Valentine's Day Cookies

I found this recipe a couple years ago on An American Housewife. They are more of a crispy cookie, though I always try to roll them out a bit thicker for Brad since he prefers the softer types. Anyway, I have made this recipe a couple of times and I tend to like the results. Last year I used this recipe (with a flower cookie cutter), stuck in some skewers and had my kindergarteners use them to make edible bouquets after decorating them themselves. They then stuck them in a flower pot they had painted along with floral foam and "moss". The mothers loved them and I stuck the idea in the back of my mind to make a cookie bouquet myself at some other time down the road.

Well, since we were going to Michigan over Valentine's Day this year, I decided at the last minute to whip up some bouquets to give as gifts. In the whirlwind of activities, I forgot to take pictures of all of the different bouquets but I think they turned out alright. Though Royal Icing is nice to pipe with, I think perhaps next year I will try to make a softer frosting for the cookies that will still harden somewhat. I will have to say though, another plus about the Royal Icing was that in the car, the cookies could rub against each other and their designs were will intact.

An American Housewife's Sugar Cookies
by An American Housewife

• 3/4 c sugar
• 6 T butter
• 1/3 c shortening
• 1 large egg
• 1 T milk
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• Dash of salt

1. Cream the sugar, butter and shortening. 
2. Add the egg, milk and vanilla. 
3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt then mix just to blend. 
4. Chill dough for at least 2 hours. 
5. Roll about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes. 
6. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets for approximately 8 minutes at 370 degrees.
7. Cool.

An American Housewife's Royal Icing

• 4 c confectioners' sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 t cream of tartar
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1 T water

Beat 6 minutes on high
(add more or less water depending on stiff it is and how stiff you want it).