Dipped Gingersnaps

This month, we celebrated my Grandma Peirce's 80th birthday! While scattering old pictures of grandma and I on the tables, it reminded me of a little adventure she and I had a few years ago.

It was Christmas time and I was probably nine years old. Since we had the whole day to spend together and I had never tried gingerbread before, we decided to bake and decorate gingerbread cookies from scratch! Five hours and over 100 gingerbread men later, I took my first bite-- and concluded that they tasted awful. I'm pretty sure she and I just sat there for ten minutes and surveyed the mess we had gotten ourselves into.....but ended up laughing and realized we had a blast making memories, even if the situation wasn't ideal.

I'm certainly no food blogger and will willingly admit I'm not at the point in my culinary career where I can whip up my own recipes. That's why I turned to my mom for help when choosing which family Christmas recipe to share this year!! These gingersnaps had a much better impression on me than the gingerbread men from years ago, and they're a lot softer than what you would traditionally imagine.

This recipe is adapted from a Taste of Home Dec/Jan 1997 issue. Enjoy!

Cookie Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Additional sugar for rolling

Frosting Ingredients:
2 (12 oz.) Ghirardelli white chocolate chips
1/4 cup shortening

Begin by combining sugar and oil in a mixing bowl.

Add eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated. Stir in molasses.

In a large separate bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add dry ingredients to creamed and mix well.

Set aside a small bowl of sugar. Take out a ball of dough using a medium cookie scoop. Mold the dough in your hands and roll in extra sugar. Place on baking sheets and bake at 350º for 9-11 minutes (the less you bake them, the softer they are!) Let cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting, melt chips and shortening in microwave or on the stove, stirring until smooth.

Dip the cookies halfway in the chocolate (or drizzle on top) and place on wax paper.

Buy this cute 'Merry and Bright' platter here (originally purchased at Faith & Life Bookstore)

Merry Christmas and happy baking!

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige

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Pear Cake

Pear cake is one of the recipes that was introduced to my by my Grandma Peirce. From a young age, I grew up being "grandma's little helper" in the kitchen, watching and admiring her every move. Grandma always has coffee brewed and something delicious made in case my grandpa's friends or the grandkids stop by for a visit. She is a wonderful host and her cooking along with her gentle and spirited personality makes her the epitome of the woman I aspire to be someday. 

I am actually not a fan of pears, but hold a strong obsession with cream cheese frosting. To be honest, you can't taste any pears at all! Their job in this recipe is to be the undercover secret ingredient and make it taste like a moist, white cake. All in all, this dessert is simple, yummy, and practically PEARfect in every way ;) Let's get started!

Cake Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix

1 lb. canned pears

1 whole egg

2 egg whites

Start by pureeing your pears, juice and all, in a blender.

Beat cake mix, pureed pears, and eggs together in a KitchenAid mixer or in a bowl until smooth. 

Pour into two 9" rounds or a 9x13 pan and bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Don't forget to spray the pans!

If you want to be a multi-tasker, you can clean up your dishes and begin whipping up the frosting while the cake is baking!

Frosting Ingredients:

1 8 oz. cream cheese

1 stick butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat 8 oz. of cream cheese, 1 stick of butter, 4 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 tsp. of vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Make sure the cake is cooled before frosting. You can even put it in the fridge to speed up the process if you're in a hurry!!

Annnnnd TA-DA!

Thanks for reading!

For a printable recipe card, click here.

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Mary Lou's Stuff

Growing up, my parents were both very successful in their careers. When I was six weeks old, my mom had to return to work cutting hair, which left me at my new babysitter, Mary Lou's, home for the day. And let me tell you, I adored Mary Lou. Their family welcomed me from the start and I quickly became one of their own. I'm thankful for all of the life lessons she taught me about kindness, sharing, responsibility, and love.

One of the best things I remember about Mary Lou was her excellent cooking. Being a typical picky five year-old, I may not have always appreciated it...especially because we weren't allowed to leave the table until our plates were empty! However, there was one dish I couldn't resist. It was simple and consisted of rice and beef. Now, if your picky daughter actually likes something other than chicken strips or french fries, it's probably wise to get the recipe. That's exactly what my mom did, and in my home it became known as 'Mary Lou's Stuff.' I hope you enjoy fixing this meal for your family and making memories you can pass down, too.

Begin by drizzling olive oil into a skillet and turning on your stovetop to medium heat.

Add 1 cup of long grain rice to the skillet and stir with a spatula until lightly browned.

Pour 2 cups of water in with the rice and bring to a boil.



Sprinkle 1 tsp. of both ground cumin and tomato bouillon in the rice. Turn heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 25 minutes.



Meanwhile, brown 1-1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef (I cook mine in the microwave). Take one package of your favorite taco seasoning and mix as directed with water in a saucepan.

Combine meat with the taco seasoning in the saucepan and stir until incorporated. Cook for 5 minutes.

This is what the hamburger and rice should look like when cooked properly and is ready to be combined.

Pour the meat onto the rice and mix together.

Annnnd you're all done!!! Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips. Make it a meal out and serve corn and black beans on the side.

For a printable recipe card, click here.

When I think of Mary Lou, the passage Proverbs 31 comes to mind. Thank you for working hard for your family and pouring everything you have into all of the kids you've watched over the years! You tamed this little diva and contributed to a major part of my life. You're a wonderful example of a Proverbs 31 woman. I love you, Mary Lou!!! :)

"She speaks with wisdom and faithful and instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." -Proverbs 31:26-27

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

I love cooking.

And I love people.

So what better way to spend a Wednesday afternoon than cooking for some of my best friends?

Meet Luccas. I'm not sure if I've introduced him on here before, but we've been dating for almost two months now and he makes me very happy :)

We do a lot of things with our good friends, Sam and Anna. They go to our high school and our church too.

Last night, I made dinner for us before going to youth group. We had a blast :)

I made my mom's chicken noodle soup: a.k.a. THE BEST CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP EVER!! Pair it with biscuits and green beans, and you've got pure comfort food. Here's how to make it:

Start by microwaving chicken breasts for 3 minutes at a time. I did this 4 times, about 12-15 minutes. Cut cooked chicken into small chunks.

Next, bring the water and bouillon to a boil in a large saucepan.

Add noodles and cook uncovered until tender. (This took me about 10 minutes) Don't drain them!

Add soup and chicken to the noodles.

Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream.

For a printable recipe card, click here.

"A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate." -Proverbs 15:17

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige