Molasses Cookies

Today I'm going to share with your one of my most favorite cookie recipes ever. I have memories of baking these cookies with my Grandma, rolling out the dough, choosing the cookie cutters to use. My home just doesn't feel like Christmas until the smell of these baking in the oven fills the air. These cookies have been a part of my Christmas holiday my whole life.

These cookies don't have to be reserved for Christmas, they can be enjoyed all year-round! They're just as fun to do at Halloween too!

This recipe is large enough that you will have many cookies to give to friends and family, but beware, they will come back year after year asking you to make them again!

INGREDIENTS:

7 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cocoa powder
4 tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
4 tsp. ground cloves
2 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. molasses

In a medium bowl, sift together all dry ingredients, set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy, add sugar, beat until well blended. Beat in eggs and molasses. Gradually stir in flour mixture. blend well. You may add up to 1/2 cup more flour of dough is too sticky. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut dough into 4 portions, roll out each portion to about 1/4 inch thickness. Be sure to roll on a floured surface to avoid sticking. Use any cookie cutters of your choice. Place cookies on cookie sheets lined with parchment about 1-2 inches apart.

Bake cookies 10-12 minutes. Let stand about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Let cookies cool completely before frosting them.

ICING:

Frosting these cookies will take 3-4 pounds of powdered sugar. I usually make 4-5 colors of frosting for these cookies. This recipe is for 1 colored batch of frosting. You will need to make several batches to frost all the cookies in the recipe.

2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
food coloring
water

Mix all ingredients together. How much food coloring you use is entirely up to you, depending on the color you're going for. As for the water, just mix in about 1 Tbsp to start, and add a few drops at a time until your frosting is desired thickness. This frosting dries pretty firm no matter how tick or thin you make it.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for about two or three weeks, but they probably won't last that long anyway!

PHOTO COMING SOON!

Corned Beef Hash Pinwheels

Today I'm cooking something called Corned Beef Hash Pinwheels. I adapted the recipe from one that my Grandmother taught me when I was little. It's basically a can of corned beef hash rolled into some biscuit dough. These little rolls make a great snack, picnic food, or quick dinner. Kids love them, and you can pop one in their lunch box for school. They taste good hot or cold.


Ingredients:

• 3 cups Bisquick Mix
• 1 cup milk (you may need a little extra)
• 4 Tbsp butter - softened
• 1 large can (or two small cans) corned beef hash
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• garlic powder
• dried minced onions (or onion powder)
• ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine Bisquick mix and milk until a soft dough forms. If it is too dry, add a little more milk, and if you get it too wet, you can always add a little more Bisquick to dry it up.

Roll out your dough to a 1/4 inch thickness, about 26 inches long, and 6-8 inches wide.

Spread a thin layer of the softened butter over the dough, then spoon the corned beef hash on top. Be sure to spread both evenly to cover the entire surface of the biscuit dough. After that, sprinkle on the cheddar cheese in a thin, even layer.

Sprinkle a little of each of the remaining ingredients over the cheese, it's really up to you how much you use. I would say not to use more than a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic and pepper.

If you're using dried minced onions, you can probably use a good teaspoon of those, if you're using onion powder, a 1/4 teaspoon should be enough.

Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll the cylinder seam side down. Gently squeeze the cylinder to create even thickness. Using a serrated knife, slice the cylinder into 1 inch slices, making about 25 pinwheels.

Place them on a greased cookie sheet about an inch apart, and bake them for 8-10 minutes, or until they are lightly browned.