Giant Ginger Cookies

I made these seriously scrumptious cookies yesterday.  I ate 4 of them - 4 giant cookies...and I ran sprints this morning.  Good luck...

Giant Ginger Cookies

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (when I make these again, I will only use 4 to 4 1/4 cups flour)

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups shortening

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

3/4 cup coarse Demerara, turbinado, or granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; set aside.

2. In a large bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the 2 cups granulated sugar.  Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally.  Beat in eggs and molasses until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture. 

3. Place the 3/4 cup demerara sugar in a small bowl.  Using a #20 ice cream scoop or a 1/4-cup measure, shape dough into 2-inch balls.  Roll balls in coarse sugar to coat.  Place 2 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  **I did 6 cookies per sheet**

4. Bake in preheated oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned and tops are puffed (do not overbake).  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.  Makes about 24 cookies.

You can find the original recipe from Better Homes & Gardens here:

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/giant-ginger-cookies/

Catching Up

I've been neglecting this blog!  Here is a real quick catch-up!

Miss H turned 6 months.  Time is going so fast.  She is now 18 lbs (my first baby under 20 lbs at this age), sitting up and eating solids.  She loves music and grabbing everything in sight.  She is also sleeping through the night which is just lovely.

Next up, Bryan.  He celebrated his 32nd birthday by getting beat up (you should see the other guy  :) ).  He took a good left hook to the eye and survived 51 other punches - no joke, I counted and it was awful.  And yes, he wants to fight again...  Don't judge his cake too harshly, the kids were great helpers!

We also celebrated Big R's birthday this month.  He invited a friend and we all headed to Chuck-e-Cheese.  He wasn't too cool with the actual Chuck-e though.  This was as close as Big R would get (GBJ looks slightly terrified as well).

And lastly, our basement is coming along!  We are all insulated, sheet rocked and painted!  I am still picking paint out of my hair and fingernails.  Next up - flooring.  Bamboo in the entrance and office, tile in hallway and bathroom, mats everywhere else, should be fun...

First Christmas

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.  Ours was great.  My sister Katie was able to be here, the kids had a blast opening gifts and wreaking havoc throughout the house, we ate lots of yummy food and I got a KINDLE!

Miss H enjoyed her first Christmas.  She is quickly approaching the 6 month mark.  She is trying her hardest to sit up on her own, loves rolling around on the floor and gets funner everyday.  She is in the "eating everything" stage which the boys find extremely amusing.

Life sure is good.

Chub-ee

Apparently babies only come in one size in our family...

XL

I know, all of you immediately start thinking of GBJ.
Here is a quick look-back in case you never had the privilege of beholding him in all his fat dripping glory.

Okay, he wasn't XL, he was more like XXXL
OH, my back starts aching just thinking about him.

While Miss H is not quite that massive, she is holding her own back in the XL department. 

Here's the breakdown:

94th percentile for height

85th for weight (a whopping 16 lbs)

and well

24th for head circumference. 

 Hopefully her body will slow down so her head can catch up...

But still as yummy as ever!

4 Months

"Girls are Made of

Sugar and Spice

and Everything Nice"

Oh, so true...

My baby is four months old.  Time is going by so fast!

Don't you just want to eat her up??!!

Just because...

...these pictures make me smile. :)

Happy post-Halloween

This years cast - in order of appearance:

Cruella DeVille, Baby Dalmation, Luke Skywalker, Army Man, Army Man, Sonic the Hedgehog

We made it through another year. My house survived (barely :) ) the annual family get-together, the candy bags have been safely stashed and I finally got a decent night sleep.

Now, onto Thanksgiving!

(don't worry, we haven't forgotten you, even though the retail market has)