Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice...Whoopie!

T-Minus 1 week! I am in now rush for Christmas to get here, but I cannot wait for vacation to start! My students are going mental! I have had to call Santa Claus 2 times this week to report behavior that is suspect to being placed on the naughty list!
Now starts the marathon of cooking and baking. Tonight we are going to my aunt's annual Christmas party. As always there will be

booze, food

 and spontaneous song.

When I was young, I would be the "Coat Girl" at this party. Everyone would ring a bell and I would run to the bottom of the stairs to collect or drop off their coats. One year, my cousin had a brilliant idea to put out a tip cup out. By the end of the night, people were being very generous with the tips and I walked away with $50! Not bad for a small gig at the age of 8. The best part of being the coat girl was waking up the next morning and being allowed to eat leftover chocolate cake for breakfast! I love my aunties :)
Now that I am of drinking age I have progressed from coat girl to party participant. For tonights event, I made Mary's Gingerbread recipe.

This was actual Mary's mother's recipe but as it states on the card "my mother did not like ginger so we didn't use it" ~ signed MW (Mary Wilson). This could be why I never can remember her making it.

Gingerbread
(written on white recipe card)
Cream togther
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
add:
1 egg beaten
1/4 mollasses

Sift together
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp each cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg
Mix well and add to first mixture alternating with 1/2 cup boiling water.
Turn into greased 8 in square pan and bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

The gingerbread was good, but a little dry. Matt liked it, so I guess it passes the test. I would suggest cooking it for less time - @25 minutes

I also tried a new recipe I found on a blog for Peppermint Whoopie Pies:


Ingredients:
-1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
-2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
-4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
-1 cup granulated sugar
-1 egg
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 cup milk

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, sift together, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
• In another bowl, beat butter, shortening and sugar with a mixer on low until just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.
• Add egg and vanilla and beat for two more minutes.
• Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk and beat on low until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour and milk and beat until combined.
• Using a tablespoon, drop batter on baking sheet two inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes each or until pies spring back when pressed gently.
• Remove from oven and cool for about five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 50 cookies, enough for 25 pies.


Peppermint Buttercream

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
-4 cups confectioner's sugar
-1/4 cup milk
-1 teaspoon peppermint extract
-6 candy canes, crushed for garnish (optional)

• In bowl of electric mixer cream butter on medium speed.
• Gradually add confectioner's sugar and milk and mix well.
• Mix in peppermint extract.
• Place peppermint buttercream in plastic bag and pipe a dollop on flat side of cookie. Sandwich together with another cookie.
• Sprinkle filling with crushed candy canes!

The upcoming week calls for lots of baking so be sure to stay tuned for the Pièce de résistance, some of Mary's BEST recipes!