Now that school has started, school lunches are in the spotlight again. If your kids carry their lunches, this is a good crisp cookie that won't break up before lunch.

I remember when I went to school a long time ago. That was before the day of school cafeterias. There was no choice but to carry our lunches. Mother couldn't make a cake for sour apples, but she was a whiz at cookies. It was the best part of our lunches. Have you ever eaten a sandwich of buttered bread and bologna? Yuck! By lunchtime, the bologna would be warm and slimy and the bread would be soggy. I couldn't eat it. Mother fixed me one every day. I ate the cookie and threw away the sandwich.

MOTHER'S GINGERSNAPS

3/4 cup Crisco
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream Crisco and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, combine rest of ingredients. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 F. With your hands, shape level tablespoons of dough into balls. In small bowl place 1/4 cup sugar. Dip one side of ball into sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet, sugared side up. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until light brown and crispy. Remove to newspaper covered table to cool. Makes 3 dozen cookies. Store in covered cookie jar.