Orange Gingerbread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from the Joy the Baker

INGREDIENTS

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

 

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

For the Cake:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup unsulphered molasses (not blackstrap)
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons orange zest
3/4 cup warm water

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese frosting, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
big pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (plus half of a scraped vanilla bean if you’d like)

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt - See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

DIRECTIONS

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8×8-inch square (or 9-inch round) baking pan. Set pan aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs until thick and pale. Stir in molasses, honey, and orange zest.

Add the dry ingredients, all at once, to the wet ingredients, stirring until incorporated. Add the warm water and gently stir until incorporated and the mixture is silky smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake for 35-45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, make the cream cheese frosting.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend the cream cheese on medium speed until as as soft and smooth as possible. Add the softened butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and beat the two together over medium speed until smooth and incorporated. Add one cup of powdered sugar, blending until incorporated. Add vanilla extract (and bean, if using) and remaining cup of powdered sugar. Beat on medium high speed until frosting is smooth and silky.

Allow cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting the cake. 

This cake can be stored, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. 

Staying Healthy & Happy Through the Holidays

It's easy to get run down during the busy holiday season, when we sometimes forgo rest and healthy eating for socializing, parties, and another snowy excursion. Here are a few tips to cut down stress, take care of our immune systems and still find ways to celebrate. Make sure you take care of yourself this holiday season so you can truly enjoy yourself!

1. Figure out what makes your holiday more stressful than fun. Are there certain family members you always fight with? Do you take on too much and then find you don’t have time for it all? Start by asking yourself what makes you feel most pressured or irritable, and then what choices do you have to make this stress more manageable? If you need to get together with a difficult relative, try scheduling in something fun for just you afterwards -- that way you have something to look forward to, and may have an easier time getting through unpleasant socializing.

2. Stay hydrated. This is especially relevant if you're traveling during the holidays, as the low humidity at high altitudes makes plane cabin air dry—and our airways more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. Staying well-hydrated keeps your mucous membranes moist so they can better keep bugs out of your system. If you're flying, down 8 ounces of water for every hour you're in the air.

3. Take the focus off food every once in a while. Instead of getting together to make candies or cookies, plan group activities that aren't all about food (at least not all the time). Make time to create non-edible projects, like making wreaths, bread dough tree decorations or a gingerbread house. Try serving a holiday meal to the community, playing games or going on a walking tour of decorated homes.

4. Remember that this time is about the people you love most -- not those you feel obligated toward. Schedule “together time” with the people who really get you and make sure you save time for what matters most to you. Our bodies and brains respond positively in lots of ways to time spent connecting with those we are close to -- it's important for your health!

5. Stay home when you need to. If you push yourself to go out, skipping a good night's sleep, you can wear down your immune system and increase your likelihood of getting ill. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who slept at least eight hours nightly were about three times less likely to catch a cold than those who snoozed for less than seven. You're not being a Grinch by skipping a party when you feel worn-down; you're being smart. Think of it as preventive medicine.

6. Eat well. There are so many delicious treats around at this time of year. Don't feel like you need to miss out -- but make sure you're eating wisely, if indulgently. Survey party buffets before filling your plate. Choose your favorite foods and skip your least favorite. Include vegetables and fruits to keep your plate balanced. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite holiday treats while eating small portions. Sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy.

7. Simplify. Are there holiday events or traditions you could live without? Maybe you can gracefully bow out of gatherings or obligations you no longer enjoy. Do you really need to bake all those cookies? Maybe the answer is yes -- but maybe not. Commit only to those things you're truly excited about and give yourself the gift of time by letting other things go. Similarly, if your holiday to-do list is getting long, are there non-holiday related things you can postpone until after the festivities die down?

Edible Gifts

'Tis the season of giving! Holiday shopping lists can get way out of control this time of year, leaving you with little time to actually enjoy your time with loved ones. Not to mention that a lot of gifts we purchase out of a perceived need to have a gift -- any gift -- to give, can end up unused and in the garbage. So how to show you care and really know that your gift will be used?

One of the best and most versatile gifts -- especially for the people who have everything -- is the edible kind. Make sure you first know if the recipient has any food allergies or restrictions that would cause them to not be able to consume your gift and then get creative! Here are a few ideas on what to cook up this holiday season.

Something Sweet

Sweet treats are a lovely way to show you care and are often -- bonus -- easy to package and beautifully presented. If you don't have time to do the baking yourself, go for a beloved and Fair Trade chocolate item, or maybe pick up a jug of maple syrup that can be enjoyed over pancakes while you hang out together in your pajamas. If you're looking for something a little more handmade, you could always...

• Make your own chocolate bark and package it in a reusable jar
• Candy some citrus peels
• Can up fruit butter, jam or jelly
• Bake a DIY gingerbread house kit
• Infuse honey with herbs like rosemary
• Cook caramel sauce or make caramel popcorn

Something Boozy (& Other Beverages)

For those of us who drink alcohol, a thoughtful bottle of wine, whiskey or seasonal beer is always a nice touch. Pick something you know is well loved by your recipient, or else offer one of your favourites that they maybe haven't tried yet. Bonus: alcohol can last for a long time around the house, so you don't have to worry about this gift going bad.

If there are folks on your list who aren't drinkers, loose leaf tea or coffee is always a welcome gift. And if you want to make your own...

• Brew up some homemade beer (this needs to be started mid-November to be drinkable by Christmas)
• Mix up your own herbal tea mixes, or flavour black teas with herbs like lavendar and rose hips
• Infuse vodka with just about anything you can think of: from hibiscus to cucumber and lime
• Put together a mulling spice kit with instructions

Something Savoury

Some people just don't have a sweet tooth. Luckily, there are loads of delicious savoury things to give at the holidays. Flavoured salts, incredible cheeses, local meats. And there lots of things you things you can make yourself, like...

• Simple (or fancy) homemade mustard
• A granola sampler
• Ready-to-bake muffin or bread mix (bonus if your recipient is gluten-free!)
• Infused salts
• Glazed nut mixes

This year, we're excited to carry lots of delicious holiday items, which, of course, make great gifts. Get in touch if you're looking for something specific or need more ideas!

Grapefruit Olive Oil Pound Cake

Adapted from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook

INGREDIENTS

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

 

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more for pan
2 tablespoons freshly grated grapefruit zest (1-2 large grapefruits)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
1/3 cup sour cream

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt - See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, rub the grapefruit zest into the sugars with your fingers to release as much of the grapefruit oil as possible. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking until combined.

In a separate small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another small bowl, combine grapefruit juice with sour cream. Add the flour and sour cream mixture, alternating, to the oil-and-sugar bowl, beginning and ending with the flour.

Spread the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.