The Big Riff

riff  (rɪf)   —n. 1.a short, repeated line of music played by a particular performer. :  Jim just sat there and forgot his riff.  n. 2. a digression while speaking. (From sense 1.) :  If she didn't make so many riffs while she spoke, we could understand her better. - from slang dictionary on dictionary.com

I heard the word  "riff" not too long ago referring to writers using a similar theme or idea and twisting it up, changing it to something different to create a new story, something refreshing.

I suppose you could say we're all riffing on some original storyline.  Everything has been done before, no story is truly new.  What we do have in our writer toolbox, though, is our own psyche, our own take on the world. Made up of our own experiences, our own likes and dislikes, these experiences make up who we are as writers and thus influence our stories. No one else can create something as unique as we are. Our stories are unique to us.  And in turn we will find readers who are interested in our own riff on a story.

On that note, (pun intended) I give you my daughter's recipe for Gingerbread Waffles.  A riff off of Mark Bittman's Rich Buttermilk Waffle recipe in How to Cook Everything. I have to thank Mark for giving me a cookbook with suggestions on how to change up almost every recipe to suit one's unique taste.  These definitely suit my daughter, who has some mad love for anything gingerbread.

Photo credit: Hilde Vanstraelen. Gingerbread waffles will be significantly darker

Ana's Gingerbread Waffles

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup corn meal

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ginger

Wet Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup molasses

4 Tablespoons butter (melted)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl, mix wet ingredients separately, then combine.  Pour 1/4 cup into each side of waffle iron and cook for 4 minutes.

These waffles freeze well individually wrapped and toast up even better than when first made.  (Because of the molasses, these waffles are a dark brown and will also burn more easily when reheated.) ENJOY!

All About Christmas Cookies

What better time of year than now to talk about cookies.  This December I've been obsessed with trying different cookie recipes. I've already been gifted a box of homemade cookies by a friend and I'm contemplating doing the same in the very near future.  Even after the holidays, who wouldn't want a box of homemade cookies?? And what better to nibble when writing than a good cookie?

I am however, pressed for time.  There's a pun here, wait for it.  So instead of rolling out the traditional gingerbread cookies this year I decided to try the cookie press.  But I couldn't find a recipe to convert a box of Betty Crocker gingerbread/cookie mix into a press cookie.  So I ad-libbed.  And by golly it worked.  

 The recipe I came up with was a cross between the cake recipe and the cookie recipe.
Combine with the gingerbread mix:
1 egg

2 Tablespoons of melted butter
1/4 cup water (add this slowly, and watch so the consistency doesn't get too wet)

Place into the tube of a cookie press and create the shapes you want. Too bad they don't make a gingerbread man shaped disc! So, that's it. Easy homemade cookies.  I actually took these to a PTA meeting and everyone wanted the recipe.  I told them it was an old family recipe from Aunt Betty. ;)

Here are a few more cookie recipes for you to try:
I've been experimenting with Russian Tea cookies, Mexican Wedding cakes, or the cookie commonly referred to as Snowballs. I found this recipe on epicurious for Chai-Spiced Almond Cookies.
The idea of almonds and chai-spice dusted with lots of powdered sugar made my mouth water and they turned out delicious. Highly recommend these beauties with a cup of coffee.

My mother bakes springerle each year, a square anise flavored cake-like cookie that I could eat daily if they weren't so much work.  I found Browneyedbaker has this awesome Anise cookie worth trying. It's much easier than rolling out and cutting springerle (although if you've never had them, make them at least once. They are a delight).  This cookie recipe is easy and, well, I'm a sucker for powdered sugar icing especially when the kids add sprinkles. This cookie is also great with a cup of coffee. Hmm, I'm noticing a pattern in my cookie creation.

So what is your favorite holiday cookie tradition, and do you continue it with your family?  Got a great recipe you'd like to share?