oh snap!

Today I did something I hardly ever do, and I had a lot of fun. I baked cookies (and not ones purchased from a fund raiser that come in a frozen tub in pre-portioned ready-to-bake dough pieces). The majority of  these morsels will be donated to a holiday cookie fund raiser at our local YWCA, where I am a board member. These are probably my favorite cookies ever . . . ginger snaps made with little diced bits of crystallized ginger. If I do say so, they are really good!! So while I am not writing much poetry these days, I am truly enjoying the joys of the season (and I am wishing for snow!)

Ginger Snaps

Ingredients: 

4 c. flour

2 t. ground ginger

4 t. baking soda

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1 and 1/2 c. shortening

2 c. sugar (plus some on a plate)

1/2 c. molasses

2 eggs

[optional - but I always add --1/3 to 1/2 c. diced crystallized ginger]

Instructions: Mix ingredients. Chill dough in refrigerator for several hours to overnight. Remove from refrigerator and form into small, 1 in. balls and roll in sugar. Place on greased cooking sheet and press down with two fingers. Bake for 14 minutes at 350 degrees F. Makes about 6 dozen. (Bake 12 cookies per rectangular tray - and only one tray at a time - or they will burn.)