I was unable to find Cardamom at the few stores that I tried. Did anyone else have problems finding it? I was hoping to make a Christmas Stollen and most of the recipes called for it. I found one recipe that uses Mace instead. I didn't get around to making it yet and would still like to find the cardamom.
Ruby
A virtual Holiday Cookie exchange.
same here, no cardamom for chai. There's a good mail order spice company, Penzey's.
Have you tried Asian markets, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Mom's, etc.?
Hmmmmm........thanks Sallay,I will try looking at Penzey's. Good ideas Wrightie. The only one of three that you mentioned that is in this area is Whole Foods. Actually, and ain't I a big dummy.....my son works at a very high end food store called Foods of All Nations. I did go in there before Christmas to see if they had Cardamom and the store was so busy that I never found the spices.
I will either go by the next time I head that direction, or ask him to use his store discount and get some for me if they have it. Thanks for jogging my brain a bit this morning ladies.
Ruby
LOL, also, some of the bigger supermarkets carry the "good spices" :~) in their int'l aisles rather than in with the normal baking/spices.
Penzey's has a ton of cardamon -- here's the link -- http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyscardamom.html.
But they have a minimum 4.95 shipping/handling, which makes it a little expensive. On the other hand, their prices are usually quite low, so you may still come out close to even especially if you buy any other herbs/spices.
Thanks bunches all.
Ruby
Ruby,
You are not that far from me----regionally speaking. ALL the Supermarkets here carry Cardamom (by McCormick) in the Spice aisles. It is NOT hard at all to find! It IS expensive, though. Maybe $12 or more for the average spice bottle of 2oz.
There is another spice catalog that I get. It is "Spicesetc.com" (1-800-618-4454) and it is pretty much the same as Penzey's. There is also a minimum you need to order to get lower (or NO) shipping costs, but it is worth it as you get the spices for so much less. Might be a good idea to share the quantities with some of your friends and split the costs.
You can always freeze spices, if you have extra. I do--but i cannot swear that it does, or does not, affect their potency. Anyone have an opinion on this????
I use Cardamom in yeast dough to make pastries, breads and my Pirags. It makes it so wonderfully fragrant and tasty. It is also great in hot, spiced Cider or "Grog" which is alcoholic. It is also sold in "seed-pods", but then you have to get the seeds out and grind it yourself in a bowl/pistle grinder. A lot of work--but, much fresher--so it seems.
Hope this helps.
Gita
Oh yes Gita, very helpful. I think that for now I will just use the Stollen recipe that calls for Mace. I know the holidays have come and gone but my hubby wanted a Stollen like his mom used to make, and I haven't had the time to do one yet. One day soon though.
Ruby
Ruby, winter is the time to bake and fill the home with wonderful warm smells. I just did 2 loves of a cranberry-pumpkin bread yesterday and gave one to the gal who grooms Penny and Mary Chris. That is her favorite of all the quick breads I make. It was still warm when I want over to pick up my girls.
AND....
I am sooooo tempted to do huge batches of cookie dough and roll them up in wax paper and foil and freeze them! Just in case I ever have to bake some to take them to a party--or some such thing. I NEVER bake for myself! I am just trying to use up some Chocolate chips and other cookie ingredients that have been taking up space in my pantry.
I just bought 4 jars of "Skippy's" crunchy peanut butter at a super discount store here for $1.70 or something each-- and I want to make these "Mega Peanut Butter Cookies" I got a recipe for from our Newspaper. It is HUGE amounts of everything--and the cookies are 5" across, or something like that. BIG cookies! A LOT of them! Will I do it? Not sure! I want to.....I'll eat too many of them....:o(
I also have been wanting to do the dough (and freeze it) for hmmmm....some First Lady's famous Oatmeal/chocolate chip/serious cookie dough that was published in a magazine, or something like that-----and freeze that also in rolls of dough. I tell you! I am compulsive at some things.......I don't want any of these for myself--just to have and to bake so i can give them away.
Actually---I almost NEVER bake anything. Nada! Zip! Zero! Because if I do--I will eat it all until they are one. DON'T want to do that! Gotta keep my weight to a reasonable level.
I have long realized that I NEED to do certain things to satisfy some sort of "need-to-be-needed" aspect in my life. I cook way more than i can ever eat. I buy more stuff (and freeze it) for the same reason. It is like there are these vestiges of care-taking left in me after all these years that I need to satisfy.
Do any of you divorced/widowed people also feel the same need???? What gives????
Gita
Gita, if I may ... lol ... I am neither divorced nor widowed, nor do I have children ... Yet I am compelled to do the same thing!!! :~)
Chris. I am sure that each thing you make/bake is delicious. The quick bread sounds yummy. I think of you often and always enjoy reading your posts.
Gita, must be some built in thing that God did to/for us females. When both of my sons were living away from home, I adopted three dogs. It really worked as far as saving my sanity because I wasn't quite ready to accept not being needed too early in life.
An early observation with Dave's Group is that all in all it is full of the very most giving people that I have ever met, with only a few exceptions that I ran in to while participating in Round Robins last summer. A few ugly personalities showed up then, but I won't count them. ha-ha
I like receiving gifts but truly am more satisfied when I am the giver. As far as giving away baked goods, I ran out of time before Christmas and have at least two Applesauce Cakes owed to friends that I will most likely make next week.
If you all figure out the "needing to be needed thingie" let me know.
Ruby
the cranberry pumpkin bread sounds delicious!
Ok, Wind was that a hint???????? I got it from the Libby's web site and I only make it with fresh cranberries. Those little bursts of tart cranberries in the sweet bread is a pleasant surprise!
LIBBY'S® Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups granulated sugar
1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice or water
1 cup sweetened dried, fresh or frozen cranberries
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.
BAKE for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Recipe makes two loaves.
FOR THREE 8 x 4-INCH LOAF PANS:
PREPARE as above. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.
FOR FIVE OR SIX 5 x 3-INCH MINI-LOAF PANS:
PREPARE as above. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.
I also mix up my own pumpkin pie spice
2 teas. of cinnamon
1 teas. ginger
1/2 teas. allspice
1/2 teas. Nutmeg
For those of you who might know Darius, I have had the pleasure of getting to know her recently. I also met WIND when I traveled through her town in September. She has the most beautiful garden that I have ever seen first hand. She must have thought I was very lacking in verbal skills because all I could say is "What is this?" I loved every thing and she sent me home with seed or slips from several beauties.
Ahem, back to Darius. Darius has had a bad year health wise and has been referred to The University of Virginia Medical Center which is world renowned in many areas. She is having to make quite a few trips and being that I live less than 20 miles from there, she has been coming by and staying the night before some of her appointments.
When she arrived a few weeks ago she brought many baked goodies that I have been enjoying. She made several flavors of Biscotti. One was made with cranberries and pistachio nuts. That was really deluxe. I also liked the one that she dipped in a sugar icing. Yum, yum.
With me, a little cranberry goes a long way. I am beginning to appreciate it more and more as I try out new dishes using it.
Not a recipe but just have to comment on the pork tenderloin that John cooked on the grill yesterday. It tasted really good on the dinner rolls that I bought for all the holiday meats. I gave him the grill for Christmas and he has already cooked on it three times. Yippie, he can now take over more of the chores that somehow got assigned to me.
Ruby
Best wishes for good results and feeling good, wind.
yyyyyyyeeeeeessssssss it sure was! you're great!
thanks for sharing the recipe :)
You want cookies.........I got cookies!
Photo: Christmas Day at my house.......
early_bloomer
How far are you from carlisle, Pa? I'll be right over. (smile)
Bump! It's that time of year again! Thought we could continue this thread from last year. If it gets to long I will continue it with a link to here, or some one can do it if they feel the need. Just upload a cookie picture to the new link so it is easy to spot, please.
Great- I;'ll have to reread.
Meanwhile, my friend just shared a neat idea. She's making Christmas tree shape cookies, without a cutter. Roll a goodsize ball of dough into a circle and then cut eight wedges- Voila- you have triangley Xmas tree shapes. She's making pecan shortbread, which calls for green color in the dough, and the tree trunk is a piece of pecan. Yum.
Awww,Sallyg-- makes me feel clumsy. I have a jar full of elaborate cookie cutters from Williams-Sonoma. I just need to find some good dough ideas.......
Thanks for the reminder, Ladyg--I know December will be here before too long, and I enjoyed this thread from last year.
My friend said this shortbread was easy to handle. and simple recipe. Got it from one of those little checkout line cookbooks. has cardinal bird look cookies on the front, I think, or definitely includes them.
Don't have anything for you today, but I am anxious to see all that people will share. This will be a fun thread.
Ruby
Last year, I posted my family's Kolachki recipe in the Recipes forum. They are little pastries made with a cream cheese dough and filled with a lightly sweetened walnut mixture. They can be filled with fruit or poppyseeds, but walnut is the most beloved. They are delicate and sublime and it wouldn't be Christmas in my family without them. Here's the post: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4282218
Later in the thread, I have photos of a fast and easy way to fill and cut them out; much different from the usual rugelach shapes.
Wrightie, I'm going to look at that thread, I have a recipe but need a bit of lessons in cutting them out.
Made these today.
Trilby Cookies
1c. shortening
1c. Butter, melted
3c. brown sugar
1c. buttermilk
1t. vanilla
2t. soda
1t. salt
Cream together the above
6c. flour
4c. oatmeal
mix all together and chill dough several hours.
Then drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375ºfor 12 minutes.
(Thin Icing)
2T milk
1T peanut butter
1c. powdered sugar
Stir, mixing till smooth, drizzle over warm cookies.
Lady, Those look to die for and this is a very bad thread for me to be reading!! I may have to make those. Yum Yum.
Storm, they got good reviews at work. Not over sweet, was one comment. I think they got even better when sitting a day or 2. Boss liked to dunk them in his coffee.
I'm off work till Monday might be doing some more baking. Warms the house, makes it smell yummy and good eats. Nothing can be better!
Lady: I don't get the icing -- it looks as if it'd be very very thick, not thin. Are the amounts correct -- is it really only 2 tablespoons of milk?
Yep, 2 Tablespoons of milk. I put the cookies on the cooling rack close together and drizzled them while till warm using a spoon. The ones in the picture has a little extra drizzle.
My latest baking effort. I like anise cookies, found these on the internet, the dough was easy to handle; frosting and decorating took little effort. Made a big batch, I got 62 cookies!
Anisette Love Knots
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 lb unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 teaspoons pure anise extract
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup warm water
3 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Glaze:
5 tablespoons milk
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons anise extract
candy sprinkles
Directions
Cookies:
1
In bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Toss lightly with a fork. Add eggs and sugar – mix well, (mixture will be crumbly). Add melted butter, 3 teaspoons anise extract and warm water. Stir until mixture forms a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth. Chill for one hour.
3
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of large olives and roll into logs. Tie each into a knot shape and place on aluminum foil approximately 2” apart. Slide foil with cookies onto cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are pale brown. When done, slide aluminum foil off cookie sheets and let cookies cool on foil until cool.
4
Glaze:.
5
Stir milk and remaining two tablespoons anise extract into confectioners sugar. Consistency should be like heavy cream, if needed, add drops of milk. Dip cookies upside down into glaze; turn upright and dry on cookie rack over waxed paper for one minute, than sprinkle with candy sprinkles. Makes about 50 cookies.
6
Store in a waxed paper lined cookie tin, approximately one week.
Oh Lady, you're driving me crazy. I'm adding this one to my list.
Stormy, So sorry (not! evil grin). How did the Trilby Cookies turn out? I found they got rock hard after a while so better eat them up fast and make a fresh batch.
I haven't started any breads yet. And didn't do any ginger bread cookies. Have to work Monday and Tuesday so Wednesday may be bread day.
Lady, those Trilby's look and sound great!! I think I will try them.
My DH made "Turtles" this weekend--they're chocolate covered caramels with nuts. He had to get his dad something for Christmas and didn't know what, so he made the turtles since his dad is crazy for them. They need refrigeration, but taste wonderful. He's wrapping them up in colored foil and putting them in a jar for presentation.
I am going to make my 3-ginger cookies again this year. They are real spicy. I love them the bes!! They have crystalized ginger, grated giner root, and ground ginger. I'll try to get a pic on when I have a platter of them. They are just round brown thins, not really pretty, but they tastw wonderful.
Lady, A pipe burst under my sink so the kitchen was out of commission for a day and a half while DSO was fixing it. So far only the Pizzelles are done. I spent the day making arrangements out of greens covered in icecicles (not kidding) and putting away all of the last minute decorating mess. Have to start baking and wrapping now.
Foxy, those sound great.
Just got done with an Eggnog cookie, to tired to take picture and post recipe right now.
Foxy those ginger cookies sound really spicy, bet they smell wonderful when baking.
Stormy, what a time to have sink problems ! Hope you get your cookies done. Didn't get any Pizzelles made this year, but they are good anytime. A patient made some for us at work, we always have lots of goodies to munch on there.
Foxy, if you can post the ginger cookie recipe, I'd love to try them! They sound delicious.
LadyG', I like anisette as well - we used to make pizzelles with anise when I was a child. Yum. I have been really 'lax about baking this year because I'm trying to watch my lb's. Boring, huh?!
I'm saving my calories for pirohi and brioche, which I'll make in a couple of days. Enjoy all of your goodies!
Wrightie, What are Pirohi? I should be saving those calories too!!
pirogies (a million different spellings and pronunciations, sorry)