Missing Sodus
By Melissa White

mgoodcooke@yahoo.com

It doesn't matter how much you try to talk yourself into the Winter's coming, you just can't be ready for that first blast of frigid air and the amount of snow that can accumulate in the driveway in a short period of time. Of course hibernation is not an option but wouldn't it be nice to go out only if you wanted to? We'd only see family, friends and neighbors a few months out of the year, but we would be warm and cozy. But life goes on, so dress as warm as you can and remember to put on moisturizer.

It's Holiday time and time for baking cookies:

Ginger Cookies From Food Network Kitchens

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 5 cracks freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 tablespoons ginger preserves (see cook's note)
• Whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, mustard, salt and black pepper together in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and the sugars with a hand mixer or electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat on medium speed until just incorporated, about 20 seconds. Add the molasses and ginger preserves and continue beating until the batter is an even light brown color, 30 seconds more.
• Add the dry ingredients all at once, beating slowly to make a soft, smooth dough. Use a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are combined. Then beat again for 20 seconds. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate the dough until firm, about 25 minutes.
• Put about 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. With a cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop, portion the dough into a slightly heaping tablespoon for each cookie. Roll the dough, by hand, into balls. Roll the tops of the balls in the sugar, and space them 2 inches apart on a nonstick or lightly oiled cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 25 minutes. (The chilling is what gives this cookie a beautiful, crackly crunch on top, and a soft, chewy center.)
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake until the top is crackly, and the insides peeking out are dark and moist but not raw, about 15 to 20 minutes. Briefly cool the cookies on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Serve or store in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 weeks.

Cook's Notes

Ginger preserves give lots of flavor without the hard chunks of crystallized ginger. They are found in most grocery stores.

What's up at the Sodus Free Library?

Christmas Bread & Cookie Sale

Pick up goodies for teachers, mailmen, paper deliverers, hairdressers, and anyone else you want to remember at Christmas. The Friends of the Sodus Free Library are sponsoring their 3rd annual Christmas Bread Sale, and this year they're adding cookies. Yummm! Everything will be wrapped and ready to give to someone special. Make sure to pick up a few things for family, too!

The sale will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 15, and continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, December 16. Any donations of baked goods will be gratefully accepted the mornings of the sale.

Snowy days at the library? As the snow starts to fall and the highways get slick, we wanted to let everyone know that when Sodus schools are closed due to weather, the library will also be closed. When this happens, all materials due on that day will be extended until the day we reopen. If you're in doubt about traveling or about whether we're open or not, please call us at 315.483.9292 before you head out on those slippery roads!

As television, radio, and newspapers have recently reported, the holiday shopping season is in full swing. Many of us prefer to avoid the crowds and the chaos by shopping online. There is now a unique opportunity to combine year-round online shopping with fundraising for libraries.

For all purchases made through the Shop for the Library website, participating merchants will donate a portion of the sale to libraries. More than 750 online merchants are participating, including Target, Macy's, Barnes & Noble, Circuit City, Sears, Gap, CompUSA, Eddie Bauer, Dell, Staples, Sharper Image, and OfficeMax. Check out the entire list at the website, shop from the comfort of your home, and help raise funds for the library at the same time. There is no charge to join, and you will pay the same prices you would at the stores' websites.

Join today, and remember to specify the Sodus Free Library as your choice to receive a percentage of your purchases. We'll report any funds received on the blog, so that everyone can see the benefit of shopping for the library.

The Wallington fireworks scheduled for Sunday, December 18 have been cancelled.

At the L.W.Emporium: For the month of December, Tuesday -Friday, open until 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed at 5. Mondays, closed.

Holiday Snickerdoodles (Cookie Exchange Quantity)

Red and green sugars dress up a best-loved cookie for the holidays.

• 2 tablespoons Betty Crocker Decors red sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons Betty Crocker Decors green sugar
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2e ggs
• 2 3/4 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• In large bowl, beat sugar, shortening, butter and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Roll in sugar-cinnamon mixtures. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until centers are almost set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

If you are out and about this weekend in Sodus and see what the scent of the month candle is at My Sister's Side door, you can receive a free candle tart. When you buy candles, do be very careful. Believe me, when you have a cat, nothing is safe. My animals always amaze me at the things they can come up with to do. A few years ago, I had a harvest scented candle way up on the entertainment center. I was sitting in the room with it. My cat, Angel, decided to quietly jump up onto the center where the candle was lit. Suddenly, there was the worst smell and Angel's tail was smoking. He didn't get burned and fortunately, he has a lot of fur on his tail. I never thought he could or would get up there, so now, on top of the refrigerator or mantel are safer.

Have a great and safe week. Try to enjoy the snow. (I know it's a tough one.) I used to watch my kids play outside in the snow through the kitchen window and call things out to them so they would feel like I was there. (Give me a warm fire, books and hot chocolate anyday.)

Enjoy your week and each other while you get ready for the Christmas season. If you have any traditions you'd like to share, please write to me at mgoodcooke@yahoo.com

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