Big Soft Ginger Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

You can find more great recipes on my blog:

www.pinkfigdesign.blogspot.com

Under the Pink Fig Recipe Collection Tab on the right side bar.

Here is the link to the cookie recipe on my blog:

http://pinkfigdesign.blogspot.com/2008/12/on-first-day-of-christmas-my-true-love.html

I love Enjoy Life Foods. In fact, I’ve reviewed them a handful of times on Boutique Cafe’s Daily Dish and their allergen-free products are always a hit. I can still remember their semi-sweet chocolate chips, and that review was in 2008! Any time they contact me about taste-testing a new product, I’m all over it—and so is my mouth.

First up I have Enjoy Life Foods’ gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, tree-nut free, soy-free, egg-free and casein-free soft baked cookies. One thing they’re not free of? Taste. The Double Chocolate Brownie and Snickerdoodle varieties were delicious. So delicious I had to physically remove them from being within arm’s reach so I didn’t polish off the entire box!

Olivia and George helped me taste test the Snickerdoodle, Lively Lemon and Double Chocolate Brownie varieties:

...
Nathan enjoyed the Lively Lemon, as did Lauren. The other boxes were polished off by day’s end. Soft, chewy, tasty AND all that allergen-friendly goodness makes them the perfect healthy snack! Other flavors of soft baked cookies include: Chewy Chocolate Chip, No-Oats “Oatmeal,” Gingerbread Spice and Happy Apple.

Enjoy Life Foods also sent us some boom CHOCO boom chocolate bars. These little bars of chocolaty goodness are the first, truly allergy-friendly chocolate bar. Dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free and gluten-free. And once again, NOT free on taste. I should know. George and I downed the Dark Chocolate Bar, and then Madison, Lauren and I polished off the Crispy Rice Bar:

...
Did you catch how Lauren said they taste better than that other crisp rice bar? Major compliment! They also have a Rice Milk Bar to round out the collection of guilt-free chocolate indulgence. (My kids don’t know I’ve hidden the rest of the samples…and yes, Olivia was able to break out the watercolors.)

Enjoy Life Foods seriously rocks the allergen-free food world with it’s variety of good-for-your-insides cereals, cookies, granolas, snack bars, bagels, trail mixes, chocolate chips and chocolate bars. Thank you, ELF, for allowing me to eat “freely” and with abandon!—Emily

I have never been to a cookie exchange party but I’ve always wanted to attend one. I mean, an evening of exchanging yummy recipes and then coming home with about 6 dozen cookies? Sounds like heaven to me!

If you’ve always wanted to host a cookie exchange party but aren’t quite sure how to go about it, then today’s review is for you! The Cookie Party Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Cookie Exchange promises to walk you through the event so you’re sure to have a successful party:

Robin Olson has made a 19th century invention a beloved tradition again with THE COOKIE PARTY COOKBOOK. ... Olson has perfected her ideas—through her rich and much-beloved website, the experiences of her guests, friends and her international network of bakers and hosting scores of parties of her own. Her knowledge is packed into this wonderful, informative, bursting-at-the-seams book.

In The Cookie Party Cookbook, you will learn:

• How to throw a cookie exchange, including a helpful timeline and suggestions on invitations, entertainment and refreshments.


• Tips for a perfect cookie swap (hints: don’t invite men or kids, do serve savories, think of at least one silly and fun activity or contest).


• Ideas for festive packaging, expert cookie decorating, baking tips and smart shipping


• Over 170 recipes for no-fail cookies, bars, candies and more (from Peppermint Pinwheels to Eggnog Logs).

Though I didn’t have time to actually throw a cookie party, I did want to try out a class cookie recipe, so we gave the Snickerdoodle recipe a test run. And by “we” I mean my daughter and her friend. I figured if they could whip up a batch of these cookies, the book would be a success! My daughter snapped a few photos while making the Snickerdoodles. Here are the ingredients (not sure why she used coarse kosher salt, but it worked!):

Then the girls mixed, scooped, rolled and baked!

And I can tell you those Snickerdoodles were delicious! I taste-tested them over and over and over again! I loved how the recipes all had icons letting you know the level of difficulty and if it was a great recipe for kids. Lots and lots of step-by-step guidance that both a novice and experienced cookie-party-thrower would find useful. This cookbook has everything! I’m actually getting pretty excited about hosting a cookie exchange, perhaps in the spring!

Here’s a little bit about the author:

Robin Olson, aka “The Cookie Exchange Queen”, started her website, cookie-exchange.com, more than 10 years ago and has built it into the category go-to site, with more than 1.5 million unique visitors each year. She’s been featured in a variety of media, from the cover of Country Woman magazine to the New York Times and the Food Network. She lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

*** Giveaway! We are giving away one (1) copy of The Cookie Party Cookbook! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway:

•Leave a comment telling us your favorite cookie or cookie recipe.

•Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: February 7, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

I’m guessing by the lack of family Christmas cards we’ve received this year, many families are either opting to save trees or they’re as behind in their holiday preparations as we are. (I refuse to consider the option that people just don’t like us any more.) If you don’t feel like doing the 100-strong holiday card thing and yet want to do something “noteworthy” with your kids, give Kookie Stationary a test taste run.

Kookie Stationary is a line of these delectable cookie greeting cards you can fill out and give to your kids or have your kids fill out and give to Grandma, Dad, Santa or friends and family alike. The kit includes a large cookie and an edible food coloring marker. Fill out the cookie on the lines or spaces provided and then deliver by hand or mail (I’d use extra packaging if by mail). Or in the case of a Santa note, deliver by fireplace and glass of milk! The recipient can then either eat your tasty note or display it using the case in which it arrived. Me, I’m all for eating the dang thing but there are probably a few dedicated grandmas who’d be willing to display it so it’s a good thing it comes with a built-in easel.

We received two of Kookie Stationary’s holiday offerings and we’ve already filled out and delivered one of them. My two oldest were given the privilege of filling out the Santa cookie since they’re the only two and I desperately wanted to snap a few photos but as usual the batteries were dead in the camera. By the time I had them charged and ready to go the girls were done and the cookie was sealed in its box. The cookie did arrive with a broken Santa hat, but once we had it placed in the gift box it was hardly noticeable. The pen worked well and the girls had a great time writing a little note to their grandma.

We hand delivered the Santa stationary later that evening and Grandma proudly displayed it on her piano. Since it was displayed we didn’t get a chance to taste it so I can’t tell you if the cookie is as tasty as the site claims. Of course, we still have the Kookie for Santa card, which I’m going to let my little ones fill out (and by “fill out” I mean draw psychedelic sunshines and crazy stick figures). Once the resident Santa munches on it I’ll be able to tell you if the cookie’s as tasty as the idea behind Kookie Stationary.

Whether or not the cookie is a feast for the tastebuds, the stationary is a treat for the eyes. Kookie Stationary has everything from birthday and get well cards to princess and dragon cards and my favorite, the Searching for Friends card. At about $10 a piece they might be a little more than your typical Hallmark card, though those are close to $4 these days. But then again, the card itself is a great little gift so it’s like a fabulously yummy two-for-one deal!

Note: Kookie Stationary is located in Canada and ships to the U.S., but I could not find the shipping rates on their site without going through the checkout process. You may want to verify shipping before purchasing.

*** Giveaway! Kookie Stationary is giving away one themed holiday treat to two winners! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•  Visit KookieStationary.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite Kookie.
•  Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•  Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 22, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Lisa and Heather, the winners of the giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

So far our family hasn’t had to deal with any food-related allergies. The closest we’ve come is Livi being sensitive to peanut butter while younger but since about the age of 18 months she’s been just fine. But food allergies are a part of life for many families and though allergen-free food is easier to come by these days, allergen-free treats that taste good can be a bit harder to find. That’s why I’m a big fan of companies like Enjoy Life Foods and today’s reviewee, HomeFree. HomeFree offers a line of kid-friendly treats free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, wheat and dairy. You will also be hard pressed to find soy in their products (except soy lecithin, which is tolerated by most people with soy allergies). Not only is their food free of the aforementioned ingredients but their kitchen as well: “No peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, wheat or dairy are permitted in our facility for any reason at any time.” And HomeFree goes even further; their selection of ingredients are chosen for quality but also how they are processed and packaged to help prevent allergen cross-contamination. HomeFree even “conduct[s] allergen testing for peanut, almond, egg, and milk proteins on incoming ingredient batches and on random product batches as well.” This attention to detail is no surprise when you learn a mom is behind HomeFree. I love her philosophy about why she started the company:

As a mom, and a clinical psychologist, I realize how important it is for kids with food allergies to feel included at social occasions, where a sweet treat is often part of the fun. I created HomeFree™ bakery, with a line of delicious, wholesome cookies and cakes, as well as a cook book full of easy to make allergen-free recipes, so that kids with food allergies can enjoy treats along with everyone else. Seeing the smiles on the faces of kids eating HomeFree cookies and cakes, you’ll feel good knowing that these really are treats you can trust.

We received a sampling of HomeFree’s cookies, which included their organic chocolate chip cookie, organic oatmeal raisin cookie and organic mini chocolate chip cookies. Though they weren’t nearly as decadent as, say, a Mrs. Field’s cookie, for a healthy, allergen-free, organic, whole grain treat they were definitely a hit! My kids devoured the mini chocolate chips in one sitting and asked for more, so you know they tasted good! (My kids are pretty discerning when it comes to goodies.) It’s hard to believe a treat can taste this good when it’s also free of corn sweeteners, artificial colors, artificial flavors, MSG, cholesterol and trans fat. The start of the school year is all about new backpacks, school supplies and lunchboxes, but for kids with food-related allergies, it’s probably the same ol’ school lunch. Start the school year—and their lunch hour—off right with a tasty treat from the HomeFree bakeries.

** Giveaway! HomeFree is giving away five boxes of their yummy cookies (1 box to each of 5 winners)! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like; each one is worth one entry into our giveaway:

• Visit HomeFreeTreats.com and leave a comment telling us which product you’d most like to try.


• Follow HomeFreeTreats on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.


• Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.


• Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post. Include a valid email address for our drawing.

We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: September 1, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to lise and Tricia Z, the winners of the HomeFree giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

Do you have a Love Affair with Sugar? If so, we have found the store for you!

“A Sugar Affair” on Etsy whips up some wondrous baked goodies and confections that will tempt your tastebuds and keep you coming back for more. What a great way to have homemade baking on hand – the Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods are calling my name. She also offers Pirate and Princess themed cookies, brownies, marshmallow pops and much more.

Check out A SUGAR AFFAIR on Etsy >>

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