Sunday, August 14, 2011

A Constant October

A few days ago I was walking in the yard and spied this:
  





And it made me feel like this:









My maple starts to turn early every year, but this year I just don't wanna hear any mention of Autumn. I love fall, I really do, but I'm still in summer mode, and want badly to stay in it.  August ushers in three of my most cherished months of the year; Aug, Sept, Oct. aka; harvest time. It is my last hurrah before I fall into the black hole that is November and emerge sometime in late January. Everything circles around November, and as it gets closer, no matter how much I pull against the tide, the memory of that one awful month in 2002 will  haunt me forever. It has damaged me on a cellular level.  Until then, though, I will be entranced by the crickets that begin their song, enjoy the garden harvest that is pumping out more than ever before, cuddle closer to those I love on those crisper nights, eat gobs of cherry tomatoes, make apple-everything, and smile big at my most favorite thing ever (just ahead of my obsession with Matryoshka dolls): Pumpkins. I love everything about pumpkins. Don't know why, but I do. I just love them. Gracie knows about this about me and at out last trip to the Library this week, she picked out this:









Tradition in our house is that at we make a certain cookie at the first sign of fall. With a summer that has felt more like living in a constant October, it was hard to know when to make them, but that rich red maple gave me that sign and said," Hey Marla. I know I'm early, but, make me some of those butterscotch gingerbread cookies, 'kay? I've been waiting all year for them.







 Not wanting to argue, I headed to the kitchen and filled it with the smells of red leaves, nippy nights, plaid blankets and hay rides. These cookie scream fall, and since summer skipped town, reluctantly, even though I love fall, I begrudgingly made them.




















 They are from a Nestle recipe and I usually don't change it much except sometimes swapping chocolate chips for the butterscotch chips or just putting them both in. They freeze well, and if you are in need for some new bff's, share them at work. A note of caution when they are cooking, be careful, since they have molasses in them they brown on the bottom easily, so if you can, line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and do not over bake.






                                          Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies


   
                  3 Cups all-purpose flour
               
                 2 teaspoons baking soda

                 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

                 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

                 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

                 1/2 teaspoon salt

                 1 Cup unsalted butter

                 1 1/2 Cups packed brown sugar

                 1 large egg

                 1/3 Cup mild or light molasses

                 1 (11 0z) package Nestle Toll House Butterscotch flavored morsels



         Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. 

         In a separate bowl, or in the bowl of a mixer, beat together butter, sugar, egg, and molasses until creamy. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the morsels. Drop by large rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.











I hope you enjoy them as much as our family does. Sorry to nudge you into fall, but maybe if I write this, summer will take offence and get off it's lazy butt and show me how wrong I am. (cross fingers)  Happy baking!  ; )






1 comment:

  1. Yes. Constant October indeed!! LOVE these photos!!!That second one is sooo beautiful! LOVE LOVE LOVE!! Thanks for sharing the recipe, and, as always, your stories and your feelings. I hope November treats you gently this year. If not, though, I am always here if you need someone to take you to the beach so you can scream and roar and throw rocks. I bet that might help. A BAZILLION HUGS!!!!!!!!!

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