Garam Masala Cookies

These are SO GOOD. Seriously. Try them. Serve them to your friends and have them guess the mystery ingredient.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cream together:

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. white sugar

Add:

1 tsp. garam masala

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Stir together and then add:

1 c. flour

Spoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. I use a two-tablespoon cookie scoop, but a heaping (single) tablespoon should give you about the right size.

Bake for 9 - 10 minutes, just until browned. So delicious.

Yamcakes

Toddler paradise: yams and pancakes! At the same time!

Stir together the dry ingredients:

1 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Beat together the wet ingredients:

1 c. buttermilk

2 eggs

3 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 small yam, mashed (about 1 - 1.5 cups) -- if you don't have enough yam, try a mixture of yam and banana

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until mixed. If the mixture seems too thick, add a small amount of buttermilk to thin it out (it should be thick but pourable).

Cook over medium heat.

Adapted from this recipe on Epicurious, which inexplicably calls for pancake mix.