Amazing Cookbooks!

                                       Amazing Cookbooks!

  In the past 6 months I've come across many inspirational cookbooks, and I've been trying out recipes here and there, and, I feel bad admitting this...but many of them were baked desserts...which should have been put on this blog. 

  So, even though I have not posted anything in 7 months, I have been baking all kinds of desserts and cookies. Recently I came across the Tartine Cookbook from the renowned bakery in S.F., and the pictures are worth the price of the cookbook. I baked the bittersweet chocolate, oatmeal, walnut cookies, and they disappeared quickly. Next, I plan to bake the lemon chiffon cake, which I will post here, unless it disappears too fast to catch on film.

Another wonderful cookbook, Marcus Off Duty by Marcus Samuelsson is full of unusual twists on everything from Steamed Catfish with Citrus-Soy Vinaigrette to Sticky-Fingers Curried Lobster Stew to Sweet and Salty Mud Pie.

To entice you into checking out Marcus Off Duty, here is the recipe for spice cookies, which I made weeks ago, and everyone loved them.



                                     Mormor's Spice Cookies (makes 5 Dozen)

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup molasses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place racks in middle and upper third of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. Combine the cinnamon,ginger,cardamom, and cloves in a small skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring with a wooden spoon, until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.

3. Immediately scrape the spices into a bowl. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and white pepper and whisk to combine.

4. Beat the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. beat in the molasses. Stir in the dry ingredients.

5. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. Bake until the tops feel firm when lightly touched, 10-12 minutes, switching the pans halfway through. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for about 2 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely. Let the baking sheets cool, line with fresh parchment, and bake the rest of the cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.