A friend gifted me with a bag of persimmons yesterday so I had to dig out a recipe for making Persimmon Cookies! These cookies have a wonderful memory for me. When I was growing up, the choir was a close group of people. The organist would have a Christmas party every year and one of the treats she provided were her homemade persimmon cookies. Being only a child, at the time, I was a little hesitant about this lumpy, bumpy cookies but the spicy scent and moist texture soon had been returning for seconds and thirds. When I received this bounty of persimmons, I immediately thought back on those long ago days and now want to bring some of that memory into my kitchen this week.
Spicy Persimmon Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup Persimmon pulp
1 Egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground Clove
1/4 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
Freshly grated zest of one orange
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup dried cranberries
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla and persimmon pulp. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to combine.
Drop by generous teaspoonfuls onto greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Peanut Butter and Chocolate - the Perfect Match!
Just when I think I have my comtemplated candy-making list in readiness, I come across another recipe that begs to join the ranks. This one makes me seriously think about knocking an old favorite off the list in favor of it Peanut Butter Truffles sound very good! The ingredients are simple and who can argue the benefits of those combined flavors in one delicious bite? http://www.bhg.com/recipe/candy/peanut-butter-truffles/
Religious Freedom?
According to yesterday's Drudge Report, United States Congressmen are barred from saying 'Merry Christmas' in any of their official mailings. I find this restriction to be unnecessary and very much against the reason this country was founded - religious freedom. Isn't that why the pilgrims made that long and dangerous journey to a new country? I imagine the first thing they did upon finally landing on solid ground was to offer thanksgiving to God for getting them there. We keep scraping away all that makes this country good and wonder why everything is falling apart.
It seems to me that everyone is created equal - now where did I hear that before? If a congressman is Christian, he should be able to sign off any and all letters with a holiday greeting of his choice. The same goes for other religions and faiths. Our faith should be what makes us and if we have to supress it because we can't take the chance of ever offending anyone, we are not living up to and supporting what we believe in.
I also think it is silly for people of other faiths or no faith at all to take exception to someone celebrating their happiness in their own religion. If you don't agree, fine. There are no arguments and you can reject the greeting and just get on with your life. A government that dictates what you can and cannot express, is a government heading a country into moral bankruptcy.
By the way . . . MERRY CHRISTMAS!
It seems to me that everyone is created equal - now where did I hear that before? If a congressman is Christian, he should be able to sign off any and all letters with a holiday greeting of his choice. The same goes for other religions and faiths. Our faith should be what makes us and if we have to supress it because we can't take the chance of ever offending anyone, we are not living up to and supporting what we believe in.
I also think it is silly for people of other faiths or no faith at all to take exception to someone celebrating their happiness in their own religion. If you don't agree, fine. There are no arguments and you can reject the greeting and just get on with your life. A government that dictates what you can and cannot express, is a government heading a country into moral bankruptcy.
By the way . . . MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Great to keep in mind during the busy season . . .
"What lies behind us, and what
lies
before us are small matters
compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
before us are small matters
compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
An Italian Twist to Your Menu?
I first tried Panettone when my husband made it for me. During his bachelor years, my husband took of bread baking and this was one of his favorite recipes. I believe he used the Julia Child version but this link has a much quicker, easier version. You can now add some international flair to your holiday treats.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/panettone-i/
Although the recipe is good as written, I don't care for currants or raisins! I'm thinging I'll go with substituting some finely diced fruitcake fruit and dried cranberries along with some slivered almonds in the dough. The recipe doesn't call for an icing but a browned butter vanilla one would be very nice with a sprinkling of slivered almonds.
I don't have a precise recipe for browned butter vanilla icing. I usually melt half a stick of butter and slowly brown it. I take it off the heat, add vanilla, some lemon zest, and enough cream or milk and powdered sugar to get a thick but pourable icing. I drizzle it over the warm but not hot panettone.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/panettone-i/
Although the recipe is good as written, I don't care for currants or raisins! I'm thinging I'll go with substituting some finely diced fruitcake fruit and dried cranberries along with some slivered almonds in the dough. The recipe doesn't call for an icing but a browned butter vanilla one would be very nice with a sprinkling of slivered almonds.
I don't have a precise recipe for browned butter vanilla icing. I usually melt half a stick of butter and slowly brown it. I take it off the heat, add vanilla, some lemon zest, and enough cream or milk and powdered sugar to get a thick but pourable icing. I drizzle it over the warm but not hot panettone.
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