.  That's how you know the yeast is still active and it will do it's job.  (a little sugar or honey will also aid in the 'blooming' of the yeast)

A little note about kneading:  If you don't have a stand mixer, you can totally hand knead this dough.  It will take about 7-10 minutes of solid kneading, but you want to make sure the dough is smooth and elastic or the texture will be too dense and it won't rise properly.   This video is an amazing tutorial on how to knead bread.

And now it's time for...a little Christmas quiz.

I saw this quiz on a few random blogs and thought, ahh why not?!  So here goes...

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Probably neither...Chai is where it's at.
2. Wrap presents or leave them alone? Most definitely wrap.
 3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.
5. When do you put your decorations up? As soon after Thanksgiving as I can.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? My 91 year old Grandma's Candied Yams...or her Sugar cookie cut outs.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Being at my Grandma's house.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember exactly, I feel like it just happened gradually.  I was not shocked, scarred, or imbittered by it.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We always open gifts on Christmas Eve with my dad's family.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Multi-colored lights with new and old ornaments.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Both.  I like the snow right away, but living in Minnesota, the snow that falls in December will still be on the ground in March.  It doesn't get warm enough to melt here! 
12. Can you ice skate? ha! That's a big fat no!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Gosh, maybe the stereo I got when I was 16.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with family.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Nantucket Cranberry Pie.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Making lots of cookies.
17. What tops your tree? An angel.
18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? Both.
19. Candy canes: yuck or yummy? Yuck.  I get canker sores anytime I eat hard candy.  :(
20. Favorite Christmas show? Tied between National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Love Actually. 
21. Saddest Christmas song? Ave Maria.
22. What is your favorite Christmas song? Sacred: O Come, O Come Emmanuel.  Secular: (It must have been Ol') Santa Claus by Harry Connick Jr.

Merry Christmas All!!!

Chewy Molasses Christmas Cookies

You know what I just got?  An early Christmas/late birthday gift. It's this beauty.  I've wanted a stand mixer for a very long time and I finally got it.  (insert Hallelujah chorus).  Thank heavens for Cyber Monday. 
Well, the first thing I decided to make with this beloved machine was my Grandma Bea's (my middle name is after her) Chewy Molasses Christmas cookies.  This recipe is particularly special to me because it is written in her handwriting on a 3x5 card and the recipe card is stained, with molasses no doubt.  I LOVE that it's stained.  It makes me feel like she's with me in the kitchen. 

I must say that these cookies live up to their name, chewy.  These were just as chewy and flavorful on day 4 as they were the day I baked them.  The flavor of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon is heavenly and in perfect harmony with the rest of the cookie.  Oh and the glaze...the glaze, the glaze the glaze. It's truly amazing. Now, I know that it calls for heavy cream. And, I know that cream can be a bad word, but I implore you to use it.  It makes an incredibly rich glaze that perfectly accompanies these cookies.
You know what else, these would be perfect cookies to set out for Santa. 

Grandma Bea's Chewy Molasses Christmas Cookies
yield: about 4 dozen 2 inch cookies

Cookies
2 cups sugar
1 cup molasses
1 cup shortening
2 eggs

2 tsp. baking soda
4 cups flour
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4-6 Tblsp. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the first 4 ingredients by hand or with a mixer on low speed.  Add the remaining 5 ingredients and mix until well combined.  Roll into balls the size of a walnut.  Bake at 350 degrees until they puff up and have firm bottoms.  About 7-9 minutes.  The cookies will look not quite done.  In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cream.  Mix thoroughly. Glaze cookies, while they are still warm.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!