Library corner: It’s time for holiday cooking
Grand County Library District associate

Grand County Sheriff’s Office/Courtesy photo
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Chances are, you’re making plans for a festive holiday meal. Perhaps you need to come up with the perfect side dish or dessert to take to Aunt Clara’s annual Thanksgiving feast. Or maybe (gulp!) everyone is coming to your house this year. If so, don’t panic! Grand County Library District has your back.
The library district has a huge collection of cookbooks to please every palate and cater to every diet. In each of the district’s five branches, you’ll find holiday-themed cookbooks, high-altitude cookbooks, cookbooks for kids, specialty diet cookbooks, and cookbooks for complete beginners. Head over to the 641s in non-fiction to browse the collection. You can even order books and magazines from our lending partners across Colorado and Wyoming.

Even better, your library card gives you instant access to a massive catalog of e-books and digital magazines, available for download to your phone or tablet, as well as A to Z Database filled with American and international recipes. Our online resources allow you to select a cookbook the night before Thanksgiving, download it to your phone, and start making one of the recipes in a matter of minutes.
To get started, visit gcld.org to browse our catalog. A search for “Thanksgiving recipes,” for example, returns a total of 266 titles in the library district’s Marmot collection (which includes digital offerings), and another 232 options in Prospector.
One of the first titles listed in the search results is “How to Cook Everything Thanksgiving“ by Mark Bittman.
The catalog lets you know if your title is available as a physical book, e-book, audiobook, or any combination of the above. The listing for Bittman’s Thanksgiving cookbook tells us that it is available exclusively as an e-book. The listing also tells us that it can be downloaded through Hoopla or Libby by Overdrive.
To borrow this title, you’ll need to download the free Hoopla and/or Libby apps. Then, just set up an account using your library card. Don’t hesitate to contact your local library if you need assistance. We love to help!
These are the best molasses cookies in the world. Seriously. Don’t make them too early, or you’ll eat them all before your guests arrive.
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- 2 eggs
- 4 ½ cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Whisk together flour, spices, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter & sugars on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and molasses. Beat on medium-low until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. If too sticky, add a little more flour.
- Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment, or spray with non-stick spray.
- Roll the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball. Fill a small bowl with sugar and roll each ball in the sugar until coated. Place balls on cookie sheet.
- Bake 8-10 minutes, until the cookies begin to slightly crack on top. Don’t overbake.
Enjoy!

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