Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Gingerbread Scones

What is any good holiday season without some sort of gingerbread? Am I right, or am I right? I am right. The smell alone smacks a smile on my face. Spicy and sweet and all sorts of comforting. If smells could be objects, the smell of gingerbread would be a warm soft blanket that you can curl up next to a fire, with hot beverages and a good book. Yup, that is exactly what gingerbread smells like.

Gingerbread cookies were an option for all the gingerbread goodness but right now there is a heavy influx of people making cookies of the gingerbread variety so I figured I should do something a little different and honestly, a heck of a lot easier and faster. Plus scones are a way more expectable breakfast food then cookies (who am I kidding, cookies are a completely expectable for breakfast) and I was looking for a good breakfast treat to feed the mr this week because its his birthday week and I wanted a little something special for him for breakfast. I know, I am just so great.

Anyway, these scones fit the holiday gingerbread bill. I mixed them up, added the chocolate chips for a little extra something, then tossed them into the oven and bathed in the smell as they were baking. Pulled them from the oven, poured some coffee, and set out a delightful afternoon snack for the mr, right after he was finished laying on the freezing ground trying to fix the tire on the truck. I think he really appreciated the smell of a warm blanket. And he really enjoyed the scones too. All birthday week long.

So what are you doing this weekend? I think probably making scones. Yeah, do that.

Here we go.

The stuff. In the bowl there is flour, old fashion oats, baking soda and baking powder, and salt. Also need the spices of ginger, cinnamon, clove, and black pepper. Molasses, brown sugar, vegan butter, soy milk, and chocolate chips finish of the list.

In the bowl add in all the spices and the brownl sugar. Mix until completely combined and there are no brown sugar lumps. Drop in the cold butter and cut it in with a fork. You don’t want it blended, you want the butter in little bits.

You want it to look like this. Crumbly.

Toss in the chocolate chip.

Dump the molasses into the milk and mix until combined. Doing this helps minimize the amount of mixing you do which will help make sure your scones are not tuff. So don’t not do this.

Pour the molasses milk into the mixture

With a fork, lightly fold and mix batter until it just starts to come together.

Dump dough out onto a lightly flour surface and gather together with your hands.

Flatten into a big disk and cut into 8 equal wedges. Or as equal as you want to make them… you could even make a few more wedges if you want more. You do you.

Place the scones onto a baking sheet. Brush a little milk on each then sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats.

Pop them into preheated oven and let bake.

Gold brown and ready for the world.

After letting them cool for a bit on a wire rack, stack onto a plate and feed them to your people. And yourself of course.

Chocolate chip oatmeal gingerbread scone and a cup of coffee. A perfection in all the ways.

Enjoy the weekend. It will be great, especially if you make some of these scones.

-C

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Gingerbread Scones

Makes 8 scones

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup old fashion oats plus 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons more to sprinkle on top

• 2 tablespoons molasses

• 1/2 cup cold vegan butter

• 2/3 cup soy or your favorite plant milk

• 2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder and soda, salt, all the spices, and the brown sugar. Make sure there are no big lumps of brown sugar in the mixture. Once dry mixture is all mixed up, cut in (do not blend in) the cold vegan butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Toss in the chocolate chips.

Grab your measure out milk and mix in the molasses until completely mixed together. Dump the mixture into the bowl of dry and lightly mix with a fork until a dough forms. Dump out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it all together with your hands .Flatten dough out into a circle about and inch thick them with a knife or dough scraper, cut into 8 even sized wedges. Place scones onto a baking sheet and lightly brush a little milk onto the tops.. Mix together the extra oats and brown sugar and sprinkle on the tops. Place into preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Once baked, remove and place on a wire rack to cool.

Eat. Store left over scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Individual scones freeze well.

Apple Cranberry Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cranberry Relish

Soup is all about comfort and I needed comfort this week. What with being all sad and slightly stressed with a little touch of the holiday blues. And I needed something to warm me up because is has been freaking chilly cold. I needed soup. But I wanted something slightly special, not the everyday, but also not anything fussy or finicky. A soup that I could make really fast or let sit on the stove all day. A soup that would bring a little brightness without being overly rich. A soup to take away the chill and make me happy.

Is that asking to much of a soup? I think not.

This soup, it did it all. But also take into account, this soup is not for the people that do not like squash. Or for the people that do not like apples or cranberries. Or for people that do not like thick creamy soups. But if you are not one of this people (you are a person that likes squash, apples and cranberries, and creamy soup) then this soup is for you. It is for us. Creamy, flavorful, slightly sweet and spicy with a little tang and just so dang delicious. It is like a warm blanket of soup. Comfortable and lovely. I have basically eaten an entire pot all to myself in the past two days.

It has been just what I needed.

Join me.

The stuff. A butternut squash, a couple apples, and some cranberries. Also a carrot, an onion, some fresh ginger, a few cloves garlic, cumin and chili powder, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar, and a little olive oil.

Start by chopping up the carrot and the onion. Small pieces just because they cook a little faster.

Peel and grate or mince some fresh ginger too.

Toss that all into a big pot with a splash of olive oil and a splash of water and cook on a medium heat until tender and fragrant.

While the veggies cook, chop the squash into small cubes. Remove the seeds, but no need to peel.

And chop up the apple too, but set aside a half of one for the apple cranberry relish.

Now toss all that into the pot along with the cranberries.

Add the spices, salt and pepper, a few splashed of apple cider vinegar, and water to cover it all. Then place it on stove, bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium and let cook.

While the soup is cooking, make the relish. Mince the half apple along with about 1/2 cup of cranberries.

Place in a bowl with a pinch of salt and a few splashed of apple cider vinegar. Then just let it sit and meld.

Soup is looking good. Everything is soft and falling apart and ready to go.

Blend it all until smooth.

Thick and creamy goodness right here. If it is to thick, add more water, too thin, cook it down a little longer. The consistency is up to you.

Now all you need to do is ladle soup into bowls and top with a couple spoonfuls of the relish.

This is comfort. This is good.

Have a great, comfy weekend.

-C

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Apple Cranberry Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cranberry Relish

makes 6-8 servings

• 1 small butternut squash (about 5 cups cubed)

• 1 large onion

• 1 carrot

• 2 macon or mac apples

• 2 cups fresh cranberries (you can use frozen too)

• 2 tablespoon cumin

• 2 tablespoons chili power

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoon fresh minced or grated ginger

• 4-5 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• olive oil

• salt and pepper

• 6 cups water

Start by chopping the onion and carrot into small pieces. Place into large heavy bottom pot with a splash of water and a tiny splash of olive oil. Mince the garlic and peel and mince ginger. Toss into the pot as well and place it on a medium heat to cook until the veggies are tender and fragrant.

While the veggies are cooking, dice up the butternut squash. Remove any seeds but there is no need to peel. Also dice up the apples, reserving 1/2 of one for the relish. Place the chopped squash and apples into the pot with the cooking veggies along with 1 1/2 cups of cranberries , the chili powder and cumin, 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and the water. Place the pot back on the stove, bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let cook.

Once soup is on the stove, take reserved half apple and the other 1/2 cup of cranberries and dice into very small pieces. Place into a bowl with a little pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Toss around and set aside.

And back to soup. Once the squash is tender and starting to fall apart, it is time. Remove from heat and either with a immersion blender, or a regular blender, blend the soup until smooth. After its blended and creamy smooth, check for thickness. If you think it is too thick, add more water. Too thin, place back on stove and cook down until it thickens up a bit more.

When you are ready to serve and eat, ladle soup into a bowl and top with more pepper and a spoonful or two of the apple cranberry relish.

Then eat and feel cozy.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Right now it is all about the holiday cookies. There are the chocolate ones, the filled ones, the nutty ones and all at the other ones, but really, what is the holiday without a good basic sugar cookie covered in way to much icing and sprinkles? Not right it what it is.

So to kick off holiday cookie baking I had a cookie decorating and pizza  party with the littles and big littles. Cookies, icing and frosting, and so many sprinkles. I went the smart route with preparation and precut all the cookies before the party. I was thinking that I would have everyone cut there own cookies out but then I was thinking  a bunch of little and hot pans and more likely then not burnt cookies. I just didn't want to deal with it and it was a good choice on my part. I am so smart. 

These cookies are kind of your basic sugar cookies with a little lemon twist. The lemon adds that extra something, a little zip behind the sweetness, especially after all the glaze. And they can be baked to be slightly soft or to have a nice crisp edge. A good, tasty,  all around cookie, perfect for any holiday cookie party. 

And just a warning about cookie parties. There will be madness and states of being that only an emense amount of sugar can produce.

The stuff. Flour, baking powder sugar, and salt. Squash puree, earth balance, vanilla, and some lemons. 

Sugar, butter, puree, lemon zest, lemon juice and the vanilla get cozy into big bowl and then mixed together.

Some people prefer to do this step with an electric beater but I like to use a wooden spoon because arm powder. Either way, make sure the mixtures is completely mixed and that there are no huge chunks of butter. 

Now add in the dry and mix mix mix until if forms a dough.

 Don't be afraid to use your hands here.. I started out with the spoon and finish with my hands. It is much easier.

The dough needs a little time in the fridge so wrap it in plastic (or a large plastic bag) and stick in the fridge for a least and hour or up to a day. 

When your ready for cookie cutting time, remove dough and let sit on counter for a few minutes to warm up. Then place on a lightly floured surface and roll out about 1/4 inch thick (you can go a little thinner if you like)

Cut your cookies.

And keep gathering and rolling ou the dough until all the dough is a cookie.

Bake the cookies for anywhere between 10-13 minutes. This is dependent on if you like a softer cookie or one with more of a crunch. 

All the naked cookies.

And you are probably going to want to make some glaze, which is super simple. Powedred sugar, water, corn syrup, and vanilla extract. 

You of course need to get crafty with colors so color the icing  to your liking.

Then it's all about decorating. The mr and I did a few cookies ourselves before the cookie party began. We figured we wouldn't really get a chance to once all the littles showed up. We were right. 

Also I bought brand new synthetic paint brushes (important that they are new) to use to paint on the glaze. It was a very good idea. We loved it and so did all the little. 

Our cookie masterpieces. Who doesn't love a rapper snowman?

Let the party begin. I ended up making 3 batches of cookies because the more cookies the better. And again, so smart to have the cookies all precut and ready. I couldn't imagine having to deal with cutting cookies with everyone. There would have been tears (most likely mine) 

Christmas music on, happy little littles, it started out so wholesome and good.  Glaze, frosting, so many sprinkles. I could smell the sugar in the air. I also said that there was to be no cookie eating until after dinner so naturally I think that each little ate about 5 cookies before dinner. It would have been worse if I had they could eat any at all. 

And then we ate dinner and more cookies and they all went freaking crazy. Like running around screaming, stoping once in a while to maybe think they might throw up,  then kept on running and screaming.  Sugar can do crazy things. 

 Just a few of the creations from the night. There were snowmen, 3D trees and reindeer, and stars. I guess I don't have a snowflake which bummed me out but stars made do. And yes, that is indeed a target employee cookie.. so awesome.

All in all, the party was a success. The cookies came out great. The decorations were on point. The littles and big littles had fun and were all in a sugar coma by the end of the night.  Annnd my house is covered in a light film of stickiness. 

Enjoy your weekend and make lots of cookies because that is what you are suppose to do. 

-C

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Lemon Sugar Cookies 

makes 20-25 cookies (all depending on you shapes ands sizes of cutters)

Cookie

• 2 1/4  cups flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup squash puree
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup room temp  vegan butter
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Icing 

• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons plant milk or water
• 1 teaspoon extract (vanilla, almond, or lemon)  
• food coloring (optional) 

preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl beat  together butter, sugar, vanilla, squash, lemon zest and lemon juice until fully incorporated. Add in flour, salt, and baling powder and mix until it all comes together. When dough gets a little hard to mix with a spoon, use your hands and compress the dough into a ball.  Take dough and wrap in plastic wrap or place in a zip lock pulled to dough tight and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to a day.

After the dough has had time in the fridge, remove and let sit for a few minutes.. Lightly flour the counter and roll dough out to about a quart inch thick. Grab your cookie cutter and cut away at rolled out dough. Place cut cookies on a baking sheet, gather up remaining dough and roll out all over again. Repeat process until all the dough has been used. Place cookies  in oven and bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are just barely turning golden brown.  If you like a crispier cookies, cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Remove and place on a cooling rack to cool. 

Prepare your icing.

Mix all the ingerdients together until full incorporated. Color to your liking. 

And once the cookies are  cool its time to start you decorating! You can dip, pour, paint, or pip icing onto cookies. Embellish with sprinkles and candies.

Eat your cookies 

Sunday Happy

Happy New Year! Hope you are all waking up to sunshine in your strut, happiness in you mouth, and kindness in your soul.

So much has happened in the past few weeks. Holidays full of family, friends, birthdays (Happy to Cam, Anthony, and Judah) and all around craziness. My phone got run over by a car(still works!!!),we finally changed the summer tires to snows (thanks Justin!) and Only has now officially moved in behind the couch and is enjoying the life of an indoor cat. We are getting so close with house, so so close.  I know a few weeks ago I told you we about the counter top and how excited I was to un-mold it. Well what I don't think I told you was that we un-molded it and it was fantastic. Then, trying to remove the sink mold from the middle with a hammer, I cracked it! AAAGGGHHHH. That was suck a bitch if a day. But we took it it stride and just made another one. And that one, that one is even better and amazing and is all nice and perfectly perfect. Once we did that we threw up a tile wall, hood vent, light fixtures and all sorts of little things that I can't remember.  Last night we slid the stove into place and fired it up for the first time! It was really stinky and great and I made the mr a pizza for all of his excellent work bringing me fire. It was so freaking satisfying to use an oven and feel slightly normal again. Now all we need to do is finish the cabinets, find a faucet that doesn't suck, hook up the sink, and a bunch of other stuff and we will be all set. But the oven works so the coming weeks are going to be full of so much oven food so watch out! (i can't wait to start posting more recipes!!!!)

On top of all the life stuff, I have been sicko all week, and so has the mr. Actually, he has been sick for two weeks and then lovingly gave me his ick. And it sucks. I am tired and snotty and sore and cranks. I have been eating large quantities of raw garlic, swiging apple cider vinegar, and drinking turmeric tea all day. (so I don't smell the greatest) I bought elderberries to make some syrup a little while back but left them at the loft and we let my dad stay there this week so I didn't want to go ransack the place looking for them. He is gone now so I'll go find them and make us a wellness potion. We will be tops soon!

So 2017. You got any resolutions or plans? Me, no resolutions, just to keep on living with intention, kindness and love and to continue to pursue my goals. We have plans for some travels (cross country awesomeness part 2), plans for some life stuff, so we got things. But basically I am just looking forward to making this year good,  and to be better with where I place my camera. (I can never seem to find it when I want to take pictures) 

Sunday. With today, I am going to relax and recoup. Drink my fluids (tea and coffee)  take my naps, and wash the sheets (everyone should start a new year with clean sheets!)

Internet links to click if you like.

-Happiness vs meaning...How about some of both.  In 2017, Pursue Meaning Instead of Happiness.

-15 of Carrie Fisher’s Best, Most Honest Feminist Quotes.

-I already charge my cellphone on the machines at the gym, but it it floated , well that would be swell.  Floating Gym In Paris Uses Human Energy To Sail Down The Seine River

-A Short Catalog of Foods Discontinued in 2016

-Life is bigger then all of us. As A Rough Year Ends, We Turn To The Cosmos For Some Perspective

-Cross stitching awesomeness

- Maybe 2017 will be the year that I wear pretty things. I really like this dress.

-The Best Things We Read and Ate This Year

-I really want to go back to Iceland.(maybe we will this summer?!) 15+ Iceland Photos You Won’t Believe Are From This Planet

-There is sugar in everything. How Much Sugar Can You Avoid Today?

Pictures of some of the crazy.

HAPPY 2017!!!!

Orange Slice Ornaments

Do you realize that Christmas is just a handful and a half of days away? I knew it, but like didn't really register it. And now I am like, fa la la la fuck! We have been so busy and distracted that I haven't really focused to much on the holiday, but at least we decorate the tree. And if I am remembering correctly, there were a few years, long ago, that the mr and I wouldn't even start celebrating or get our tree until a few days before Christmas so if I am judging us on my past selves, well we are golden. And now we let the celebrating begin!

One of our Christmas traditions is to string popcorn while watching elf for the tree. This is a big deal night because I won't let myself watch it until that night, but after that, I can watch it as many times that I want. (once a day) We got our tree like two weeks ago, and finally late last week we did the popcorn, watched some elf, and a few days after that we decorated, kinda.  It was much lacking in ornaments. We had the lights, the popcorn garland, the paper chain (we made it a few years back), and the carved wooden carrots, but the bulbs we usually stick on it, I just wasn't feeling. The tree was looking pretty good but was still lacking something. That's when I went to my fruit bowl and grabbed an orange, a clementine and the dehydrator out of the basement over at the loft and went to work. I turned on the Christmas music (A very special Christmas, the red cover) sliced the citrus, stuck it in the dehydrator, and then, well, then I waited a good few hours. During those hours, the music was going, the house smelled up like citrus and lovely, and I felt that slight holiday tingle.

I think these orange slices are going to be a new holiday tree decorating tradition. I will probably tweak it next year ans spend the 6 hours waiting for the fruit to dry baking cookies and not pouring concrete, but maybe not.

And if you are thinking its too late to make any more holiday stuff, well you are wrong. And honestly, I might just make a sting of these slices to hang up all year long.

To make the orange slice ornaments..

All you need is..

• oranges or whatever citrus you want to use
• a sharp knife
• needle and thread or ornament hangers
• a dehydrator or a baking sheet.

The dirty work. Slice the orange about a 1/4 inch thick. Try to make all the slices the same thickness.

I am using my dehydrator so the slices go single layer onto a rack. If you are using the oven, line a baking sheet with parchment and single layer the slices. Pop those suckers into the oven at the lowest possible setting you got. Either way you do it, the slices are going to take anywhere between 5-8 hours to completely dehydrate. It all depends on how juicy your oranges are. Just keep an eye on them after the first few hours. You want them to dehydrate, not burn into crisp.

They are done when they look like so, all dried and crispy and delicate. They should feel dry to the touch.

 Once the slices have cooled off a bit, they are ready to be handled and hung. I used thread to hang my orange slices, but feel free to use whatever you want.(I was going to use ornament hangers but didn't have any and I was not about to go buy some)

Slices of orange so pretty. They look so good with the wooden carrots, the popcorn garland, and the glittery acorns on the tree.

I definitely will be making more.

Enjoy!

-C

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