(ridiculously addictive) GingerSnaps

Otherwise known as... "Gingercrack," these cookies are insanely addictive. They are even better the day after you bake them, provided you've stored them safely in an airtight container. Ever since I found the recipe in September and tweaked it to my liking, I've baked them no less than once every two weeks. That's a lot of cookies.
They actually played a small role in our annual Loafman 3-day Thanksgiving extravaganza. And let me tell you, it is NOT easy to break into the long list of "must-have" treats at that event. We have some seriously strong, unwavering Loafman traditions and at times it can be hard to be the new kid in town. Many a new dish has gingerly approached the table in years past...ne'er to be spoken of again (sweet potato balls, anyone?).
The dearest honor that these cookies hold, however, is that of being the VERY first sweet to ever enter my sweet baby's mouth, at 10 months, and they are still her favorite treat. As such, they are one thing I've found to distract her from almost any looming tantrum. (Yes, she can be pacified and bribed with baked goods. Cue: "Like mother, like daughter" joke.)
They would make FANTASTIC ice cream sandwiches, if you are so inclined. Pumpkin ice cream would make a heavenly pairing. A drizzle of melted dark chocolate or a piping of cream cheese buttercream would also be lovely.
Most often we eat them as plain as can be, with just a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top for a bit of sparkle and added crunch.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/4 cups A.P. flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves (freshly ground if you can)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp water
• 1/4 cup sugar (for topping)

DIRECTIONS:
1) In a medium bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.
2) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3) Beat in egg.
4) Beat in molasses, vanilla and water.
5) On low speed (or by hand) mix in dry ingredients a little at a time.
6) Cover dough and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
7) When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8) Roll dough into balls (about 1 1/2 in. diameter)
9) Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet (I use a silicone mat for easy removal) 2 inches apart.
10) Dip the flat end of a glass into remaining sugar and carefully flatten each ball, slightly, with sugared end of the glass.
11) Optional: Sprinkle tops with coarse sanding sugar or decorating sugar.
12) Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until set throughout (the centers should not look "doughy"). If you prefer "snappier" cookies, bake until slightly golden brown.
13) Remove from cookie sheets immediately and let cool on racks.
14) Once cooled completely, store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container.

Spanakopita

*Recipe courtesy of my buddy Sophia

Two of my dear friends, for different reasons, have been recently bed/couchridden and therefore have been graciously accepting meals from many of our friends. I've never been much of a fan of the typical lasagna/casserole/enchilada/freezer-meal fare (see my minestrone post) that often accompanies this sort of an occasion. However, that presents a bit of a challenge when attempting to plan a meal that would be easy to transport and reheat without completely ruining it. Thankfully my buddy Sophia came to the rescue!
Sophia's family is entirely, beautifully Greek (you should see the photos from her amazing wedding in Mykonos) and she has this incredible book of authentic recipes to show for it. One of those recipes is this delicious and actually, quite simple spanakopita. I doubled the filling and was able to fill three 8x8 pans (which, thankfully, meant that we got to keep one for our dinner) but the recipe would also generously fill one pan for a family with hearty appetites. Uh...who am I kidding? I ate half of of our pan myself.

This is best eaten fresh out of the oven but is actually quite lovely at room temperature too.

Ingredients:

• one bag frozen spinach or two boxes frozen spinach
• 2 small/medium onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh dill
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1.5 - 2 cup crumbled feta
• one package phylo dough
• 1/4 -1 stick butter, melted (+ olive oil to make it healthier! I use 1/4 stick, my relatives use a whole stick)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Saute onions and garlic in oil over med heat. Add salt and spinach. Cook over med heat for 5 min, remove. Allow to cool, then add beaten eggs, dill, and feta. Set aside.
3. Butter 9x13 pan. Place sheet of phylo in pan, butter/oil it, add another sheet, butter/oil it, etc. After approx 5 layers, put spinach mixture on top. Layer phylo again. This time, crumble/scrunch several layers of phylo to trap air and make it lighter/crispier. Josh prefers to use oil for bottom layers and butter for top. I often do an oil/butter blend. You can skimp on all butter except for the topmost layer. Really lather it on there.
4. IMPORTANT: Cut the spanakopita before baking. It will help make the pieces neater and easier to serve afterwards.
   
5. Bake for 45 min, or until golden brown.
   

If you want to make this ahead of time, cover it tightly and refrigerate until it is ready to be baked. Adjust the baking time accordingly (mine took about an hour).