Molasses Cookies

I made these cookies before Christmas, and made another batch yesterday (despite my New Year's Resolution to "be hot"). They are Delicious with a capital "D." I have a friend who makes killer molasses cookies that are completely different (*cough* Carrie) but these are wonderful as well. As my brother put it, "it's like a pumpkin pie... in a cookie!"

For one batch, you will need:

- 1 egg

- 3/4 cup vegetable oil or extra light olive oil (which is better for you!)

- 1/4 cup molasses

- 1 cup sugar (plus a small bowl of sugar for rolling)

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp cloves

- 1/2 tsp ginger

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 2 tsp baking soda

- 2 cups flour

I always pre-mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately, so that's how I would begin... I like for all the dry ingredients to be evenly dispersed. After the dough is all mixed, roll it into small balls, about the size of a ping-pong ball (or smaller) and roll them in a small bowl full of granulated sugar. There is no need to grease your pan, just put them straight in. Bake at 350° until the cookies start having cracks in them. If you leave them in much longer than that you will have really hard, possibly burnt cookies. Remove them from the oven as soon as the cracks are sizeable. If you think you've left them in too long, they're still edible, and very good with milk, tea or coffee. Eaten without dunking, they're crunchy, but if you dip them in, they're chewy and don't crumble very much into your drink. They are DELICIOUS. I shouldn't have made them. My hour and a half workout from this morning may have been canceled out by these cookies...

To Carrie: I expect a blog post with your molasses cookie recipe. Photo not required.

Apple Pie

I just made the most delicious apple pie I've ever made. When I finished and had a piece, I decided I should share it, because it's just that good. DISCLAIMER: This is exactly what I did, so some of it may be irrelevant or kind of odd, but it tastes delicious, so just go with it. Also, if you've made pie before, I understand some of my instructions are too much. You will live.

Crust Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 1/2 cup flour

water, as needed

1/2 tsp salt

Filling Ingredients

~2 Granny Smith Apples (just have enough apple to fill the pan, really) I like tart apples. They make pies more interesting

1 cup sugar

cinnamon (i didn't measure, but use at least 2 tsp)

salt (again, no measurements)

2 tbsp corn starch 

lemon juice

Instructions

Add flour and salt to large bowl. Slice your butter into small pieces so its easier to mix. Put butter in with flour & salt, mix with hands until it looks like lots of crumbs. Add water slowly, by the spoonful, kneading between each spoonful until you have a ball of dough. Refrigeration is for shmucks who like to wait 4 hours. When you're done making the dough, cut it in half and use the bigger half for the bottom crust. Roll out/spread out dough with your fingers and put into a 9-inch pie pan. 

Mix sugar, cinnamon & salt in small bowl. Take a handful of this mixture and sprinkle it on the bottom of the crust. Cut up apple into thin slices and dip each slice into the sugar mix, and then layer them on the pie crust. Squeeze some lemon over the apples to keep the from turning too brown (brown apples=gross). Sprinkle some corn starch over the first layer of apples, then mix the rest into the sugar mix. Continue layering apples until it has reached the top of the pie plate (or above, if you like). Don't forget to squeeze lemon every now and then. When you're done adding apple, roll out the second half of the dough into a circle (or into strips and weave. I've done this before, it makes pies even prettier) and place on top of pie. Make sure the dough from the bottom connects with the top, and flute the edges with your thumb. I sprinkled the remainder of my sugar mix on top and squeezed more lemon, but hey, that's just me. Bake for 30-40 min at 425°F, or until crust is golden brown and everyone in the immediate area asks you what you're cooking ("Is that PIEEEE?"). Control yourself until you think it might be cool enough to eat, and dig in.

It was so good. I'm having it for breakfast tomorrow too. Jealous? I know I'd be.