Jam Thumbprints

Kevin had been flipping through my cookbooks the other day, and stopped at these cookies.  Somehow they intrigued him, and since we had an overabundance of last year's jam, he asked me to make them.  These are a fun cookie that you can adapt to your liking, using whatever jam you like.  I do find that they spread and I have to top up the jam once they are cooked, but they do make a tasty snack.

Adapted From Mrs. Fields Cookie Book

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup fruit jam

Pre-heat oven to 300 F.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy.  Add the sugar and combine well.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg and vanilla.  Beat until well mixed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the butter mixture and mix on low until the dough comes together.  It should be fairly stiff.

Measure out the dough by scant tablespoons and roll into balls, placing them on a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.  Using a small melon baller or a rounded 1/2 tsp measuring spoon, carve out the center of each ball of dough.  Don't scoop the whole way through. Fill each with a scant 1/2 tsp of jam.

Bake cookies for about 20 minutes.  While they bake, the cookies will spread. Sometimes I find that there isn't enough jam in each, so I usually heat about another 1/2 cup jam on the stove until runny, and top up the cookies when they come out of the oven.  Allow the cookies to sit on the pan for a few minutes to cool before you remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen.

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Maple Baked Beans

Some time ago, I talked with @mama_b on twitter about maple syrup.  I used to see many recipes with recommendations to use dark maple syrup, or graded 'b', but I couldn't ever find it.  Well-@mama_b lives near a (you guessed it) sugar shack and she so kindly offered to send me a jug of syrup.  It's so dark and full of flavour I can't help but use it well, almost anything, especially these beans. 

If you like the sweetness of baked beans with a hit of maple and some salty bacon, these beans are amazing.  They are something you can put in the slow cooker and then just forget about for awhile. We loved them served with barbecued chicken and salad, and they make fantastic leftovers!

Adapted from Spilling the Beans

1/2 small onion, finely chopped 

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp dijon mustard

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 garlic clove, minced

pinch or two of cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp salt

two 19 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

one 19 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 slices of bacon, diced 

1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook for about 6 hours, keeping an eye on them and topping up with a little more water if they get too dry. The moisture won't evaporate quite as much as if they were baked in the oven, but the beans do soak some of it up.  If they are a little soupy for your liking, just cook them longer.  The bacon will cook in the beans and incorporate nicely.  

Serves 6-8

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