Festivus

As I type this, I am enjoying a cool glass of Soy Nog (spiced with nutmeg, a stick of cinnamon, and possibly, maybe, improbably, a splash of spiced rum) and a delicious molasses spice cookie, warm from the oven. Eartha Kitt sings "Santa Baby" in the background. My mind wanders to pages 47-48 of Mark Kurlansky's "1968: The Year that Rocked the World", where he details Kitt's shocking toast at a dinner given by Lady Bird Johnson, opposing the war in Vietnam and nearly defending illegal drug use among young people.

After a day at work at J.C. Penney, dealing with all the crazies doing their last-minute shopping, I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing than relaxing right here at home, in my gaudy Christmas sweater, getting ready to watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, White Christmas, or It's a Wonderful Life. I don't care how cheesy it sounds.

I've been using the same recipe for Christmas cookies for the past several years, stolen from Better Homes and Gardens' "Christmas Comfort & Joy", published in Des Moines (fittingly) in 2002. It may be the world's most domestic book, and thus, its recipes are top-notch. This one is pretty easy to follow and fills the house with the most festive scent imaginable.

Soft Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c butter, softened
1 c sugar plus 2 tbsp
1 egg
1/4 c molasses

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer beat butter for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup sugar. Beat until fluffy.
2. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Add half the flour mixture; beat until combined. Stir in remaining flour mixture with a wooden spoon.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in 2 tbsp sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes or until light brown and puffed. Let cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Makes about 36 cookies.

Merry Christmahanukkwanzaa to all of you, dear readers, and enjoy your celebrating.