Upsides to the Down Economy/ Sweet Molasses!

When I did an earlier post on best natural sweeteners, I left out one- Blackstrap Molasses. Just a tablespoon provides 15 percent of the daily iron requirement for premenopausal women, as well as vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium and more antioxidants than any other natural sweetener. Some ways to add it to your food: Stir a few tablespoons into baked beans, pour over a baked sweet potato or (my favorite) in Molasses Sugar Cookies. Here is the easy recipe, saved from an old Bon Appetit.

Makes about 5 dozen

Molasses Sugar Cookies
   3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
   1 cup sugar
   1/4 cup light unsulfered molasses
   1 egg
   2 cups sifted all purpose flour
   2 teaspoons baking soda
   1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   1 teaspoon ground cloves
   1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   pinch ground nutmeg

   Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter heavy large cookie sheets. Melt shortening in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Pour into large bowl and let stand until cool, but not set. Mix in 1 cup sugar, molasses and egg. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt and nutmeg in small bowl. Stir into shortening mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for 10 minutes.
   Shape dough into 1 inch diameter balls. Roll each in sugar, coating completely. Place on prepared cookie sheets spacing 2 inches apart. bake until cookies are just barely set (surface may crack), about 8 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.

Some of the ingredients for Molasses Sugar Cookies

Yummy cookies

I sent a batch of these to my niece Kate for her birthday, which is this Monday. I also sent some to my son and niece Allison in Tallahassee. Allison- if you didn't get your cookies, talk to Chris. And enjoy!