Cooking / Baking

[Jadian]

I suck at cooking. I can bake, though.

And I have a recipe to share with you all (i.e. you lurkers who don't post but seem to be viewing if the "number of views" column is any indication):

Ginger Cookies People Will Kill For

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups butter
2 eggs

2 tsp ginger
4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg

1. beat the wet ingredients together
2. sift in the dry ingredients
3. cool the dough in the fridge for an hour - don't skip this step!
4. oven should be 350 degrees
5. greased cookie sheet, dollop of dough (no rolling needed)
6. if you want to be fancy, roll the cookie-sized dough balls in white sugar first
7. cookies need 8-12 minutes, depending on size and oven dependability.

Seriously, I have made this recipe for a decade or more and it never fails to please. I used to make it with my mom, who copied the recipe and passed it on to everyone, then I made it in my dorms when I was away from home (and passed on the recipe to everyone) - now I make it in my own house and take a couple dozen to the office to ensure ongoing popularity. And i'm always getting asked for the recipe.

Anyone else have something good to share?

[Shadowcat]

I'll play. Here's my mother's recipe for Burbon Balls. First, I have to warn you. When you first make these they are hella strong. You're not supposed to eat them right away. They actually get better the longer you can keep your hands off them. I recommend letting them sit for AT LEAST three to five days before handing them out. My mother used to store them in the basement up to three weeks, so it's not like you have to count the days.

My mother used to make these with the regular cookies, and then she started only making them for my brother. Spoiled brat.

Burbon Balls

2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup powdered sugar or granulated sugar
1.5 tbsp cocoa

1.5 cup finely chopped walnuts
3 tbsp corn syrup
1.5 cup burbon

waxed paper
several containers with lids

Mix the vanilla wafers, cocoa, walnuts, and 2/3 of the sugar together. Add corn syrup and mix. Slowly add the burbon while mixing until wet. Take a teaspoon, scoop out some of the dough, and roll it into about a 1 to 1.5 inch ball. Roll in the remaining sugar to coat. Place on wax paper. Roll out the rest of the dough into balls. Transfer to closed container in fridge. You're going to want to place them down on waxed paper in the container in layers. Make sure it has a good lid. They're going to ferment a bit as they settle. Serve at room temperature about a week later.

You might not want to hand them out at work like I did. I swear that two of my co-workers got a little tipsy from them. I didn't make them early enough, so I handed them out after only a couple of days. Wow, they were strong! They do mellow with more time. They're great, though! Chocolate booze cookies.