Best Gingerbread dough ever for cookies or houses.

Recipe Title: The Best Gingerbread Cookies Ever! Perfect for gingerbread men, ladies and houses. 

By: Miriam Borys Busby

yield: approx. 45 small gingerbread cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (soft not melted)
¾ cup white granulated sugar
¾ cup molasses (use baking not blackstrap)

1 egg 
4-5 tbsp. heavy cream

3 1/2 cups flour
2  tbsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. each of ground cloves & allspice
1 ½ tsp. baking soda

Prep: 

In a large bowl sift the dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (hand mixer or stand mixer will make this task easier) add the egg and beat again.

Add molasses to butter mixture.

Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture a little at a time.

Mix in heavy cream starting with 2 tbsp. and adding more cream if the dough is dry and won’t stick together.

Divide dough into 4 portions. Take one portion at a time and with your hands roll into a large ball to bind the dough together. Roll out the dough until  desired thickness or approximately ¼ of an inch. 

Keep your surfaced well-floured to prevent sticking

Try to keep excess flour off the top of the dough so your cookies are a brown ginger color and not white.

Cut out gingerbread people or shapes as desired.

Bake in 350°F for 10 - 14 minutes.

Cool before decorating

Keep dry, do not refrigerate and DO NOT STORE in an air tight container or cookies will go soft

Royal Icing
4 cups sifted icing sugar
3 tbsp. meringue powder  
10 tbsp. water
1 tsp. lemon juice 

More bliss balls...just in time for the Ugly Sweater Party

More bliss balls for the holiday season.  This time made in my new food processor and I substituted almonds for cashews.  Really a great taste! For the original recipe please click here and follow this link.  

Date, Goji Berry & Cocoa Bliss Balls - Whole30 friendly

Recipe By: Miriam Borys Busby

Yield:  35 delicious bliss balls  Whole30 friendly 

1/2 cup raw hazelnuts

1 cup raw cashews

2 cups pitted dates

1/2 cup Goji berries

1 tsp salt

1 cup coconut + 1/2 cup 

 1/4 cup pure cocoa powder

3 tbsp. almond butter

 

enough boiling water to cover the dried dates & goji berries

Cover dates and goji berries in boiling water and let sit for 1/2 hour. After dates are soft strain off the water into the sink and save the fruit.

First grind up the nuts in a food processor for best results.

Add softened fruit and remaining ingredients. Save the  1/2 cup of coconut for the end. 

Process all the ingredients in the processor until it’s soft, gooey and well blended.

Scoop with a small portion scoop.

Roll each ball in the reserved coconut. Place on a cookie sheet. 

freeze first and then store in an air tight container

Freeze until frozen and then remove and store in an air tight container in the fridge. No baking necessary. Enjoy!

hydrated dates &  goji berries

dates, goji berries & cashew butter

organic cocoa

Chef Miriam Borys Busby, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com

‘Cooking Uncovered’ © all rights reserved

BB Bliss Cocoa Balls

Recipe By: Miriam 

Yield:  28 balls 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup prunes

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup coconut + 1 cup 

1 tsp vanilla 

1/4 cup pure cocoa 

1/2 tsp rock sea salt - used as a topping 

How to:

Cover dates and prunes in boiling water and let sit for 1/2 hour.

Grind up nuts in a food processor for best results.

Add softened dates & prunes and remaining ingredients. Save the  1 cup of coconut for the end. 

Process all the ingredients in the processor until it’s soft, gooey and well blended.

Scoop with a small portion scoop.

Roll each ball in the reserved coconut. Place on a small cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. 

Refrigerate or freeze until snack time. No baking necessary. Enjoy!

Chef Miriam Borys Busby, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com

‘Cooking Uncovered’ © all rights reserved

roll in coconut  

sprinkle lightly with rock sea salt

Vegetable Broth from scratch

Ingredients:

3 + celery stalks

1 onion - large

3 +  carrots

1 tsp. salt

3 bay leaf

1 zucchini

wilted Kale (left overs from the fridge) 

3-4 garlic cloves

cold water - use enough to cover all the vegetables 

plus..as many wilted, left over vegetables that can fit

Making broth is so much easier than making soup because you don’t have to spend a lot of time finely chopping and peeling the vegetables.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ 

As I prepare my meals and I have bits and pieces of vegetables that I could throw into the compost but I could also save all these vegetables in a separate bag and when it is stock time I simply dump them all into my broth/stock pot. 

Broth/Stock Golden rule: DON’T STIR, BOIL OR LID

Broth Procedure on the stove top:

Rinse all the vegetables well under cold water to remove surface dirt or pathogens (disease causing microbes) but peeling is not necessary.

Into your large stock pot put:

• large onion cut into  1/4’s,  - don’t peel .
• chopped celery, zucchini and carrots, large chunks 
• Smashed garlic cloves so they open but do not peel.
• salt, and any leftover wilted or old vegetables (from your fridge) into the pot as well (not cabbage as this will completely change the flavour of your broth).  I added about 2 cups of old kale and 1 cup of cauliflower that was wilted.
• cold water, approx. 4-5 L to cover all the ingredients. Stir once and don’t stir again.

On the stove bring the broth mixture to a boil and then turn the stove down to simmer. Don’t be tempted to stir at this point because you will find the impurities will float to the top and you don’t want to stir these back into your broth.

Allow to simmer for 6 hours or longer if you have the time. A crock pot can be used for this process.

After simmering scrape the scum (impurities) off the top and discard.

Allow to cool slightly and then strain off the liquid (broth) and discard all the cooked vegetables.

Cool quickly by dividing the broth into smaller containers and then place in the fridge for storage.

Broth procedure with ‘Instant Pot’ pressure cooker:

Same procedure as above with vegetables, herbs  & water.

Turn your Instant Pot to Broth/soup setting and close the lid as directed after all ingredients are in. Press 'Start'.

After the pot pre-heats the broth will be done in 30 minutes.

Unbelievable but true!

Unplug the Instant Pot and follow directions on the pot on how to safely remove the lid. The lid cannot be removed until all the steam pressure has been released ( follow directions carefully for this).

Allow the broth to cool slightly and then strain off the liquid (broth) and discard all the cooked vegetables.

Quick, easy and delicious.

Creamy & Spicy Carrot Yam Soup

This recipe is from 'Oh She Glows Every Day' by Angela Liddon (pg. 141). It is so delicious that there is not alot of changes to make except I decided to leave out the cayenne pepper and I increased the amount of broth, carrots and yams by 1 cup each.

The BIG difference with this tasty recipe is I am using my 'Instant Pot' instead of the stove top. This electric pressure cooker/saute pot/soup pot is one of the most useful and handy tools I have ever had in my kitchen. It makes enough soup for 6-8 big bowls of soup.

Recipe

2  tbsp. coconut oil

2 cups sweet onion

2-3 garlic cloves

1 tbsp. fresh organic ginger

2 tbsp. red curry paste

5 cups vegetable broth ( I made my own                          see the recipeon this blog)

1/4 cup raw almond butter

4 cups peeled and diced carrots - don’t                          worry about the size as you are                            blending the soup before serving

4 cups peeled and diced yams

1 tsp. salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

Using the amazing ‘Instant Pot’:

Tune on the pot to the ‘saute’ setting.  

Melt coconut oil.

Add diced onion, garlic & ginger. Sauté for a few minutes until onions are transparent.

Add curry paste. Continue to sauté to blend in the paste.

Add almond butter to 1 cup of the broth and blend well. Add this mixture to the onions. Stir well.

Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Close up the Instant Pop pressure cooker.

Set the dial to Soup/Broth setting and press start.

After the pot pre-heats it takes 30 minutes and your soup is perfectly done. 

After the lid is off, remove the inside pot from the pressure cooker and place on a hot pad.

Blend until creamy smooth with an immersion blender or in a blender.  

Serve while steaming hot.

Enjoy!

4 cups of peeled carrots

4 cups of peeled yams

saute onions in coconut oil

secret ingredient!

sauté red curry paste with onions, ginger & garlic

home made vegetable broth

add remaining ingredients, stir , lock the lid on, press start

this is the best kitchen pot ever!

when finished it is chunky but tasty

blend for a silky smooth finish

Turkey Bone Broth From Scratch

2 turkey drumsticks - large ones

3 celery stalks

1 onion - large

1 tsp. salt

1 zucchini

wilted Kale (left overs from the fridge) 

3-4 garlic cloves

cold water - use enough to cover all the                          vegetables 

and the turkey 

Making broth is so much easier than making soup because you don’t have to spend a lot of time finely chopping and peeling the vegetables.

Broth Procedure on the stove top:

Rinse turkey under cold running water and place the turkey drumsticks in the pot. 

Rinse all the vegetables well but peeling is not necessary.

Cut the onion in 1/4’s,  and add to turkey.

Chop the celery, zucchini in large chunks and throw into the pot.

Smash garlic cloves so they open but do not peel.

Add garlic, salt, and any leftover wilted or old vegetables (from your fridge) to the pot as well (not cabbage as this will completely change the flavour of your broth).  I added about 2 cups of old kale and 1 cup of cauliflower that was wilted.

Add cold water to cover all the ingredients. Stir once and don’t stir again.

Broth/Stock Golden rule: don’t stir, lid or boil

On the stove bring the broth mixture to a boil and then turn the stove down to simmer. Don’t be tempted to stir at this point because you will find all the impurities float to the top and you don’t want to stir these back into your broth.

Allow to simmer for 4-5 hours or longer if you have the time. A crock pot can be used for this process.

At the rend scrape the scum (impurities) off the top and discard.

Allow to cool slightly and then strain off the liquid (broth) and discard all the cooked vegetables.

Broth procedure with ‘Instant Pot’ pressure cooker: 

Rinse turkey under cold running water and place the turkey drumsticks in the pot. 

Rinse all the vegetables well but peeling is not necessary.

Cut the onion in 1/4’s,  and add to turkey.

Chop the celery, zucchini in large chunks and throw into the pot.

Smash garlic cloves so they open but do not peel.

Add garlic, salt, and any leftover wilted or old vegetables (from your fridge) to the pot as well (not cabbage as this will completely change the flavour of your broth).  I added about 2 cups of old kale and 1 cup of cauliflower that was wilted.

Add cold water to cover all the ingredients. Stir once and don’t stir again.

Turn your Instant Pot to Broth/soup setting and close the lid as directed.

After the pot pre-heats the broth will be done in 30 minutes.

Unbelievable but true.

Unplug the Instant Pot and follow directions on the pot on how to safely remove the lid.

 Allow the broth to cool slightly and then strain off the liquid (broth) and discard all the cooked vegetables.

Quick, easy and delicious.

Wedding Pies....Peach, Saskatoon & Blueberry...all for Mari and Phil

I have now made 24 pies for Mari & Phil's wedding on the 8th of September. Flour everywhere! Thanks to Gary and Devon for lending there home for the pie making.

Blueberry bliss

Roddy and Tony L. from Lone Butte picked all the Saskatoons for the wedding pies 

Thanks to my great friend Devon for sticking with me for the marathon pie making

butter in the Saskatoon pies...everything is better with butter

it's a mess but someone has to do it!

fresh peach pies