The only day of the year "Mine" is okay at our house

"Be Mine," that is.  It's not that it's a forbidden word, it's just that I've heard it uttered in a whiny, selfish way amongst many kids Griff's age and it makes my skin crawl.  So we're trying to teach Griff that instead of things being, "mine," we just take turns.  Recently I even threw it out there that everything is God's and he lets us use it....I think it was a little over his head:).

Anyway, in an effort to keep busy/kill time waiting for baby sister to come, Griffin and I decided to make Valentine's day cookies.  Well, I made the cookies, and frosted them, and he helped decorate.  A little.

My Mom's Morning girls had participated in a cookie bake awhile back and shared their yummy sugar cookie and icing/frosting recpies.  I hope they're not special family recipes we were supposed to keep to ourselves, because here they are!

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 C sifted powdered sugar

1 C butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond flavoring

2 1/2 C flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp cream of tarter

Directions:

Cream sugar and butter. Mix in vanilla, almond and egg. Blend dry ingredients together; stir in (do not use mixer). Chill 2-3 hours. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface. Bake 375 for 8 min or just beginning to turn golden on edges.

 

 Sugar cookie Frosting

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup shortening

5 tablespoons milk

1 teaspon vanilla extract

food coloring

 

Directions: In a large bowl, cream together the confectioners' sugar and shortening until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired

 

Side Note: I'm not a big "baker," so I had some questions while looking through these recipes.  But first I have to admit that I did not own a rolling pin and had to borrow one from my neighbor:).  So to all you expert bakers: how thick would you suggest the dough to be when rolling it out? (I made mine a little thicker than a fruit leather strip) Is 'sifting' the sugar necessary? (I didn't do it.) What  kind of milk would you use (1% ok?)?  And, what is cream of tarter, and why is it a powder and not in the 'dairy' section of the grocery store?

 

I always get a little nervous 'baking.'  It seems so precise and exact compared to cooking....but each of these recipes were pretty simple and I think the cookies turned out ok....

 

 So, like I said...I had to use my neighbors rolling pin (that's what it's called, right?  For some reason it's not sounding right....).  I rolled out the dough, cut little hearts....

 

....a little thicker than a fruit leather...



 

 Placed them on a baking sheet (didn't grease it...because it didn't say to...)

 And let them cool on tin foil (so I could use my one baking sheet for subsequent batches).

 

Then I made the (above) frosting, and used food coloring to make pink and purple, while I left one white.

 I was a little disappointed in the purple...it's more lavendar than the "go viking" variety I was going for, but it's still pretty cute:)

 While watching the "State of the Union," I frosted cookies....

 Lots of cookies....

 Piles of cookies....

 One of the reasons I have never made sugar cookies before is that they really aren't my favorite.  I much prefer sweets of the dark chocolate variety.  But in this case, making cookies I don't really like helped me to refrain from eating them all. 

 I did eat a few....come on, I'm 38 weeks pregnant:)

 As you can see, I decorated most of the cookies before Griff was even involved in the project.

 I think I made total like 70 something cookies.  I probably did 50 the night before and left 20 plain purple, pink and white for Griff and me the next day.

 

After lunch, (and yes-I highly recommend doing this on a full stomach:) I broke out the cookies and the decorating frosting (in plastic baggies), and let Griff have at it. I guess my teaching skills have gone downhill after being out of the biz for a few years because the first thing he did was lick the cookie.  I let him eat that one...

 I quickly realized that he was more interested in eating the cookies than decorating them (DUH!). So, while he ate his first cookie, I decorated all but a few.

Then I gave him the baggies (which he also proceeded to lick) and another cookie and let him add a few drizzles to some pre-decorated cookies.  Thankfully I was done decorating:)

 He was very proud of himself and even fell for the purple as a "go viking purple cookie."

 It was a good exercise in fine motor control...see educational and yummy!

 He definitely liked the "pile up" look.

 Our first baking experience was a success....even though he was only part of it for a few minutes, he's still talking about, "Mommy and Giffy decorating cookies!"