My Favorite Christmas Cookies

Well my favorite Christmas cookies are probably not what you would call... a "classic" Christmas cookie.  You know- snickerdoodle, sugar, macaroons, etc. etc.

Those are all great (actually I don't recall ever trying a macaroon, so I wouldn't be a fair judge...), but nope.  My favorite cookie was first made last year on my Mom, sister and I's annual "Holiday Baking Day."  Basically we get together and make about a bajillion cookies all day long.  And then sit around and complain about how our stomachs and feet hurt and we don't want to see another cookie for the rest of the year (although that's a lie).  It is one of my favorite days of the year!

 

Yesterday was our baking day and I was most looking forward to these cookies: Ginger-Lemon cookies.  More specifically, they are a soft, ginger cookie that is amazing on its own, with a lemon glaze/frosting.  The two flavors are amazing together!  The first time we made them, I definitely was not expecting them to be THAT good.  They are one of my very favorite cookies, ever! They are so soft and moist and the lemon frosting is the secret weapon!

Ginger Cookies with a Lemon Glaze

Yields: 24 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

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. 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.
3. 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. 

Lemon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

4 teaspoons lemon juice

Mix together and after cookies are cooled, frost cookies.  If using sprinkles or other topping, decorate right after you frost it (before it slightly hardens and the topping will not stick to the frosting).

Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Soy Sauce

So I'm not sure what type of salmon is best to buy at the store.  Frozen? Fresh? In fact, the other day when I decided I wanted to make this for dinner, I almost backed out because I've never bought or grilled raw fish before.

Well, I'm SURE that I could have found a more inexpensive way to do it; I decided to buy some fresh fish at Sprouts Farmers' Market; it cost me $27 for only 4 filets!!! Ridiculous? Yes.  I'm not sure why I still bought it after the butcher weighed it and told me the price. It must have been the extremely alluring, just-slaughtered fishy smell that emanated from the round white packet I then held in my hand.  Riiiiight. Ya live and ya learn.

I told myself.. this salmon better be dang good.  And you know what? It was! Not too many difficult steps at all; in fact really all there is to it is just grilling the fish with a little olive oil, then putting some of the ginger-soy butter on top.  Now I don't think I'm gonna go spend a whole t-shirt's worth of money on fish again, but I definitely don't regret this learning experience.  :)

Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/2 Tbsp. minced chives

1/2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

4 salmon filets (4-6 oz. each)

salt and black pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix the butter, chives, ginger, lemon juice, and soy sauce.  Set aside. 

Preheat a grill or grill pan.  Season the salmon with salt and pepper and rub with the oil.  Wipe the grill grates clean and rub with a paper towel dipped in oil.  Add the salmon skin side down and cook 4-5 minutes, until skin is lightly charred and crisp.

Flip the fish and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the flesh side, until the flesh flakes with gentle pressure from your finger but is still slightly translucent in the middle. (Unless, if you want yours completely cooked rather than medium, leave it on for another 2-3 minutes)

Serve the salmon with a generous spoonful of the flavored butter, which should begin to melt on contact.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition: 390 calories, 26g fat (7g saturated), 710mg sodium