Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Brice Family!  We pray all of our family and friends have a wonderful holiday season.  Our theme this year is "MAKE MEMORIES!"  We have already begun to do just that.  We have even started bringing in a little India into our Christmas memories.  One of the Christmas trees has a few new ornament additions that were made in India.  I've added them to the red and green tree, and they are just too cute.  I love the elephant!  Our home this Christmas has smelled like ginger instead of cinnamon.  Ryan has made some delicious Ginger Snap Cookies with an Indian flare.   As we made our Operation Christmas Child boxes, we showed pictures of children who have received them in years past to Brody.  Brody helped pack the boxes, and we explained the fun and usefulness of many of the items.  He asked if his boxes "Go to India?" well.....maybe.  Today in the mail, Dillon International sent their Humanitarian Aid Programs magazine for 2011.  It had several pictures of the orphanage in India they work with, and it was a great opportunity to show Brody where his brother or sister will be.  Our hearts desire is that Brody, as well as all of our future children, learn that there are people all over the world who are in need.  Sure it's fun to get presents, but we don't need to get so much that we are unable to help other people.  In every activity such as these, Brody understands a little bit better the importance of adopting.  Even though the child to come into our family is not here yet, we are preparing our hearts and lives through many memory making moments.  

  

Photo of the orphanage in India.

Indian Ginger Snap Cookies

One of our favorite things about Christmas is doing a cookie exchange with friends.  This year we wanted to do something different, and we decided on a cookie with Indian spices.  Our house smells like ginger!  We want to share the recipe with friends and family, but we warn you that they are a little spicy.

Indian Ginger Snap Cookies

Ingredients

·                                 9 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour

·                                 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

·                                 1 tablespoon ground ginger

·                                 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

·                                 1/2 teaspoon ground clove

·                                 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

·                                 7 ounces dark brown sugar

·                                 5 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

·                                 3 ounces molasses, by weight

·                                 1 large egg, room temperature

·                                 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

·                                 4 ounces finely chopped candied ginger

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, clove and salt.

Place the brown sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the molasses, egg and fresh ginger and beat on medium for 1 minute. Add the crystallized ginger and using a rubber spatula, stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined.

With a 2-teaspoon sized scoop, drop the dough onto a parchment lined half sheet pan approximately 2-inches apart. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12 minutes for slightly chewy cookies or 15 minutes for more crisp cookies. Rotate the pan halfway through cooking.

Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to stay on the sheet pan for 30 seconds before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with all of the dough. Store in an airtight container for up 10 days. If desired, you may scoop and freeze the cookie dough on a sheet pan and once frozen, place in a resealable bag to store. Bake directly from the freezer as above.