Some thoughts on brushcetta

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brie and chili bruschetta

Brie, garlic rosemary mushrooms and Thai sweet chili sauce bruschetta

pesto and haloumi bruschetta

pesto, haloumi and mushroom

tomato basil bruschetta

Classic tomato and basil

capresse bruschetta

tomato basil and mozzarella

I tend to make brushcetta for myself often. I wouldn’t say every day, but… This morning it was leftover haloumi from a bbq and a pesto made from assorted greens–basil, mint, spinach, arugula or rocket. Yesterday it was fresh ripe tomato and plenty of basil and extra virgin olive oil. There are a gazillion things to put on grilled bread. Maybe tomorrow it will be goat cheese, lemon and fennel or simply avocado.

We’re having a bit of an Indian Summer this October. I’m thinking this will be a perfect warm Autumn evening to eat crunchy bruschetta on the deck with a glass of sauvignon blanc. More variations to come!

Soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies

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soft ginger cookies
These are the best ginger cookies!
I first made them years ago in England when molasses was a rarity there and I could only find molasses sugar. Ginger cookies made with this came out spotted with crunchy bits of molasses–still delicious, but not the classic dark brown cookie I had grown up with.
Now I’m in America and I can make these with blackstrap unsulphured molasses and they are just heaven.

This recipe is adapted from ‘Big Soft Ginger Cookies’ on allrecipes.com

Dry ingredients
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cloves, ground in pestle and mortar

Wet ingredients
3/4 cup butter, very soft or melted
1 cup sugar
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 large egg
1/4 cup liquid molasses

Sugar for dusting

1. Mix all the wet ingredients together
2. Mix all the dry ingredients and add them into the wet ingredients to form the cookie dough
3. Take about a tbsp-size portion of dough, roll into a ball and flatten slightly or press down lightly with a fork. Dust with sugar
4. Bake on a tray for about 8 minutes at 350 F