Odds and Ends

I have been running all day long and am just waiting for dinner to finish up. I spent the afternoon making gluten-free Christmas goodies - molasses cookies, fruitcake and poppyseed cake ( since my dear husband has to eat gluten-free.) The one that smelled the very best was the molasses cookies; they came out fabulous!

4 cups all-purpose flour
(OR 2 cups rice flour , 1 cup buckwheat flour & 1 cup masa harina & 1/2 tsp xanthan gum for a Gluten Free cookie)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 325°F. and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter, shortening, and 3 cups sugar until light and fluffy and beat in molasses. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture and combine well. In a small shallow bowl put remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Form dough into 2-inch balls and roll in sugar. On baking sheets arrange balls about 4 inches apart and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake cookies in batches in middle of the oven 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. (Cookies should be soft.) Transfer cookies with a metal spatula to racks to cool.