Gingerbread boys

mix
1 /3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups black molasses

stir in
1/2 cup cold water

then add:
1 t. salt
2 t. allspice
2 t. ginger
2 t. cloves
2 t. cinammon
2 tsp. soda dissolved in 3 T. cold water
7 cups flour - I think the dough became so stiff that I could add only 5 cups of flour.

oven - 350
bake 15-18 min.

chill the dough and then roll out thick 1/2 inch dough and cut with cookie cutter
add your raisin or candy eyes, etc. After baking use icing to pipe on embellishments. Can use twizzlers (unbraided) for bow ties and trim.

I think we made a butter cream icing made with lots of butter and cream (and sugar).

Molasses crinkles

Mix
3/4 cup butter - I melt it for ease of mixing
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses

Add
2 t. soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. coloves
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
2 cups flour

chill dough and then roll into balls and then roll in sugar.
grease your baking sheet.
375 degree oven
10-12 minutes.

I always double this recipe. You can freeze the balls and bake some later.

snickerdoodles

1 cup butter - two sticks - melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs

mix these together

add
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
mix well
add 2 3/4 cups unbleached white flour

chill the dough. Roll into walnut sized balls. Roll in 2 T sugar and 2 t. cinnamon (mixed).

bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.
ungreased cookie sheet.

Green Papaya Salad

this is the same as Green Mango Salad

but...

add lime juice - a lot
1 small tomato or a cherry tomato
use papaya - green and hard

mix well

Green Mango Salad

whole Thai Basil - remove from stem
1 clove garlic - mushed - (can mince)
2-3 T sugar and 1 t salt
1 thai chili or equivalent red pepper flakes
handful of peanuts - crushed
1 T fish sauce
1 mango - unripe - hard, peel and shred (like cabbage for cole slaw)

mix with your hands in a large bowl.