Our holiday parties have always been well-attended. And while I know our friends want to see us and celebrate together, I know the real reason they show up. These cookies. My mom created this magical confection years ago. The original gingersnap recipe, from a behemoth 70’s cookbook, is so caked with gingersnap splatter that she usually calls me for the ratios. She was the one who thought about sandwiching them with a tangy cream cheese filling– and that was a revelation! The gingersnaps are baked to a light crispness, but soften as they absorb the frosting. The end result is a delightfully chewy cookie bursting with holiday spice. We always make these on the smaller size because you are getting a two-fer with the sandwich. And while the cookies are good without the frosting, it is just not the same, and it’s the holidays so cream cheese is pretty much required.

While we can’t all party together around the Christmas tree, I wanted to share this recipe as my gift to you. Feel free to text my cookie helpline if you need any guidance!

Happy Holidays!

Emily

Cookie Dough Ingredients

• ¾ cup (1.5 sticks) softened butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 ¼ cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar- for rolling

Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 1/3 c. powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Yield: 72 cookies/ 36 sandwiches
Time: 30 minutes for prep, 2 hrs-overnight chilling

Directions

Cream together butter, brown sugar, egg, and molasses until light and fluffy. Sift together the remaining ingredients and slowly add to the creamed mixture, mix until combined. Transfer dough to parchment paper or plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least two hours, but ideally overnight. The dough will be sticky.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll 1/2-inch balls of dough (diameter of about a nickel– they will spread thin as they bake!), roll in white sugar, place on cookie sheet and stamp with the back of the fork. Bake for 8 minutes. Since the dough is dark, you may not be able to tell from looking, but 8 minutes is usually the sweet spot in my oven. You can do a small batch at first to dial in the time for your oven! You will notice the cookies puff up in the oven, they flatten out after they are out of the oven for a bit.

Make the cream cheese filling by creaming together all of the ingredients until light and fluffy! Make your life easier and be sure that cream cheese is softened before starting.

Once the cookies are cooled, assemble the sandwiches by putting a blob of filling on the backside of a cookie (aim for about a 3/4 teaspoon per cookie, if you like your frosting thicc you may want to double the filling recipe!) and find the best size match to accompany it. You don’t need to fuss with trying to spread the filling out evenly, when you add the second cookie, it will spread to the edges.

The sun is finally shining, the snow is receding and I can feel a twinkle of Spring in my bones. This winter has been a doozy. SO MUCH SNOW. I guess this is what we get for living in the mountains. It has been pretty, but I am not alone in saying, I am looking forward to a new season.

The cold outdoors made me grateful for our cozy indoor situation. Over the last few years Kyle and I have remodeled and redesigned most of our house. Little oddities fill the corners, treasures adorn the mantle and as the years go on we acquire new centerpieces. Last year we found the record player of our dreams- a vintage Zenith credenza. We found it at St. Vincent de Paul in Florence. Kyle came running up to me in a way that I knew meant he had found something good. And there it was, under piles of books and a lamp. We knew we had to have it. No power cord? No problem. It was priced at $60. Even if it didn’t work, that was still a deal. My brother-in-law had a 20% off coupon (because he is a treasure-seeker too, and a frequent flyer at St. Vinnies). I made my way to the front and told the checker we’d like it. I pulled out my coupon and she said, “Save the coupon, it’s 50% off today.”  It’s moments like this when you know, it’s meant to be.

When it made it’s way back to Bend (thanks to friends with a truck), we took a good look at it. It fit perfectly where we envisioned it. Kyle went to Ace and bought a new power cord, wired it and plugged it in. After a few seconds the vacuum tubes started to glow. It was magical. We put Neil Young on and, well, Neil sounded a little slooooooow. We scratched our heads, fiddled a bit and then the sound evened out and there it was. We listen to music a little differently now. No skipping, no continuous stream. We listen to albums the way the artists intended, and let me tell you, it’s something we could all benefit from. We all need a chance to slow down, and take life track by track.

This recipe has nothing to do with any of that nonsense, but it’s tasty and easy. Sort of an un-recipe, recipe. If you have all the ingredients in front of you, I bet you’ll figure out what to do with them… Just in case, here is the play by play.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 tsp. better than bullion
• 1 12 oz. bottle buffalo sauce (Franks)
• 2 Tbl. butter
• 4 oz. bleu cheese crumbles
• 1/2 head of green cabbage
• 3 Tbl. ranch or blue cheese dressing
• pretzel buns

1. Poach chicken. I do this by putting chicken in a medium sauce pan and covering wth water. I add a teaspoon of better than bullion to add a little flavor to the water. Cook over Medium heat (don’t boil, or it will get tough). Cook until you can stick a fork in a tender and it falls apart, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Finely chop the cabbage and mix in a bowl with the dressing and most of the blue cheese (save a little top them with). If you want it creamier, add more dressing!
3. Shred the chicken with two forks. Put back over medium-low heat and add the sauce and butter. Heat until the butter is melted and everything is happy.
4. Cut the pretzel buns in half. Dab a bit of water on the top of the buns then sprinkle with flaked sea salt (because pretzel buns are just better this way). Toast in the oven until warm and a little crunchy.
5. Put it all together! Heap on some chicken and cabbage mix, sprinkle the top with bleu cheese and enjoy!

Makes about 6 large sliders, double or triple the recipe if you are having a party!

 

 

Living in the high desert oasis that is Bend, Oregon is a dream for most. Whether it’s the (reported) 300 days of sunshine, the never ending opportunities for adventure or just living in a nice, clean and beautiful town with a lot of delicious beer (22 breweries just in Bend). It is strange to think that we almost moved (to a big city with lots traffic, ahhh!). We had lived here together for about 2 years, working at jobs that weren’t fulfilling and overall lacked a sense of community.

We lucked out when we both scored new jobs right around the time we got married (1 month before and 1 week after, we were busy!). Our lack of attachment to our town quickly changed with these new opportunities. We both found ourselves in places that value us personally and professionally, get us excited and make us proud. Our friend circles grew and so did our love of place. I think it’s a testament that no matter where you live, if you spend 40+ hours a week doing something unfulfilling, you are not going to be a happy camper.

Beyond the mountains, lakes, rivers etc. Bend’s identity is firmly rooted in the brewery mecca that it is. My husband is now fortunate to call Deschutes Brewery his place of work. Being married to a brewer definitely has it’s perks, and lucky for me, I like beer! The thriving brewery culture does more than make beer. Most of the local breweries host events for local organizations, support local agriculture and give us many reasons to party! Even the non-profit work I do is supported by local breweries. And, of course, they make the best beer.

I was able to get my hands on some new brew from Deschutes (one of those perks I mentioned). It’s called Sagefight. This beer is totally Central Oregon. It is an Imperial (ie strong n’malty) IPA brewed with sage and juniper berries. Sage and juniper can be found all over our desert landscape. All the savory flavors of the beer gave me an idea. Let’s make some food with it! So we did. I give you Sagefight injected, sage and juniper berry rubbed, roasted chicken. And let me tell you, it’s a thing of beauty!  I haven’t made a lot of whole chickens, and to be honest was a little intimidated. It was much easier than I imagined, so don’t be afraid. The end result is a super juicy bird, with hints of sage, juniper and hops and a house filled with delicious aromas! Perfect for these increasingly chilly evenings.

Bringing people together over a good meal (and good beer) is one way that I feel at home. My hope in sharing recipes is much like my intentions with every meal I share with friends and family–bring together the people that make your place feel like home and make your hearts (and bellies) full.

Ingredients

• 5-6 lb whole chicken
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• 2 t. juniper berries (ground in a mortar and pestle)
• 1 T. ground sage
• 1/2 lemon (cut in 1/4s)
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme (if you have it- dried works too)
• 2 T. melted butter
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 carrots
• 2 stocks celery
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup Sagefight IPA*

*Sagefight is optimal for this, but you could supplement with another IPA.

Special tools: injector and roasting pan

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425°.
2. Roughly chop vegetables and toss with olive oil in the roasting pan. Put the rack over top.
3. Remove chicken giblets (it’s gross, but only lasts a few seconds). Give the bird a rinse and pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Place on roasting rack over the pan.
4. Salt and pepper the inside generously. Stuff the thyme, lemons and garlic inside.
5. Inject with the beer! So, we happen to have a fancy injector. If you don’t, you can integrate the beer by deglazing the roasting pan with it while it roasts (let’s say, 30 minutes in and 60 minutes in).
6. Mix 1 T of salt and 1 T pepper with the ground juniper berries and sage. Juniper berries aren’t common to have on hand. If you don’t want to buy them, supplement with some other herbs (thyme, rosemary etc.)
7. Brush the outside with melted butter, sprinkle on the spice rub.
8. You can tie the legs with kitchen string and tuck the wings back if that’s your preference.
9. Now roast… Mine was about 5 lbs and took about 1 hr 15 minutes. The juices should run clear and the internal temperature of 165°. Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.
10. The veggies in the pan are tasty to accompany, but can get a little salty from the drippings, so be aware. I roasted some cauliflower to go with the veggies. Potatoes would be great too!

Mmmm, it’s harvest time! It’s nearly impossible not to get in on the fresh fruit and vegetable action. We did our best to grow a bounty of vegetables in our backyard garden. Unfortunately, a host of unwelcome pests did their best to sabotage my green thumb aspirations. Still, we’ve enjoyed some tomatoes, green beans, lettuce and herbs to name a few.

I have dreams of a farm. One in some mystical land that I could grow avocado, citrus, peach and pear trees (maybe all on one tree?!). I realize that growing much in the climate of Central Oregon is a pipe dream. Fortunately, just over the mountains lies an valley full of vegetables and fruits that get trucked over here. I scooped up some peaches at the farmer’s market and made a little cobbler, with a twist. I think the addition of rosemary adds a nice savory flavor. And that did come from my garden! The bourbon adds even more flavor, and sadly did not come from the garden, but wouldn’t it be amazing if it did?!

Ingredients

Filling

• 3 large ripe peaches (thinly sliced)
• 2 T. corn starch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1/2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. bourbon (not optional)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Biscuit Topping

• 2 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup heavy cream plus 1 T. for brushing biscuits
• 2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary (about 1 T.) chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375º.
2. Mix together the sliced peaches, corn starch, sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, bourbon and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and sugar together. Cut the butter into small pieces and then cut into the flour mixture (try to keep it cold). Add cream, vanilla and rosemary and mix (by hand) until a soft, sticky dough forms.
4. Dust a cutting board with flour and turn the dough over and roll to a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut biscuit sized discs out (if you don’t have cutters, a cup works nicely).
5. Pour peaches into a pie dish, lay biscuits over the top (slightly overlapping each one). Brush heavy cream on to each biscuit and sprinkle with sanding or turbinado sugar.
6. Bake cobbler until the top is brown and peaches are bubbling. It should take about 45-60 minutes.

This is a dish to enjoy the day of baking or maybe the day after (let cool completely before covering). The moisture from the peaches will eventually make the biscuits less crisp.

Do you ever have to do “icebreakers” when you are in meetings, trainings etc? It can be a tad uncomfortable and feel like a lot of pressure to come up with something personal to share with your co-workers or people you have never met before. Like, how am I really going to come up with 3 things that accurately describe who I am in the next 5 minutes!? Inevitably, I cycle through a mini panic attack that if I can’t come up with 3 cool things, I must not be that interesting. Which is somewhat true, but not worth the panic.

At a recent meeting we were asked what our favorite holiday traditions are. I immediately went to Christmas Eve, sitting criss-cross applesauce on the floor gathered around the coffee table with all my cousins. This is the Annual Christmas Eve Tea Party. A very illustrious event if you are under 12 (or 26, like myself). We all put on hats and adopt our alter-egos that hail from lands far, far away. The table is filled with little plates of goodies, a pot of “tea” (hot chocolate) and the big eyes of all the kiddos as they listen to Ms. Fluharty (cousin Meg) welcome them to the party. We share tales of our travels from the year and pass around the sweets. We end the party dancing a congo line parade through Aunt Betty Jo’s cozy house, as my mom and Jo pretend to play the player piano in grand fashion. They speed it up and we go wild and then they slide the tempo down and we move in slow motion.

I loved hearing how different and special each person’s traditions were to them. Even if they had long since done it, it brought a smile and ease to each person as they described their special thing. It was that cookie only made on Christmas or the handmade pajamas their Grandma made for them every year. It brought them to a happy time when all they needed to do was -to be-. I ended up feeling grateful for the opportunity to share because it gave me a chance to go there in my mind, wander back to those moments of pure joy and look forward to the next one. Next week the “season” begins. What traditions will you fulfill?

Jubelale Pretzel Toffee

Ingredients:

Toffee

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• ½ cup Deschutes Jubelale*

Topping

• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup pretzels

*can substitute other malty, dark beer

How to:

1. In a large heavy bottom saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and Jubelale. The volume will triple as it boils so it make sure you have a large enough saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stir until the butter is melted. While stirring occasionally, allow to come to a boil and cook until the temperature hits 285 degrees F. The color will be a dark amber. This takes about 15-20 minutes.
2. Once it comes to temperature, pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (should cover a 15×10 inch baking pan). Let cool.
3. While cooling, melt 2 cups of dark chocolate chips in a double boiler. Break up the pretzels. Once the toffee is cooled, cover with chocolate and evenly sprinkle the pretzels. Once set, cut into squares (but does have a mind of it’s own, so don’t expect perfection).

NOTES:

I had never made “candy” before this recipe and was so intimidated. Spend $5 and get a candy thermometer. It makes it so much easier!!! And with 5 ingredients, how hard could it be!?

This recipe could easily be doubled or tripled. It should last a few weeks in a sealed container, but doubtful it will need to since it is sooo good!

If you are not familiar, Jubelale is the winter ale from Deschutes Brewery. It is one of my favorites and described as “a robust ale with warming spice & notes of toffee, chicory & dried fruit.” Check out their suggestions for a beer inspired Thanksgiving here. This recipe is featured!

Each year a new label is created by a local artist. This year is my favorite in Jubelale history! It is magical and enchanting, just like all the art from Taylor Rose! Click here to check out her other amazing works of art.