So, I have been really silent recently. And that's because of school. It's hard to balance writing essays and studying for tests with writing a cooking blog. So the blog had to go on the back burner. But now, I've turned in my last essay, and don't have another test for 2 weeks. So I think that calls for celebration. And you know what goes great with celebration? Cookies.
I love cookies and always have (I mean, who doesn't like cookies?). I would often make a batch (or two) of chocolate chip cookies and bring them into high school, just cause I could (or for a class party or whatever). Bu after a while, I got tired of the chocolate chips. I know, blasphemy! But I've always found that I prefer the cookie part of the chocolate chip cookie. And then I realized, the chocolate chips didn't have to be there. I was in charge of my cookie fate, so I took the chocolate out. And I loved it. Soft and chewy brown sugar cookies with delightfully crisp edges.
And since it's December, I decided to throw some Christmas spice in the mix (because it makes everything better). And by Christmas spice, I mean cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Around this time of year, I find myself want to put it on absolutely everything.
Brown Sugar Spice Cookies
FYI, this makes a lot of cookies. Like, 4 dozen cookies. you have been warned (though I doubt you'll have a problem eating them all)
1/2 cup butter (slightly softened in the microwave)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
one small pinch (less than 1/8 tsp) each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
Cream the butter and sugar together. The end result of this step is a butter-sugar paste, pretty much. To achieve this, you have to mash the butter against the side of the bowl with the back of the spoon until it's soft. Or, if you have some sort of electric mixer, just blend the butter, then add the sugar and blend (which requires much less arm work).
Once the butter and suger are creamed together, add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until well combined and smooth. Then slowly add the salt, baking soda, spices, and flour in little increments, mixing well after each addition. If you are using an electric mixer, make sure to turn down the speed, or there will be flour everywhere, trust me.
Once this mixture resembles, you know, cookie dough, you're all set. Just dollop them onto your baking sheet (coated in butter so they don't stick) with a tablespoon. Bake for 9-11 minutes (until crisp around the edged, but still soft in the middle).
Tada! Now you have a buttload of cookies! Go share them with your friends, and make their day.
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Today, I am going to tell you Hadestown. Hadestown is a "folk opera" (which is what everyone calls it, but it kinda fits) put together by Anais Mitchell. This album tells the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, but set in some sort of dystopian, poverty stricken South. This album has a surprising amount of fantastic artists working on it. Ani DiFranco sings the part of Persephone. Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) sings the part of Orpheus. Ben Knox Miller (of The Low Anthem, which deserves it's own review, because it's fantastic) makes a couple of appearances as well. Most striking, however, is Greg Brown's Hades. This man's growl could move mountains. With it, Browns portrays a fantastic world-weary Hades. Each character has a distinct style, and in other hands it might even seem cacophanous, but Mitchell melds them all together into a fantastic tapestry of musical styles. From the upbeat bluesy "Way Down Hadestown" to the almost gospel chanting of "Why We Build the Wall" to Greg Brown's almost spoken word performance of Hades to however you would describe "Wait For Me" (which is definitely one of my favorite tracks, though choosing a favorite is hard out of so many songs. In fact, this is one of the few albums where I can say that I don't dislike any single track.) So if you like ancient Greek mythology, eclectic mixes of styles and unique voices, or just good music in general, check out Hadestown.
