Ta-Dah!!!!!!

Well kids! Here it is! Where shall I start? Photos? Nope, tried that – pics were WAY to big. I guess there’s a bit of a learning curve to this blog thing! Hmmmm, how about recipes I use create? I’ll do that soon. I’ve had requests for my chicken soup recipe. Words I like???????? Nah – not today. I don’t want to bore you right off the bat! Homeschool sites I love? Again, not today – too inclusive. AH! Christmas cookies!

I grew up making and eating a Christmas cutout cookie that is very different from a traditional sugar cookie. Want to know what I REALLY love about it? It is sooooooo very forgiving. You can roll and cut and roll and cut and roll and cut – and the cookies don’t get at all tough. Traditionally, these cookies were decorated with sprinkles, quins, colored sugars and dragees. S and I made a batch of these this week. I am going to do them again later this week with Royal Icing. (Julie, you’ve inspired me). I have a whole list of other holiday goodies I want to bake too.

Here’s the Christmas Cut Out Cookie recipe (and yes, it’s a real recipe! I don’t mess with baking recipes!):

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 1/2 cup sugar sugar (as we call it at our house)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup oatmeal

Beat butter until light and fluggy. Add sugars and stir until well blended. Stir in egg and milk. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Gradually add to creamed mixture, stirring well after each addition. Add oats and blend well.

Roll dough 1/8″ thick on a board (counter) lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar. Cut with cookie cutters and decorate or bake and frost.

Bake at 350º for approximately 8 minutes.