Over the years we have had some go to recipes the smiths all love.
Ginger Saucepan Cookie Bars
Preheat oven to 350 F
2 ¾ c flour (330 g)
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2/3 c butter
2 ¼ c (1 lb) brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 c non-crystalized ginger*, loosely packed (roughly 130 g)
Directions:
1. Melt shortening in saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and allow to
cool.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
3. Dice ginger into roughly 3/16” cubes and toss lightly in sugar to
prevent sticking, then stir into flour mixture.
4. Beat eggs (by hand is fine), one at a time, into butter and sugar
mixture.
5. Blend in flour mixture
6. Spread in a 9 x 13 buttered baking pan and bake for 25 - 30
minutes.
7. Cool and cut into bars.
* Crystalized ginger is candied ginger that has been coated with lots of
sugar in order to preserve it. Non-crystalized ginger is candied ginger
that has just enough sugar coating to keep it from sticking together. Go
figure.
Gwen Watkin's Apple Dumplings
(Gwen was the wife of Tom Watkins and her apple dumplings were always a crown pleaser)
2 Sticks (1 cup) salted butter
2 Granny smith apples
2 cans Crescent roll
1 teaspoon plus a glug of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 oz unfiltered cider
Nutmeg and raw sugar for dusting
1) Preheat oven to 350 F
Butter 9x13 pan
2) Peel and core apples . Then cut into 8 slices.
Roll each slice in a crescent roll piece then transfer to prepared pan.
3) Melt butter in saucepan then add the sugar and barely stir.
Add the vanilla and then barely stir
Pour the mizture over the apple rolls
Pour the cider around the edges
Sprinkle with nutmeg and raw sugar and bake until golden brown and crispy on top about 40 minutes
4)Serve spooning some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.