NATIONAL GINGERBREAD DAY

June 5 is NATIONAL GINGERBREAD DAY. 











My brother Norman loved our mother's gingerbread and one of my "signature dishes" now is my mother's gingerbread with lemon sauce.  My recipe from my mother:

GINGERBREAD

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup Brer Rabbit molasses   (Mother was name-brand loyal)
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.

Cream together sugar and butter.  Beat in egg and mix in molasses.  In separate bowl, sift together flour, soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.  Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water.  Pour mixture into prepared pan.  Bake for approximately an hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

LEMON SAUCE

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
Mix sugar and corn starch together.  Gradually stir in the water.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.  Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat.  
Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve warm over gingerbread.