Ginger Snap cookies

 When I was a little girl we never had  store-bought cookies.  We never had store bought much of anything as Butterfield, Mn., population 612, had few stores to buy anything from...not a bakery, not even a deli!!  My Mom thought store bought cookies and packaged food in general was bad for you, so we had  our cookie jar full of homemade cookies.  I don't remember it ever being empty.  My Mom had a vast selection of cookie recipes; gingersnaps being one of the standard favorites.   The Greeks like these cookies too.  The flavor hints at melomakarona, the traditional cinnamon cookie dripping with syrup.  Even though I live in a town with at least three bakeries--(there is usually a bakery every block in all Greek villages and cities). I still love baking my favorite childhood cookies; and eating them too!  So grab a glass of milk or a cup of tea and as my nephew Sean used to say "let's have some broken cookies". (you'll understand when you take them out of the oven.)

1 1/2 cups shortening or margarine
1 1/2 cup brown sugar (light)
1/2  cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 teas. baking soda
3 teas. cinnamon
1 teas. cloves
2 teas. ginger
1/2 teas. salt
     Cream shortening and sugars together; beat in eggs, add molasses and beat very well. Add sifted dry ingredients that you've mixed together.  If the dough is too gooey to roll into balls, add a bit more flour.  Roll into 1 inch golf ball-size balls; roll in sugar (in a small bowl).  Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake in moderate oven -375 F. or 185 C. for about 15 minutes.  I usually make half of this recipe as this makes 5 dozen cookies.
You can eat 5 dozen at one sitting :)
ENJOY!