Saw two deer streaking across the rainy field this evening
So lovely in the green grass.
Last hunk of snow in the driveway is nearly gone
Daffs in the field too.
There is a new cookie by Paul Newman’s company- three flavors of Hermits
Marshall and I deeply prefer the Cinnamon over Original or Ginger.
Save yourself some trouble and just get 2 boxes- they go quick.
A friend sent his recipe for Hermits. They are the best. See below.
Life is good. Spring is here, finally.
Love, John
Hermits
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (lightly packed) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 3/4 cup raisins
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus
- 2 1/2 teaspoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or leave it ungreased.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together in a medium-size mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stop the mixer twice to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Add the egg and mix on medium speed until blended, 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl.
5. Add the molasses and mix until blended.
6. Add the dry ingredients and the raisins and mix on medium speed until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.
7. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a log 1 1/2 inches in diameter by 12 inches long. Arrange the logs on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving at least 3 to 4 inches between them.
8. Bake the logs until they are golden but still very soft to the touch and puffy in the center, 17 to 18 minutes. (The dough cracks during baking and it will still seem slightly raw on the inside even when the logs are done.) The logs flatten out and lengthen as they bake.
9. Cool the logs on the sheet. Cut into 2-inch-wide slices when cool. Each log makes 7 cookies.
10. Prepare the glaze: Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir them vigorously with a whisk until blended.
11. Drizzle the glaze over the strips or use a pastry brush to paint the surface of the strips with the glaze. Allow the glaze to harden before eating or storing the cookies.
Makes 14 cookies
As we hear news of violence and hatred, please remember to take a deep breath and connect with the Divine.
Shootings are terrible news to take in. Hatred within Quaker African circles are shocking too. These are each obscene and soil and burden us, even through our TV numbness.
Many die each day we don’t hear of. What we do hear is a small part of each day’s loss.
Violence and hatred are often a bad penny passed from one to another. Had our African brethren more food and safety, their mercy for people they don’t know would be larger. This will not be relieved by policy or rules or doctrine, but from justice, which brings clarity.
Sitting by the window this end of day, I see rainwater melting snow and rushing down hill. It is the turning from Winter to Spring. Anyone too close to rivers will need to move uphill- towards some mercy, some dry ground. I sit here in reverence asking that there be enough dry ground for all- knowing it is only true sometimes.
Happy Easter Everybody,
Don’t let the noise of Christianity distract you from the beautiful teachings of Jesus.
Love, John
PS Springtime- great time to put your TV in the attic!