Snickerdoodles for Cinnamon Lovers

I don't know if there is a bigger cinnamon lover out there than me. I drink cinnamon tea. I heap a ton of cinnamon into my oatmeal every morning. I even put it in my hot chocolate. You would think that snickerdoodles would be my favorite cookies. While I like them, I never really think about them and hadn't made them before. Well, a couple of weeks ago my husband and I had some snickerdoodles from a bakery and were highly disappointed. They were dry and bland. Eric commented that snickerdoodles are always rather bland. I was about to argue with him, but then I realized he was right. Right then and there I decided I would make a snickerdoodle that was amped up and couldn't ever be considered bland.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup brown sugar
 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

Cream butter, shortening, and white sugar in a large bowl. Mix in eggs.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until combined.

Shape dough into balls, approximately  with a 1 1/4-inch diameter. Mix brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, and cayenne in small bowl. Roll balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixtures and place on the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies set.

Place cookies on a wire rack to cool. 

Now, the cayenne pepper might seem a little weird or scary, but it really adds depth to these cookies. And it was Eric's favorite thing about them.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Cookie Recipes:
Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug!
Cinnamon Meringue Cookies
Easy Rum Balls
Edye's Molassess Krinkles
Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Healthified Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Smores Cookies!

Grandma Betty's Banana Bread and The Creaking Tree

This recipe comes from Eric's grandmother and made an appearance in my novel, The Creaking Tree. A grownup fairy tale, the book tells the story of Louisa, a food-writer, and her trip to the Other Side of the Creaking Tree (read synposis below the recipe). The book is peppered with recipes, including this one. I couldn't think of a more perfect banana bread recipe for the book than the one that belonged to Eric's grandma. Eric's mom added the chocolate chips and I've enjoyed it more than once. In fact, I may have eaten the majority of the last loaf . . . it's just so good!

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
dash of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 very ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together; set aside.

In a small bowl, mash bananas and combine with the eggs; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream shortening with brown sugar. Mix the banana mixture into the shortening mixture. Gradually add the flour mixture into the third bowl while mixing. Combine well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into loaf pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center of the loaf sets.

Enjoy!

The Creaking Tree

Nestled in a little riverside cabin in northern Michigan, food-writer and newlywed Louisa is working on her first cookbook, a collection of delectable recipes inspired by the foods found in fairy tales. The only nuisance to disrupt her work is a creaking tree across the river. All summer long it grows louder and more persistent. When Louisa can no longer take it, she splashes across the river to silence the tree once and for all. But little does she know that the creaking tree is more than just a tree; it’s a portal to an ensorcelled forest of kings and queens, witches and huntsmen.

Hopelessly lost in this strange and wonderful sylvan land, Louisa crosses paths with licentious dwarfs, follows a breadcrumb trail, and encounters a rogue huntsman, Roan. Roan explains that the Other Side is ruled by the nefarious King Lyall, who is more concerned with the state of his cock than his kingdom. He has imprisoned the mysterious Queen Anora in the enchanted Apple Grove. In order to return home, Louisa must travel deep into the forest and save the Queen . . . as well as herself.

Click the My Books tab at the top of the page to check out more of my works.

~Krissy

More Bread Recipes
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread in a Mug 
Homemade Bread Sticks 
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Homemade Pita Bread
Parmesan Onion Rolls 
Pull Apart Pizza Bread  
Pull-Apart Spinach and Cheese Bread
Pumpkin Bread!
Sour Cream Dinner Rolls 

Homemade Flour Tortillas

It seems like every time I go to the grocery store, they are sold out of the tortillas that I want. Either the brand I'm looking for or the size. So I finally decided to just make my own. I should have started a long time ago because these things are sooo easy.

Recipe from here.

Ingredients:
2 cups flours
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup water

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add shortening. Using two butter knives, cut the shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Create a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the water. Slowly combine the dry and wet ingredients until a dough forms.

Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth--about 7 or 8 minutes. Roll the dough into a ball. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Separate dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each section into a ball then with a rolling pin roll out the ball into a round with a 6-inch diameter.

Lightly grease a skillet with cooking spray then over medium-high heat, cook the tortillas until they puff up and are slightly browned--about 2 minutes on each side.

Serve warm or store in a airtight container in the fridge.

Mama's litte helper or should say crumb catcher

Enjoy!

~Krissy

For Recipes for Tortillas:
Chicken Enchiladas with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
Chile and Tomato Shredded Chicken with Cheese Sauce
Pesto Tuna Wrap 
Homemade Tortilla Chips

Basic Pastry Recipe and Its Many Uses

This recipe has appeared a number of times on my blog. I use it to make pies, cheesy twisty straws, and cinnamon-sugar pastries to go with my pumpkin dip, to name a few. It even inspired my cheese crisps recipe. So I thought I'd finally give it its own page.

Ingredients:
 2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
5 to 7 tablespoon cold water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening using two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the mixture is moist and can be pressed into a ball. Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.

On a lightly floured board or work surface, roll the dough out so its about a quarter inch in thickness and do with it what you will. Baking time depends on what you're making. A crust for a pie, quiche, or tart. A savory or sweet pastry. You can't go wrong with cinnamon-sugar pastries; they're Eric's favorite (and mine too). Pies take about 45 minutes. About 15 minutes for small pies or tarts. About 5 minutes for cookie-like pastries.

Enjoy!

~Krissy