There is nothing like a hearty pot pie to warm you up on these dark, rainy winter nights we’re having. My little brother got me this wonderful cookbook for Christmas in 2007, and I have been loving it over the past couple of years.

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Okay, okay, I know it’s silly, but it’s a family joke to call these cookies “Gingies” – I think when my little brother was, well, little, we put “y” at the end of every word, and we never stopped even though he’s 21 years old now!

This recipe has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. In high school, I gave these out with a recipe card to all of my girlfriends. It’s the best recipe I’ve found for making gingerbread that is soft and chewy instead of dry and crispy.

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One of my favorite Vintage Victuals tips is to use fresh, pure ingredients when you can. After Halloween, we slice open the pumpkins that we don’t carve, clean out all the stringy junky stuff and the seeds, cut the flesh into chunks, and put it in a pot! Add a little bit of water to the bottom and cook on low for about 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fork-tender. Drain well and smash with a potato-smasher (or a food processor, depending on what texture you like). Voila! You have a great, fresh ingredient to put in your pies, breads, and soups! Also, cooked pumpkin freezes well. I put mine in ziplock freezer bags so that I can thaw-and-snip.

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