Tasty Ginger Cookies

For the past few years I've helped host a Cookie Exchange party every December with good friends. This party always gets me in the Christmas spirit and it's fun to sample everyone's cookies. Have you ever been to a cookie exchange party? They are great because you bake a big batch of your favorite cookies and then you swap them and get a ton of variety. It's great to hand out all these goodies to neighbors, teachers, and co-workers.
My friends and I will be hosting another cookie exchange this December so you'll need to come back to see how it went. These ginger cookies are some of my favorites! They would be perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I got the recipe from one of my favorite bakeries, The Black Dog. My family loves to go there every summer and get the most yummy breakfasts, and goodies.

GINGER COOKIES RECIPE
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh ginger
11/2 cups canola oil
3 cups granulated sugar, plus 1 cup for rolling dropped cookie dough
3/4 cup molasses
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
7 cups pastry flour

1. Preheat oven to 350* F
2. Mix the fresh ginger with one half cup of the oil in a food processor until well-minced.
3. In a large mixing bowl blend 3 cups of the sugar, molasses and eggs.
4. Strain the minced ginger/oil mixture, reserving the liquid, plus the remaining cup of oil to the egg mixture and blend until smooth.
5. In a separate bowl mix together the salt, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and flour.
6. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and blend well.
7. Either line your cookie sheets with parchment paper, or grease with butter.
8. Scoop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls and roll in the reserved cup of granulated sugar.
9. Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for eight to twelve minutes, just until the tops crack and the cookies are flat.
10. Cool completely on wire racks. Enjoy!
MAKES ABOUT EIGHT DOZEN COOKIES

What are some of your favorite cookie recipes? If you would like to send some recipes to me, then we could have an on-line cookie exchange party! I would love to share your recipes, but they have to be your favorite. Please send me a picture and the recipe to: tracylaverty@gmail.com by December 3rd. Won't it be great to get some tried and true favorite recipes? Now go get baking!