Maureen Post
Staff Writer
Ginger snaps

Ingredients:

1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together the sugars, molasses, shortening, butter, egg and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
3. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
4. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and beat while adding the water. Continue to mix until ingredients are incorporated.
5. Measure a heaping teaspoon of dough at time. Roll the dough into a sphere between the palms of your hands then press the dough onto the cookie. Flatten to about 1/8-inch thick.
6. Bake cookies for 10-14 minutes or until edges begin to brown and cookies are crispy when cool.

Bobby Tanzilo
Managing Editor
Brasato al Barolo
Although I almost never make roasts, nothing quite says holiday like a roast, so I submit to you this timeless classic, brasato al Barolo, which I usually alter to brasato alla Barbera, since I prefer Barbera and it's considerably more cost-effective, too.

Ingredients:

A roughly three-pound chuck eye or rump roast (don't opt for something too lean or it will become dry)
A bottle of Barbera (although you can substitute your favorite full-bodied red wine; I wouldn't suggest a rose')
One stalk of celery (sliced), one large carrot (sliced) and one large onion (diced)
A bay leaf
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper

Directions: Marinate the meat, bay leaf and the vegetables in the wine overnight.

Remove the meat and pat dry. Use twine to tie up the roast so it will maintain its shape. Heat the olive oil and butter in a stovetop roasting pan and brown the meat on all sides. Add the marinade back in and reduce the heat to low. Cover and braise the meat at a very low temperature for about two hours; a little more if you like it well done, a little less if you like it on the rare side. Consult your meat thermometer!

Remove the roast and cut the twine off. Scoop out the vegetables with a slotted spoon and blend them. Remove the fat from the braising sauce and add the pureed veggies back in. Pour the liquid over the meat and serve.

Andy Tarnoff
Publisher
Matzo ball soup
Hanukah dinners in my family aren't a huge deal, but when we get together, you can count on potato latkes (a.k.a potato pancakes) and matzo ball soup. In fact, you can count on matzo ball soup at just about any holiday, so here's my mom's excellent recipe:

Ingredients:

4 eggs, slightly beaten
4 tablespoons of oil
4 tablespoons of ice cold water
1 cup matzo meal
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoons of pepper
Container of chicken soup

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. After mixing, cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Fill a large pot with eight cups of water and one teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. The matzo balls will expand in the pot as they cook, so choose a large pot to allow for expansion. After the water comes to a boil, reduce the flame to low. Take the mixture out from the refrigerator and in your hand gently make the balls. Make sure that your hands are wet before proceeding to make the balls. Slowly add the newly formed balls to the hot water.

Cook for 30 minutes, then turn off fire, but keep the pot covered and let it cool for another 10 minutes.