Ginger Cookies

As it turns out, my planned shortbread baking extravaganza got hijacked this week, when Logan ended up getting sick.  Crotte!  Though I have to admit that I knew we were due for it, as he's barely had anything more than a slight cough since he was born.  And now that he's in daycare, I figured he'd start bringing home every bug that exists to man.  And it started this week. 

As I type this, I am dreaming of my bed, and actually being able to lie in it for more than an hour at a time.  Turns out that the poor little guy has a flu and a double ear infection.  Which essentially means that he's been up screaming every hour or so the past few nights.  Add to that that Chloé still needs to be fed and you get... a bit of a zombie who is still wearing pyjamas because I don't have any clean clothes that fit right now... (but the clothes are finally in the wash at least!).

So no Christmas cookies in the house just yet... just doesn't feel quite Christmasy without Christmas cookies.  Never mind without snow!  I'd even bought everything I needed to make some cute decorated cut out sugar cookies this year, but it looks like those may have to wait until next year.  

I also have to skip Jerome's work Christmas party tonight, as we didn't want to leave a poor 18 year old with a screaming Logan (nor did I want Logan to have to be with someone he doesn't know when he's feeling so crappy).  I had been tossing whether to bake cookies when Logan goes to bed tonight (since he doesn't start waking until 10pm or so) or just go to bed with him at 7pm.  And I had a sneaking suspicion that the latter would win... 

So, in the absence of any Christmas cookies at all (well, other than the half batch of chocolate chocolate shortbread that I froze), and knowing that I won't have the energy to bake once Jerome leaves tonight, I chose to make these cookies this afternoon.  They're a big batch cookie, so if I don't find any more time between now and the holidays to bake, at least I'll have a few dozen cookies on hand. 

I got this recipe years and years ago from Katie, when we were in undergrad. That is, more than 15 years ago. Wow... can you believe it has been that long that I've known you?  And I'm still making your cookies most Christmases :)  I threw a screaming Chloé in a sling, encouraged a screaming Logan to watch as I mixed the cookies up and to help press down the tops of them with a fork.  This quickly transformed a screaming household into a small piece of quiet.  Again, I can't wait until the kids are actually old enough to partake in some of this baking and can enjoy it along with me.

2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 C shortening or butter, softened (I used butter)
3/4 C molasses
2 eggs
4 1/2 C flour
4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
1/3 C granulated sugar

1.  Cream first four ingredients.  Add remaining ingredients and mix together.

2.  Make small balls and roll in sugar, then press with a fork.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees Farenheit for 10-12 minutes.

Makes approximately 7 dozen cookies (I got 5 dozen).

Dairy-free if made with shortening instead of butter.