In the US each Presidential election year, they holds a cookie recipe contest between the current First Lady and the spouse of the opposing candidate.
So why can't we have one for Ontario? So here we go. I would have included the NDP but for some strange reason the media has never asked NDP leader Andrea Horwath for her recipes.
Ginger Snaps by Jane Rounthwaite (Spouse of Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne)
VS
Chocolate-peanut butter balls by Deb Hutton (Spouse of PC Leader Tim Hudak)
So which do you prefer? Recipes below.
Ginger snaps by Jane Rounthwaite (Spouse of Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne)
Cream 3/4 cup butter (I have also used margarine) with 2 cups sugar. Stir in the following ingredients:
2 well-beaten eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 tsp vinegar
Sift, and add:
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I only use a little over 3 cups, which makes the cookies chewy, and not rock-hard)
1 1/2 tsp soda
2-3 tsp ginger (I use at least 3)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
(I also add about a 1/4 teaspoon salt because I always bake with unsalted butter or margarine)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325F.
Mix ingredients until blended.
Form dough into 3/4-inch balls. (I dip one side of each ball in coloured sprinkles before I put them on the cookie sheet.)
Bake on a greased cookie sheet for about 12 minutes (could be less than that depending on the heat of your oven. If the cookies have flattened out and started to show the cracks on top, then they are ready).
Makes about 8 dozen 2-inch cookies (I’ve never found it makes that many — maybe 6-8 dozen.)
Chocolate-peanut butter balls by Deb Hutton (Spouse of PC Leader Tim Hudak)
1 cup (250 mL) crunchy peanut butter
1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, melted
6 ounces (180 g) semi-sweet baker's chocolate
1-inch cube paraffin wax
In large mixing bowl, stir together peanut butter, sugar and butter. Roll into 1 inch (2.5 cm.) balls and place on baking sheet in fridge to cool one hour.
In double boiler or aluminum mixing bowl fitted onto medium pot over 2 inches (5 cm.) of boiling water, melt chocolate and paraffin. Stir to combine. Using fingers, or toothpick inserted into top of balls, dip chilled peanut butter balls into melted chocolate mixture and place onto wax paper-lined plate. Chill in fridge one hour. Serve chilled.
Store in airtight container in fridge up to one week or in freezer up to one month.
Makes about 40 balls.
