Gingerbread cookies

1 cup molasses
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 tsp cloves
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
6 cups flour

simmer molasses and shortening for 15 minutes
In large bowl, cream sugar, egg and vanilla.
Dissolve soda in hot water
Add soda and water mixture.
Add cloves, cinnamon, salt and ginger
Beat.  Add molasses mixture, then bet in 6 cups of flour
Roll out dough and cut.  NO flour is needed when rolling them.  Bake 6-10 minutes.
*this dough is tricky....if you roll it out and you can't get ur shapes out nicely just ball it up again and keep trying.  It seems to get easier the more it sits out and the more you work with it!

Yummy Fudge!

1 large 8oz Hershey bar with almonds
1 12oz can evaporated milk
2 12oz bags of choc. chips
1 7oz bottle of marshmellow cream
1 stick of butter
4 cups of sugar

On medium heat, bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil and boil for 7 minutes.  Stir continuously.
Remove from heat
Add choc chips, marshmallows, and the broken Hershey bar.
Stir and pour into buttered pan.

* this makes a fantastic gift and stays good for a very long time!