"PHIL SAYS SIX MORE WEEKS of WINTER!" ~ GROUNDHOG SUNDAYS / SPICY GROUNDHOG COOKIES

Here Ye! Here Ye! Here Ye!
On Gobbler's Knob on this fabulous Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2008 Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators,Rose to the call of President Bill Cooper and greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.
After casting a weathered eye toward thousands of his faithful followers, Phil consulted with President Cooper and directed him to the appropriate scroll, which proclaimed:

"As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me. Six more weeks of winter it will be!"

GROUNDHOG SUNDAYS

~ From the Gourmet & Groundhogs cookbook

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1 quart good vanilla ice cream, cut in slices

Groundhog Cookies

(recipe below)

Chocolate sauce

Place slices of ice cream on individual serving plates. Place a Groundhog cookie in the center of each slice. Drizzle chocolate sauce across ice cream and on plate to suggest a shadow.

SPICY GROUNDHOGS

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg yolk

1 egg slightly beaten

currants or raisins

• Sift flour, salt, soda, baking powder and spices together. Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Blend in molasses and egg yolk. Stir in flour mixture and mix well. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper. Chill 1 hour or longer.
• Roll out small amount at a time on a sugar-sprinkled board. Roll 1/8-inch thick. Cut out cookies with lightly floured cutter. Place cookies on greased baking sheet. Brush with slightly beaten egg. Decorate with currant eye, buttons, etc. Bake 8-10 minutes in preheated 350-degree oven. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. (12-15 large groundhogs or 3-4 dozen small cookies.)

NOTE: Groundhog Cookie Cutter (H.O. Foose Tinsmithing Co.)