Mega-Ginger Cookies

Since I love to bake and cook, I am often handed a task to complete using some sort of ingredient that we have copious amounts of in our cupboards. This morning my mother laid out all the Ginger that we have in our possession and I went to task.

Ever want a soft & chewy delicious gingersnap? Well you found it standing and its shortest of 1" tall I give you the Mega-Ginger!!!!

Ginger too Old?
We had about 3 cups of Crystalized Ginger in our possession, that were beyond rock hard, it even burnt out our food processor. To solve this problem I soaked the Ginger in about 1 cup of water for 20 minutes, then microwaved it in this wet solution for a 1 minute and 30 seconds, this did the trick. Then I placed it in our food processor with about 2/3 cup of sugar like the recipe calls for since I was doubling it. You can do what ever Ginger you would like this is my solution for stale old hard rock like ginger.

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
2/3+ cup sugar
6 Tbs. Butter or Margarine, room temperature
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

In a mixer mix butter and sugar until fluffy (2 min). Then add ginger mixture, molasses, and egg. Beat to mix about 2 min. Now slowly add flour, soda, cinnamon and nutmeg to your butter mixture. Once thoroughly combined cover and put in fridge for at least 1 hour or more until firm.

Shape dough balls into generous 1 inch balls and coat in sugar by rolling them in white sugar. Place balls 2 to 3 inches apart on a greased baking sheet or nonstick. Bake at 350 for 15 min or until cookies are slightly browner.

Makes 1 1/2 dozen