Amazing gingerbread cookies

When I am pregnant, I love cookies even more than I do usually....in other words, a lot. Baking is a comfort thing for me, and something I enjoy doing with my kids. Of course I enjoy eating them too, but that goes without saying. When Brett is not home until late, which has been almost every night recently, cookies are sometimes the result!

These gingerbread cookies are a recipe I adapted slightly from allrecipes, under the name Molasses Sugar Cookies 

This is now one of my new favoritest cookies....and that is not something I say lightly. Cookies are taken seriously around here. Soft and chewy on the inside, with a bit of crunch to the outside. Lots of gingerbread flavor, but not overwhelmingly sweet. (The downside to all of this is that I ate almost the entire dozen the first night, while they were still warm. The children helped some. Please don't tell anyone!!)

I also love that this recipe makes a large batch because these are perfect for giving to neighbors during the holidays. That is my plan anyway!! They will love me forever and possibly forget that my chickens sometimes stray into their yard...and possibly even their porch. 

Anyway, here are the instructions for deliciousness!

Molasses Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup butter 

4 tsps baking soda

3/4 cup shortening 

3 tsps cinnamon

1 2/3 cups white sugar 

 1 tsp ground cloves

2/3 cup molasses 

 1 1/2 tsps ground ginger 

2 eggs 

 1 tsp salt 

4 cups flour

1. Melt shortening and butter; cool. Add sugar, eggs, molasses; beat well. 

2. In separate bowl, stir together all dry ingredients (or just dump it all into the original bowl like I did). Mix well and chill for 3 hours or overnight. 

*If you are extremely impatient like someone I know when it comes to devouring cookies, do not be dismayed by these chilling instructions. I have it on good authority that slight chilling, of about 30 mins or so, seems to work just fine. They just aren't as pretty and crackled. So just bake one dozen immediately, eat and satisfy your sweet tooth, and then chill the rest properly and bake them the next day.*

3. Bake at 375 for 8-10 mins. Don't overbake if you like them chewy!! 

Makes 6 dozen

It's a soupy kind of day..

Well, today in good old Delaware,  the weather is decidedly dreary. It is also the first day all week that I've had no plans that involve leaving my house! I am not a homebody for the most part, but when we've had a busy couple of weeks I love a day at home. I like to spend days like these catching up on Mount Neverest (the laundry pile), reading books with the kids, watching a happy movie and cooking comforting food.

Soup on a rainy day is just the best. I love soups because I enjoy getting creative with spices and trying new combinations of vegetables and meats. Here is my favorite yellow split pea soup. It is very similar to the classic green split pea except it looks much more appetizing! I also like this soup because it's incredibly inexpensive to make, yet filling and healthy.

I start by sauteing the onions, carrots, garlic and spices in a touch of olive oil.

I added a splash of white cooking wine when the onions start to be translucent. These are the spices I used. I am having a love affair with smoked paprika. I just adore the taste and depth of flavor it adds to dishes.The cumin and cinnamon in the Moroccan seasoning compliment the natural sweetness of the carrots perfectly. Sage and bay leaves you probably already have.

Don't forget to rinse and sort your yellow peas!

Combine the peas with the vegetables and add some chicken stock and water. Then just let it simmer away on low for a couple hours! It needs to cook at least until the peas are falling apart and very soft. 

Nothing like a simple, healthy, vegetarian soup. My 3 year old and 8 month old joined me in gobbling it down with some cornbread muffins. 

Yellow Split Pea Soup

4-5 medium carrots, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons Moroccan seasoning

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

2 bay leaves

4 cups or 32 ounces of chicken stock

1 cup water

1 bag of yellow split peas, rinsed and sorted

Saute the carrots, onion, garlic, and seasonings in some olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of white cooking wine and cook for another minute. Add the sorted and rinsed peas and the chicken stock and water. Put a lid on the pot and simmer on low for at least an hour or until the peas are completely soft and falling apart. 

I prefer my soup to be quite thick but you can always add more water if you would like! Also, I cook without added salt most of the time and the chicken stock was plenty salty for me but you might want to add a bit more. 

Enjoy!