Snowball Ice Cream

We've had quite a bit of snow this winter. When we get a good snow fall I like to make snowball ice cream for my girls. My mom used to make this for my sisters and I growing up in New England (where we get a lot of snow). It's fun for kids to make and enjoy on a winter day. 

Ingredients:

Clean, fresh snow 

Sugar

Vanilla

Pitted cherries and juice of cherry

Sprinkles

Mix sugar (usually a few tablespoons) and a tablespoon of vanilla in a bowl and then scoop into individual sized cups. For the toppings add as much or as little of each to make your snowball ice cream. It really ends up being like a slushy. Kids really go crazy for the idea that you can make your own sweet treat with snow in the backyard. 

What's not to love eating snowball ice cream in warm cozy pajamas? Have you made snowball ice cream before? Hope you try it the next time it snows, or next winter. I think we are done with snow now- right Mother Nature?

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!