Ot but not - holiday cookies!

This fits in with my theory about why birthday cakes have no calories. Here goes: There are calories in cake, and that's negative. There are calories in frosting, and that's negative, too. However, everybody who has ever taken a basic science class knows that two negatives equal a positive, so if you put frosting (-) on cake (-), it makes the frosted cake positive(+), which, of course, means no calories. And that is why birthday cakes are always frosted!

Just in the Nick of time, Ginger, thank you. Today is the great cookie production day. Problems already. The cookie book insists that butter be room temperature - not chilled, not squishy - just a lovely consistency for creaming beautifully. Finding 'no' place in the kitchen appropriately warm, I had to resort to desperate measures. I am sitting here at my keyboard with a stick of butter under each arm. Polly

"Ginger in CA"

I should know better than to have my coffee cup to my lips when the header says "here is a posting from Polly".

Please come to California and clean my monitor. It's no warmer here, so the butter still won't be squishy, though.

G> Just in the Nick of time, Ginger, thank you. =A0Today is the great cookie

How many vote for our Polly to write a cook book of Southern-style recipes complete with tips on how to overcome 'situations'? I can see a new bride with Polly's book in one hand, a confident expression on her face and sticks of butter under her arms..... and reassuring her new DH that this *is* the correct way to soften butter! ROFLOL

Leslie & The Furbabies in 'We're Iced-In' MO.

Please come to California and clean my monitor. It's no warmer here, so the butter still won't be squishy, though.

G> Just in the Nick of time, Ginger, thank you. Today is the great cookie

The butter idea was inspired by our beloved Erma Bombeck. She told us a tale about stopping at the dry cleaners with frozen porkchops under her arms - thawing them for supper. Oh my, how I loved her. Polly

I second the notion of a Polly cookbook! I saw Erma Bombeck at the grocery store in Scottsdale once. (I lived there at the time) It still ranks up there with one of my best celebrity sightings. I also saw Sylvester Stallone and his then-wife Bridgette Nielsen at the grocery store too.........not one of my best sightings.....wait....was it Sly?? I've forgotten. Maybe it was Bridgette and the pro football player she married after Sly. See? It wasn't even on the same plane as seeing Erma!!!! (I also met Barry Goldwater at the blood donation place...he shook my toddler son's hand. Nice man.) I wanted to go up to Erma and say "do you know who you are?? I do!!" She probably would have been very gracious, but I didn't want to bother her.

Oh, Polly.....how funny! Spew alert, indeed....

i guess it tops the day i thawed frozen steaks on the driveway (they were on a plate) thinking the sun would do the trick....yep, dog ate them..frozen and all..

i'll never learn...

LOL

amy in CNY

I love that - I'm sending it to my mini group that had a cookie exchange last week.

By the way - speaking of zero calories - I'm sure everyone knows that when you are at Costco or the grocery store & those ladies are giving out samples of various goodies - they contain no calories. There's something about shopping, which is already an exercise, right? & tasting samples - it cancels out all the calories - & you can go back for more than one sample - just in case you aren't sure if you liked it the first time:)

Pauline Northern California

Oh, absolutely I agree. I also happen to know that food consumed from someone else's plate has no saturated fat, either. It's amazing. Another bit of useful cookie trivia -- store your cookies on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights and they'll jump right out of the cookie.

Sherry

There's another one. Anything eaten with you chin over the sink is calorie-free. This includes cookie crumbs or crusty bits from a fried chicken leg. Polly

"Sherry" Oh, absolutely I agree. I also happen to know that food consumed from someone else's plate has no saturated fat, either. It's amazing. Another bit of useful cookie trivia -- store your cookies on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights and they'll jump right out of the cookie.

Howdy!

Any food eaten at a church potluck is calorie-free, and non-fat. "God just wouldn't do that." ...would explain why there are so many old people at the church potluck. ;-)

Merry Christmas!

R/Sandy - having a Happy Holiday in beautiful n.Tx.

Yes, the gingersnaps are done. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give them a 1. Edible but not great. I'm thinking the fresh ginger may have been less than stellar, could have been stored in the back of the grocery for months...years? For my next batch, I'm going to use ground ginger from Penzey's - always reliable. Polly

"Sandy Ellison" Polly, did you make the ginger snaps?

I think the Penzy's would trump the fresh every time! Sorry they didn't turn out at least an 8...it's hard to spend all that time, energy and ingredients and not be happy with them. I'm sure the other ones were wonderful!

I'll have to eat my words. The gingersnaps that I rated a '1' yesterday were a grand success today. We had several snap connoisseurs celebrating with us and they all thought they were terrific. Some things get better with time. Polly

"KJ" I think the Penzy's would trump the fresh every time! Sorry they didn't

Hey then.....that's good news! Did you taste them again to reconsider your rating?

Heck, no. I don't want to see or smell another @#$! cookie. Not til tomorrow anyway. Polly

"KJ" Hey then.....that's good news! Did you taste them again to reconsider your