Memories of molasses

The other night I had a dream about my Aunt and Uncle...
I spent a lot of time at their house when I was growing up... It's where everyone gathered... He planted a big garden that we all shared so most every summer day was spent there...when my mom was ill and in the hospital I would stay with them. My cousins were 8 and 10 years older so there was much torture and much fun with them.  I can remember waiting up for them to come home from dates. 

My Uncle was the sheriff of our small home town.  Think growing up in Mayberry but with odd people always stopping by to see if they can get their family member out of jail, borrow money for gas, or get Uncle Red to go to talk to someone about something...

One of the things I recall is how many odd things came his way because of being sheriff in a small town...I've tasted moonshine, gone joy riding in cars that were confiscated and remember people frequently bringing him fresh watermelons and Sorghum molasses....

Quite frequently for breakfast at their house we had biscuits and syrup (molasses)...After I was grown and not living there, anytime I would come back my aunt would ask what I wanted her to cook for me and my request was always biscuits and syrup and rice and gravy... If she got up not wanting to fix homemade biscuits my uncle would coax her into it for me...

I can remember the syrup was in a big can with a lid you pryed off like a paint can and it sat permanently on a plate because it was stuck to the plate... I bought a small jar of it recently and don't think it's quite the same without the big can.

I remember as a little girl, someone stopped by and brought him a fresh can of syrup one afternoon and he decided we needed to make cookies with it.  My aunt was not happy about him in her kitchen and if I recall correctly, there was no recipe involved only a fun loving uncle who took great pleasure in bothering his wife!
All went well until he burned up the motor on her hand mixture...

Those were good cookies that left a great memory.

My same sweet uncle gave me away at my wedding and though my kids haven't been around him much, they L.O.V.E. him to pieces!  But, all kids do... I wish we lived near by so my kids could have a grandfather figure... he was a great stand in dad for me!

So, after dreaming about him the other night, I told Kellie we needed to make him some Molasses cookies and mail to him. 

He would be ashamed of me because she said "what is molasses"?

We made them today... We will mail them if there are any left...They are exactly like I remember from being a kid and wish I had doubled the recipe!!!

Ginger Molasses Cookies  (adapted from Tastee Kitchen recipe)

•1 whole Egg


•1 cup Sugar

•¾ cups Margarine

•4 Tablespoons Molasses

•1 teaspoon Cinnamon

•1 teaspoon Ginger

•2-½ teaspoons Baking Soda

•¼ teaspoons Salt

•2 cups Flour

•1 cup Sugar, For Rolling Cookies In
 
Mix the egg, sugar, margarine, and molasses until combined.


Sift together cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, and flour. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Don’t over-mix. Form into small balls and roll in sugar. Place dough in fridge for a about an hour makes rolling into balls easier.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Really, your going to want to double this recipe!