Chewy Ginger Cookies with Cardamom

Everyone has their weird food tastes.  Mine is ginger.  I adore the stuff.  I have ginger cravings, which can only be satisfied by obscene quantities of candied ginger.  Yeah, it totally makes my mouth burn, and it's wonderful.  Most people crave ice cream, brownies, or chocolate chip cookies, nope not me.  I crave ginger snaps.  These ginger snaps are perfect- a strong gingery bite, a chewy moist center, and crunchy raw sugar coating, all punctuated by a lovely undertone of cardamom.

What's your strangest food craving?

Crunchy Ginger Snaps

[Insert witty introduction]

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/3 cup raw sugar (optional) 

Caramel Corn

This isn't just any caramel corn, this is the greatest caramel corn you will ever eat.  Crunchy, sweet, buttery, salty, tantalizing caramel corn.  Trust me.  It is life changing.  

• 48 cups popped popcorn (not that microwave crap)
• 3 cups salted Spanish peanuts (optional)
• 2 cups butter or margarine
• 2 lbs brown sugar
• ½ cup dark corn syrup
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla

1. Divide popped popcorn into two roasting pans.  Then heat oven to 250°F.
2. In a large saucepan melt butter.  Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, and salt.   
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  (Word of warning- It will bubble and expand)
4. Pour over popcorn, stirring well to coat evenly.   
5. Bake at 250°F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Cool completely, break apart, and store in plastic bags.  

Yields 48 cups.