Traditional Style Open Living

Whew! What a weekend!

How was yours?

Did you find yourself making goodies for Valentines day?

The darlings are allowed to take treats to school to share with their classmates,

and we always bake up a version of these sugar cookies.

They are really easy to make,

and taste fantastic!

Soft but slightly crisp on the outside,

sweet but with a little zing...

They are drop cookies,

but this weekend we decided to roll them in colored sugar 

and add conversation hearts.

Sugar Cookies

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 3/4 cups white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup butter

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt (optional, I skip it)

Mix flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

blend sugar and butter in mixer for 1 minute.

Add eggs, lemon juice, blend.

Gradually add flour mixture until combined.

Scoop onto (parchment paper lined) cookie sheets,

flatten slightly, bake for 15 minutes.

Usually I press a candy on top before baking :)

For our Valentine cookies, 

I rolled the dough into small balls (1-2"),

  rolled them in colored sugar

(food coloring mixed into white sugar),

then popped a conversation heart on top.

This makes them smooth, round and sparkly..

We made a double recipe and ended up with about 150 cookies,

which were then packed up in cellophane bags 

and the kids added homemade valentines to each.

I do the cookies, they are on their own for the valentines.

Tash made hers on the computer this year :

Coco's involved lots of sparkles and glue,

and Cam's were "from Cam" written on a piece of red paper :)

By the end I am always asking myself why I do this -

but the next day when they are proudly carrying them off to school...

I remember.

Cam's party was a blast,

thanks so much for all your notes,

I showed him the comments and he was amazed!

thought you may like to see the mud cupcakes :)

Sour gummy worms, crushed oreo's and colored sugar

 atop tinted vanilla icing and vanilla cupcakes.

(asked Cam what color he wanted and he said "vanilla")

They were a hit!

Going to run and do a quick Valentines Day post -

Hope you don't mind these recipe bits, 

someone always asks how to make the goodies so just thought I'd share -  x