I seem to have finally worked the baking bug out of my system. In the last 5 weeks, I have made at least 2 dozen of each of the following:

1. Ginger spice cookies (recipe here)
2. Gingerbread people
3. Chocolate chip shortbread (recipe here)
4. Italian butter cookies (recipe here)
5. Coconut-cherry sugar cookies (recipe here)
6. Vanilla sugar cookies
7. Orange cookies
8. Cinnamon shortbread
9. Fruitcake cookies
10. Cocoa sugar cookies
11. Chocolate-mint wraparounds

These cookies have been almost as well received as my ginger spice ones. My only problem was that the batter didn’t shape into balls easily at first; it was too dry or something. They still baked nicely — only the shape was off.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread (from Chatelaine, November 2006)

1 and 3/4 cups cake and pastry flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tsp cold water
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3 squares semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (about 3 oz/84 g)

1. Preheat over to 325 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In small bowl, stir flour with chocolate chips.
3. In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer until smooth. Then gradually beat in sugar until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in water, vanilla and salt.
4. Use wooden sppok to gradually stir in flour mixture.
5. Shape into 1″ balls and place on baking sheet. Bake 1 sheet at a time until edges are lightly golden, 15-20 minutes.
6. Cool completely on a rack. (If you plan to freeze the cookies, stop here, and do the rest when the cookies have been defrosted.) Meanwhile, coarsely chop chocolate. Microwave on medium until almost melted (the recipe said 2-3 minutes but my microwave needed almost 5), stirring halfway through. Remove and stir until smooth.
7. Dip half of each cooled cookie in chocolate. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refridgerate 30 minutes.
8. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Makes 35-40 cookies.

Under “Women Seeking Men”:

Correctional institute inmate. Laughing and jumping, skipping and hopping on a misty morning. My heart is thumping for you. Your brown-eyed girl, 5′1″, 125 lbs.

WTF? I find these things basically fit into three categories: unremarkable (which obviously I won’t be posting), unfathomable (as above), and downright creepy. To wit:

Healthy SWM, 28, seeking wonderful lady, 19-35, for LTR who has been diagnosed with leukemia, etc. For better or worse, that’s how I define true love. Side by side, hand in hand, come what may. No inmates.

This one starts out fairly boring, but takes a sharp turn into huh? right at the end:

Single White warehouseman, art school graduate, 52, 5′8″, 170 lbs., brown eyes, bald, sense of humor, open-minded. Enjoys jogging, walking, bicycling, music, old movies, bars, slow dancing, relaxing. Seeks female friend who likes to hang her flesh colored nylon stockings over her dressing room mirror. Photo optional.

Whatever these ad-writers might me, they are not hard up for cash, that’s for sure. Consider that these things costs $107 American per week for 56-70 words, and $1.55 per word after that, and then count the number of words in this ad:

Ad for ex. He’s 59, 6′, 230 lbs., silver/blue, SWM. Fireworks manager, prospecting, homebody, flea markets, romance and more. Non drinker/drugs, good man, believes in old ways. Her: 35-50, slender, buxom, must need roof. Red, brunettes, Black, WAF a plus. No lazy, high-maintenance, gold diggers. Lead mine here! Long, descriptive first letter with two new pictures/phone. Must be good cook, love country life/mountains. Very loving and open-minded. Serious only!

And this next guy even sprung for yellow background ($9) and an icon of lips ($16).

Very attractive, sexy White male, very financially secure, outgoing, loyal, open-minded, age 52. I am extremely sensual and I can be erotic, if you are the special female with great attitude. I’m seeking an attractive, sexy, very shapely, cuddly female, 19-52, very open-minded, adventurous, who wants a committed LTR and quite possibly marriage for a great and exciting life. I have a gorgeous five-bedroom home with hot tub and sauna. We will entertain attractive friends often. You will have an attractive young Latin female for your cook and maid who can bathe you and give you full body massages, shop for you. We will travel, go on cruises, various sporting events. Race is unimportant. Send descriptive letter. Photos/phone.

If he already has the young and obviously accomodating cook/maid, what’s he want a wife for?