Valentine Cookies. Better late than never.

Valentine Cookies. Better late than never.

Cookies.

You know some words just look wrong.Cookies is that way for me. It needs another “e”. Cookiees.

No, that’s not good either. Makes me think of Monkees as in the 60s rock group, not species.

This year my family couldn’t squeeze cutout cookies into our Christmas experience. So this past week, my children and I made Valentine cutouts.

It was perfect! I bought one large heart cookie cutter and a miracle happened. My children somewhat patiently passed the cutter betwixt them.

We put sprinkles on some and iced some others.

Lots of teachers at the Primary and Elementary school got cookies. And one special friend of my daughter’s got one in a red box with a red bow.

I broke lots of cookies into pieces and ate lots. I felt better about this because I had broken them first into smaller pieces rather than eating one large heart at once.

I also put Cookies and Cream ice cream on a bit of cookie. That was the best.

So if you are looking for a great weekend activity with your kids ~ one that will make you want to tear your hair out.

Here’s how.

Cookie dough.

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup shortening

2 cups flour

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

dash salt

Beat butter and shortening with mixer on high 30 seconds. Add half the flour, egg, sugar, milk, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Beat till throughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill 3 hours.

Roll out dough with tons of flour. Cut into your hearts. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with colored sugar or bake undecorated to frost later. Cook at 375 for 7 to 8 minutes till bottoms very lightly browned. When cool…frost

Icing.

This was more than plenty. You might want to half this recipe. But since I am horrible with math — I just made the whole thing.

3 egg whites. (Children fascinated with separating egg. My daughter asked to eat the yolk. I refused.)

3 cups powdered sugar.

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. (This tastes even worse than baking soda. I expected something more like tartar sauce.)

Food Coloring.

I managed to talk them into the basic Valentine colors. White, pink  and red rather than green and blue.

Then they went to work.

You know the best thing about this family craft/cooking moment. I didn’t even flinch that these cookies looked about as far from those on the cover of Woman’s Day as if we were going to don bathing suits and swim outside tomorrow.

Miraculously, I didn’t care. My children were having the best time. Sometimes, if you are only seconds away from ripping out every last strand of your hair, but your children are having a great time ~ that somehow makes it okay. If you in no way understand that last statement, you probably haven’t experienced parenthood. That’s okay too.

These cookies are pretty dang good. Especially if you put a little ice cream on them.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Looks like someone was sampling icing before dry. UGH!

Cookie Dough recipe from a falling apart Better Homes New Cookbook. Icing from falling apart McCall’s Comprehensive Cookbook.

The books are surely falling apart from age rather than use. Guess that’s the way the cookbook crumbles.