I love any cookies that have molasses in them and these soft, chew ginger cookies are no exception!  I don’t know why but I have been craving sweets here lately and what I love about cookies, is that you can just one or two to satisfy that craving instead of a huge piece of cake.  Hey, baby steps you know!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons white sugar (for rolling cookies)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium mixing bowl, blend flour, baking soda and spices together and set aside.  In another bowl, cream together butter and 1/2 cup of sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg until well mixed. Then add the molasses and mix to combine.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.  Using rounded teaspoonfuls (or not quite full tablespoons), form dough into balls the size of walnuts and roll them in the extra 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet, approximately two inches apart and lightly flatten.  Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Whipped up by Andrea.

Along with the holidays comes an abundance of sugary sweets and I don’t know about you but I’ve had enough.  I’m sure I gained a whopping 10lbs at the least after this Holiday’s feast and will be glad to get back to normal food.

One foodie family tradition I do welcome is the basket full of fruit courtesy of my parents.  They do this every year and it’s refreshing to have something healthy around to eat and a good distraction for my toddler’s craving of more sugar cookies!  They also bring an assortment of nuts so it’s  all good!  OH, and they always bring it in such a lovely basket for a beautiful presentation.  Of course, I didn’t get the basket in the picture but I assure you it’s lovely.

And Santa ALWAYS brings the kiddos fruit.  You know, he’s not only rewarding them for being good, he’s also trying to instill healthy eating habits too;)

Potential health benefits of eating fruit…

*potential for weight control
*more energy for exercising
*reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases
*reduced risk of developing cancers
*lower blood pressure
*potential to lower cholesterol
*reduced change of developing type 2 diabetes
*potential to slow down age process

Incorporate some fruit and reap the rewards of good health!

It can be quite easy to slip 5 pieces of fruit into the diet. Here are some tips..

1. Add dried fruit to breakfast cereal
2. Prepare fruit salads to last few days
3. Eat apple before leaving for work
4. Eat small piece 30 minutes before / after light workout
5. Drink more fruit juices
6. Find recipes that contain fruit
7. Always have a bowl of fruit in or near T.V

So for 2009, try buying a fruit basket as a family gift and encourage others to eat healthy!  What are your fruit eating habits and traditions?  Share in the comments and/or at A Spoonful of Flavor, the new foodie community.

I make these every Christmas. They are a big hit with the kids. I believe the recipe came form Pillsbury originally, but you can use any sugar cookie dough.

INGREDIENTS
1 roll refrigerated sugar cookies
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup vanilla ready-to-spread frosting (or make your own)
64 small pretzel twists
64 semisweet chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup)
16 gumdrops, cut in half

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough; work flour into dough until well blended. Shape roll of cookie dough into triangle-shaped log. (If dough is too soft to cut, place in freezer 30 minutes.)
2. With thin sharp knife, cut dough into 32 (1/4-inch-thick) triangular slices; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 7 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. Frost cookies with frosting. Place 2 pretzel twists on each triangle near corners for antlers. Lightly press 2 chocolate chips into each cookie for eyes and 1 halved gumdrop for nose. Store between sheets of waxed paper in tightly covered container.

Here’s an excellent recipe for sugar icing for sugar cookies!  Since so many are asking what “icing sugar” is on this Shortbread Cookies recipe, I thought I would also let you know that it’s really just powdered (confectioners) sugar!!  Most people in Canada & England use the term Icing Sugar where as most other countries use powdered or confectioners sugar term, which happen to be the same thing.

INGREDIENTS:

• * 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• * 2 teaspoons milk
• * 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• * 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• * assorted food coloring

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.

OH, and if you want some cute cookies to put this icing on, try the Reindeer Cookies!

Yes, I realize these Banana Popsicles are more of a summer treat but sometimes you just crave something that is cold!  These are super easy to make and just plain good.  It’s one of the few ways my oldest will eat a banana.  Hey, it’s better than eating no banana right?

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 or 4 bananas, peeled and halved.
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 (6-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate  chips
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Insert wood sticks into each banana.  This is optional and I chose not to do it but you may find it easier.  Brush bananas with orange juice.  Place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet, and freeze until firm.

Melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave or stove; stir to blend.  Cool slightly, then spoon over frozen bananas.  Immediately roll in chopped nuts.  Keep in freezer until serving time.