Getting Ready for Halloween: Gingersnaps

Now that I'm not focusing on Thatbaby's birthday, my focus has decidedly shifted to Halloween.  So we spent all weekend Halloween-ing.  

Saturday we went out and picked up the finishing touches for our Halloween touches (and the makings for Thatbaby's Halloween costume.  For some reason I thought it would be a good idea for me to make his.  Wish me luck.)

Sunday morning, still in their pajamas, Thatboy and Thatbaby continued with their annual tradition of putting up the decorations together (2 years in a row!)

Sunday afternoon we all headed to the pumpkin patch to pick out our soon to be jack-o-lanterns.

This year we let Thatbaby pick out his own pumpkin.  Which took a very very long time.  Because he would pick one and declare it the winner, until he turned to his right and saw another one he liked better. Again.  And again.  And again.

Finally he picked his little pumpkin (he wanted one he could carry).  And then he took great pleasure in finding giant pumpkins to sit on.

And of course, there were tractors to ride.

And wheelbarrows to explore.  See the difference in pumpkin sizes?  You can totally tell which belongs to Thatboy, Thatbaby, and me.   Thatbaby calls his a "baby pumpkin."

Thatbaby's not too particular about his squash varietals.  When he founds this wheelbarrow he picked up each one to tell me "yike dis one mama."

Other than pumpkin flavored everything, there isn't really a food associated with Halloween.  After seeing something adorable while surfing the web this week, I saw something fantastic - gingerbread men skeletons!  I wanted to make cookies anyway this weekend because Thatbaby got some car and plane cookie cutters for his birthday.  I thought it would be fun for us to make cookies together using his gift.  Gingersnaps were my cookie of choice because they're egg-free.  Which is a big deal when you're making cookies with a toddler who wants to Eat.All.The.Dough.   

I pulled out my gingerbread man cookie cutter to add to the planes and the trains.  And then I decided to add my own twist to the skeleton men and make some mummies also!  

Christmas has Christmas cookies, and now Halloween has its own special treat!

Ginger Snaps

1/2 cup molasses

4 Tbsp shortening

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp powdered ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Heat molasses to boiling point on stove.
2. Pour molasses over shortening and stir until shortening is melted and combined.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, and salt.  Add to molasses mixture and mix until well combined.
4. Roll out until thin, and cut with cookie cutters.
5. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat.  Bake for 5 minutes.