Cookie Project part 1.2

I love ginger. I mean I really really love ginger. I think that my love of ginger has actually surpassed my love of cilantro. And my love of cilantro is pretty intense. Not this intense, but intense none the less. I think there was only one time I had ginger and it was not enjoyable. I will recount this memory for you:

Twas in the cramped quarters of this limousine on the day of my sister's wedding.

It was indeed a most glorious day, where the whiskey ran wild and free like the most wild and free river you could imagine. Any day that happens, you know it's going to be a good day, or at least you THINK you know it's going to be a good day.

Then my sister's brand new husband decided that while we were in Chinatown doing pictures and what not that he REALLY REALLY needed this ginger candy. And once he had obtained this magical item, he insisted that everyone try it. It was LIKE regular crystallized ginger, but only if you didn't boil it first. It was almost as if someone took a piece of raw ginger, dipped it in adhesive, and then covered it in sugar to trick you. Not good. Extremely potent. And the kind of thing that can only be washed down by chugging a Miller Lite.

But I digress.

Because of my love of ginger, I was very, very happy to see a recipe for Triple Ginger Cookies in the December, 2009 issue of Bon Appetit, mentioned in my previous post. The recipe came along with this really cute picture:

If you can't appreciate that picture, I'm pretty sure you have no soul.

I made a few slight modifications to the recipe. 1)used about 1/2 c. rather than 1/3 c. crystallized ginger. 2)I realized I didn't have any molasses. I went to Target to get some. I checked the baking aisle, didn't find any. (I today learned that molasses is located in the breakfast aisle, next to the maple syrup). But, because I'm a genius, somewhat akin to MacGyver (but in a more kitchen-y sort of way), I simply replaced the 1/4 c. molasses with 1/8 c. dark corn syrup (because when the hell else am I ever going to use it) and 1/8 c. honey bear (because honey bear is always watching).

A couple things here though, no matter how much I rolled the dough into balls, they did NOT get a cracked surface. Oh well, not a big deal. What the big deal is, is that this recipe says that using tablespoon sized balls of dough, you'll get forty cookies. My ass. I wound up with a mere 2 dozen. They were delicious of course, but I really wish i had 40 them, not 24. Here is a picture of the finished product being eaten by one of my lovely housemates:

Whilst the cookies were in the oven, I turned my attention to a horrible piece of Christmas programming. If you like 1989, obviously fake head wounds, useless screaming, and overly exaggerated and stereotyped mental hospital escapees, AND you also like Christmas, then I have a treat for you. Witness this episode of 'Tales From the Crypt', Season 1, titled "And All Through the House":

Best Week Evar?

This week went by really fast at work. But Friday was a killer. I enjoyed this weekend. I definitely need it, because I've got jury duty on Tuesday. I have to be downtown at 8:30. This is a problem for me. On work days, I don't even get up until 8:45. I am not a morning person. If I get up before 8:45, I'm generally cranky and unpleasant to be around. Speaking of cranky and unpleasant to be around.

Today I was coming back on 90 east. After the tollway, there is generally a bottleneck. Well, I let two cars in front of me, and I feel that was good enough. Then some dumb bitch from Wisconsin (FIGURES!) almost sideswiped me, because she was too busy being from Wisconsin to know how to drive like a normal person. So I honked the horn. Apparently she took offense to that, cut me off, and waved TWELVE cars in front of, whilst her and her "hubby", who looked like a low-rent version of William Regal from wrestling, turned and pointed a laughed at me. Well, guess who's laughing now?! ME! I would tell you how I sought my revenge, but it might get me in 'trouble', but if you ask, I shall tell. Sometimes it makes me giggle, what a bitch I can be.

BUT! I am not always such a bitch. This Monday at work, I did another fund raising bake sale for a couple coworkers for a breast cancer walk that they are going to do. Some of the tasty baked goods were:

Peach Cupcakes with a Ginger Buttercream


Mini Lemon Meringue Pies


And the ever popular S'mores Cupcakes

Friday night, I did some baking for my friend Dahlia's cousin's baby shower. I was asked to do the above mentioned S'mores cupcakes, as well as some pink lemonade cupcakes I had made before:

I hope everyone enjoyed them. Right now I've got a loaf of white bread going, so I can make some tuna salad.

I'm working on being more economical. I'm steaming some chicken tamales, that I can freeze for lunches at work. I'll be doing the same thing with breakfast burritos, and if I get around to it this evening, I may even make some crab rangoon. Whippy dippy.