… I don't mean to ignore you!
It's been so gray — I can't even get inspired by pictures! And there are so many distractions here right now! Having a baby in the house makes it hard to do anything! If he's sad, you have to help out! And if he's happy, well, who can blog when there's a happy baby around!
And then people, including my babies, who are quite big, come to visit! And that is so much fun! I just can't do another thing with all this going on!
Did you all know this about babies?
Not to mention, and you know I never complain, that it has been dark. And gray. And cold. People, please try not to update your blogs and facebook profiles with stuff about how you see flowers and it's so warm and pictures of you running around barefoot. It just makes me gloomy. You must all pretend that nothing has happened yet to lighten up where you live, or I'll get a little crazy. There was frost on the car this morning, if you see what I mean.
This, dear friends, this is what I have for a picture.
A practically completely dark image. I've had to mess with it quite a bit just to get it so you can see anything at all in it.
Okay, I will tell you about a baby sweater and gingerbread.
I knit my first sweater! See it up there? On that little pumpkin pie?? Who's getting so plump and smiley and cooey? Who almost laughs? Yep, that's the one!
I found the most glorious wool/alpaca with a touch of something synthetic so it will wash, hopefully. I'm just loving this sweater! The yarn is fine and light but you can tell it will be warm.
If you look closely you will see my goofs. I was just in such a rush to make this! I don't even care. What's important is that I made it and he can wear it! I was so eager to put it on him that I didn't block it. I sort of patted it down while it was on the blanket, if that counts. (My notes are on Ravelry. I'm leilamarie.)
So, other than those blue buttons from my stash (aren't they cute?) this is an all-brown post.
What we have here below is gingerbread. I make gingerbread in the fall and during Lent. In the fall, it's obvious why anyone would make gingerbread. Why, it's hardly autumn at all until you have that cinnamon-y, ginger-y smell wafting around.
During Lent, I make it because folks get hungry for something, and this is bread. It's not cake. It's not a cookie. It says it right there in its name.
Ginger. Bread.
This is my recipe, adapted from the Joy of Cooking. It's very forgiving, so you don't have to worry about careful mixing. And if you wanted to fancy it up — although it would still be bread, just like it says in the name — you could put lemon glaze on top.
I'm giving you the proportions for a big hungry family or a sudden incursion of kids' friends. The original is less by a fourth.
Gingerbread
Butter a 9 x 15″ lasagna-type pan.
Preheat oven to 350°
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and ginger
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup molasses (measure these in a liquid measuring cup)
3/4 cup honey
In the cup that you measured the sticky stuff, measure:
1 1/2 cup hot water or leftover coffee
It doesn't matter too much about the order you mix this all in, except for the water/coffee at the end, which if things aren't smooth already will cause lumps if you pour it in, although I have done that and nothing terrible happened.
I suggest mixing the first 3 ingredients, mixing the dry ingredients and adding them, followed by the molasses and honey. When things are reasonably mixed, add the water/coffee.
Spread in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.
Remember, it's bread. Not cake. Bread.
Aunt Sue says
Leila, you give me hope. I am thinking of knitting sweaters for the twins but I have to knit two and I haven't finished the scarf I was knitting for Anne… Oh Dear. I know what you mean about the weather now that the snow is gone everything is so bleak.
Lisa G. says
I, too, was surprised by the frost this morning. Thought that was done! The sweater is great, and congratulations on making it. Baby things are so small that it's not an ordeal to make them and you can get pretty quick gratification.
Linn says
I wonder why it is that we humans are wanting what we haven't got! I am one of those living where it warm, humid and running around barefoot and all I would like right now is some cold frosty weather so I can once again use my wood oven. and snuggle up in homemade jumpers and jackets. Gingerbread is lovely at any time of the year, even through Lent. After all it is bread, right?
Kathleen Jaeger says
What a beautiful grandson. Thanks for the reminder why it is hard to get anything done with babies around!! I'm all done gray & gloomy, too. Now if only the weather would be all done with it, too.
Shayla says
The sweater is beautiful!
You've made me curious about the “rules” of Lent. I only know a few people who observe Lent, and I think they abstain from meat on Fridays, but I haven't heard anything about cakes and cookies vs. bread. Please enlighten me, if you would. Wikipedia was basically no help.
_Leila says
Shayla — it's really up to you. My husband gives up drinking his beer at dinner, for instance. But a lot of people give up sweets, and so when they come over you can't be offering them cookies! The default is to assume that you can't. So you want to offer something…
Scones, quick breads…if they gave up eating at all between meals, then you are stuck with a lot of gingerbread 🙂
One thing I love about being Catholic is having a sense of humor about being a bit…legalistic about things. Whatever, you have to get through the day 🙂 And sometimes active teenagers or for that matter grandmas need a little sustenance, you know?
Patty says
Your insistence that this is BREAD not cake made me laugh. I love it! And no, I won't go into telling you all about how we are supposed to abstain from all meat, dairy, eggs… blah, blah, blah. Since I'm nursing and have young kids and don't do all of that at all (except for dinner for my hubby and for us as a family to remind me that it's Lent), you make me feel better about knowing it's hard enough to do what YOU do for a large family. Doing what we do is hard too, so it's OK if our priest says we don't have to right now, KWIM? Comparisons, comparisons. No good at all. Thank you for your sweet example—and sweet recipe!
Sara says
Gorgeous sweater, leila! Good job!
marija says
What a beautiful sweater. And you know, many of your grandchildren will wear it, girls and boys. We have sweaters like that… and lots of babies too, so I know, you can't get anything done with those babies around.
Bread eh? Cheater! 😉
Jennifer says
I knew I liked you for a reason! Of course it's bread! YaY!
And on that note, I think the fasting rules should NOT apply to teen/almost teen boys going through major growth spurts. They should be treated like pregnant women (eat anything you want). Ash Wednesday was VERY long with them in the house.
margo says
I love those blue buttons! You are so right to focus on getting your handmade sweater on your sweet baby – I can't believe how fast he's growing!
We LOVE gingerbread here. I suppose it's against the Lenten rules to put some nutella on it 🙂 We usually put lemon sauce on ours or yogurt.
I love that you bake in enamel pans. I just didn't know they could be used for baking. I use them for aesthetic reasons only.
It's cold and rainy here this morning. Having a hard time getting going – just curl up under a quilt until spring comes.
Martine says
How could any one blog with such cuteness in the house? I love the smell of gingerbread – just the thing to perk up our spirits.
Pippajo says
I had to laugh at your reply to the comment above. I've given up sugar for Lent so when friends were over for tea yesterday I was at a bit of a loss as to what to serve them. But I rummaged in the pantry a bit and found…graham crackers! They're CRACKERS, for Pete's sake, right? So I set them out on a fancy plate with a small (fancy) bowl of peanut butter, and another of cream cheese for spreading. They thought it was brilliant!
That sweater is adorable and looks so soft, comfy and warm. But it's nowhere near as adorable as that baby! How can you get ANYTHING done with him around?
priest's wife says
…how about some whipped cream on this 'bread' ? 🙂
Tracy says
I love ginger BREAD! We usually have it with lemon sauce, delicious! Also delicious is that sweet baby…
MakeHappy says
I'm sick of the brown, too! But bravo to you for celebrating it with “bread” and a super sweet sweater.
Teresa says
great sweater, leila – congratulations! and the blue buttons are truly inspired. they look fabulous. although, what wouldn't look fabulous on the sweetie pie.
so funny to post about sweets and lent – i've given up knitting and sewing!!! i KNOW
Debi says
I love the yarn… so pretty and the sweater turned out beautiful. I can smell the gingerbread… yum!!
nt12many says
Well Leila, if there are mistakes in that sweater I certainly can't see them…of course, I was a bit distracted looking at that really squishable little baby boy you get to enjoy!
When you mentioned the buttons on the sweater I got a sudden “pang” of nostalgia for my grandmother who made us a new sweater every year with beautiful buttons (I still have some) and new knitted slippers every Christmas. Very precious.
Jill Farris ” target=”_blank”>http://www.generationalwomanhood.wordpress.com ” target=”_blank”>http://www.jillcampbellfarris.com
Melanie B says
What a sweet baby. And a perfectly adorable sweater. Clipping the gingerbread recipe. That will come in handy.
Debbie says
I'm not sure what you are complaining about. At least YOU have a grandbaby. Not that I'M complaining. Just sayin'. Beautiful sweater, and I am quite fond of gingerbread myself. So, gloomy weather just means more time to smell cinnamon-y, ginger-y smells and knit. Where's the problem?
Mom, again says
What a wonderful winter coat for a Cali boy! At least he's wearing it while at your placetoday in a town I think is not far from where he lives, my son was in shrt sleeves and his sweater never came out of the bag. And I was trying to stuff my awarded in while on our long walk. But it's still 'winter'. The temp drop steeply at night. Goodness it's 56 right now!
(sorry, my own parents live in Florida. I rarely get to gloat about the weather!)
Patty says
I'd like to report back for any Orthodox readers who may have been longingly eyeing your bread: this recipe turns out very well using egg replacer and margarine. Holds together well and develops a pleasantly chewy top Into the Lenten, um, BREAD files! Thanks Leila!
_Leila says
Patty, I cannot condone margarine! I've made it with coconut oil and it's delish. Check out this article about coconut oil
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/dining/02Appe.h…
I don't want to know what egg replacers are 😉
Patty says
I know, I know.
Well, I've been thinking about switching over the coconut oil. Thanks for the link. I DO make sure that my marg. is partially-hydrogenated-oil (and usually soy-) FREE. But is coconut oil hugely expensive?
Egg replacer is a potato starch, tapioca flour, leavening (baking powder-type, I think), and some cellulose-derived thickening agent stuff. Found in natural-food stores. I don't use it often. I could probably do something like the flax-seed replacement ideas, or soy flour (but then, there's that soy again). http://www.ener-g.com/egg-replacer.html
Sigh.
Patty says
OK, I went on a little quest to see what sort other types of egg replacements are out there and here's a good link for several other options if Egg Replacer is not an option.
http://www.egglesscooking.com/egg-replacements/
Only in Louisiana says
Love that sweater!
Betsy says
LOL! I just made gingerbread this past week as well because, well, it's BREAD. 🙂 However, I only had blackstrap molasses in the house, so it was more akin to dark licorice bread…but the kiddos loved it. I also used an egg replacer and canola oil since my son has an egg/dairy allergy (among others). I do have coconut oil in the house, but didn't know if a mild coconut flavor would be problematic, perhaps I'll try that next time (with regular molasses!) Thanks for relieving my (slightly) guilty conscience; glad I'm not the only lenten “bread” baker. 🙂
RedTartan says
Leila & Co., I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how you've inspired me and impacted my family. I found your blog while “googling” what to expect with a housekeeper and found your post on the subject. I've been reading your archives for weeks now 🙂 Since then I've baked bread numerous times, have worked on planning my meals and grocery shopping, and I'm finally crocheting my first pair of socks. You're inspiring and thanks for sharing so much with us!
Trish says
Ha! Blog. You're doing better than I am.
The buttons on the brown look like robin eggs in a nest.
You have a scrumptious baby there!
Christina A says
Planning to make this gingerbread tomorrow, but had a question; in another post from 2009, you gave slightly bigger proportions in the same size pan with the same baking pan. Do you find it really takes 30 minutes even with extra batter? I’d hate to over- or underbake! Also, my lasagna pan is Corningware, not metal; does the material of the pan make a difference? Finally, if one was low on honey, could you just substitute a bit of sugar for the amount of honey lacking? Thanks for bearing with all my questions! Oh, one last one: how do you make lemon sauce? 🙂
Leila says
Hi Christina — knowing me, I was probably just guessing at the size of the pan. And at the time my oven ran super hot. I now have another one (not as good). But you know, ovens are different. You need to check your baked goods a bit before the recommended time to get an idea of how yours functions and then next time you will know. However, I think 30 minutes is about right.
I often put more or less of the various sweet ingredients depending on what my supplies are. Just remember that honey is sweeter than sugar, so adjust accordingly. It really doesn’t matter all that much — the recipe is very forgiving.
The lemon glaze is just confectioner’s sugar with a little lemon juice added little by little until it’s a good consistency for pouring/spreading over the slightly cooled gingerbread. Enjoy!
Christina A says
Thanks for all the input (aka handholding). I actually was very brave and made it last night (since the corned beef was taking forever to get done, I had time); there was great rejoicing!