The small physical therapy clinic where I work has just four staff members: two physical therapists, a patient services manager, and me, the student. Because the team is so small, we know each other well. We joke around, tinker with gym equipment when there are no patients, and share the ups and downs of daily life.
One of my coworkers frequently complains about aches and pains. It happens so often I’ve learned to tease her about it—sometimes I don’t even wait for her to bring it up; I’ll ask, “So, what’s hurting today?” Her answers vary: a knee that throbbed all night, eyes that feel like they might pop out, or shoulder pain that runs from her neck into her fingers.
One week she had a stubborn cold and went through a litany of symptoms. I joked, “I’m really sorry, but I never get sick, so it’s hard for me to feel bad for you.” She didn’t laugh much. I half expected a playful curse, and sure enough the very next week I fell ill. My head throbbed, my nose produced a nonstop stream of snot, and my appetite vanished—one of the clear signs I knew I was actually sick. My throat was dry and achy too. The joke was on me.
With no appetite for a proper meal and feeling sorry for myself, I decided to make cookies for dinner. I had been craving molasses cookies for weeks and thought I’d treat myself. I ate them warm and soft right out of the oven, dunked in ice-cold milk. They were just as good the next day after they cooled—chewy, perfectly spiced, and with a pleasant crunch from the sugar coating. While they didn’t cure the cold, they made me feel a lot better while I ate them.
Molasses Cookies
Ingredients:
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup plain molasses (or ⅓ cup blackstrap)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
½ cup white sugar for rolling cookies
Directions:
Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and beat for another minute.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
Cover the dough and chill for 1–2 hours, until firm. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
After chilling, roll the dough into large tablespoon-sized balls and roll each ball in the white sugar to coat.
Bake on a prepared baking sheet for 10–12 minutes. Allow the cookies to firm up on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.