Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Take my heart!

As is my tradition, the last few nights proved to be quite a production in my home kitchen. Ah, yes! The valentine cookie production. My family has had a favorite sugar cookie recipe for as long as I can remember. My handwritten recipe file of old family favorites was taken out of the cupboard, and the production began. My baby sister's penned directions made me long for a family bake-off! It is a real project, but well worth it. And you will be the happy recipients! Just stop by my store either Friday or Saturday for your sweet gift from me.


The dough is mixed and ready to chill. (Check out these way cool kitchen colors! They make me happy.




The rolling process begins after several hours of chilling. Yum! Cookie dough.....



Could there be a cuter apron??! My darling sister in law made it, yes I said MADE it! While on vacation in Santa Fe as guests of my 6'3" brother (yes, I am the mutant of the family....) all of the sisters admired Linda's. She went promptly home and within a week or so, each of us had one of these in the mail! Good mail for sure. Who couldn't tackle the task of dozens of rolled, decorated valentine cookies with the help of this?

Should I carry these in the store?


It's going to be a long night, sure wish Denise were here! I can't help thinking of her saying how "these will sure make my pants fit better"!




Here's the first batch, ready for baking..........all the same size on a cookie sheet for best results.



Cooling and "stacking up"!






I tinted the butter cream frosting ever so slightly and it resulted in petal pink, robin egg blue, and mint. White is always good for accents in the piping for finishing touches. I start with butter, heavy cream, powdered sugar,and vanilla. My mother always taught me that good butter cream frosting always needs a pinch of salt.




I'm pretty happy how the bake-off is going..........




In progress closeup!



The end is in sight......can I taste one now?


The butter cream frosting will set up, and then into the freezer.......very carefully.




I'm very happy with the end result! I hope to see you Friday or Saturday to pick up your gift. Happy Valentines Day to you from me. If any of you are interested in the recipe, you can find it on my daughter, Michelle's, recipe blog. You can link to it right from mine!

YUM!









9 comments:

shannon said...

Those are the cutest darn cookies in the world! They look simply dreamy! We've been celebrating Valentines Day all week, so far. I made cookies too but they weren't half as cute as yours! I did some lip shaped cookies that I made in addition to hearts. I'm so bad with the piping process that when I went to squeeze out the frosting at one point, a huge glob came squirting out. A few of the lips looked like they had giant cold sores on them...(nothing say's "Happy Valentines Day" like one of those bad boys-right? :)
(Those made for some good eatin' though!--)

michelle said...

I love all the photos of your baking session! Only you could look so cute while baking. I enjoy making (and eating) sugar cookies, but it's even more fun when you don't have to do it alone.

I LOVE the apron that Linda made!!

Denise said...

I WISH I WERE THERE, TOO!!!!

Only you could make cookies look so stylish.

Jill said...

I don't know how you managed to fit a big baking session into your busy life or how you have the stamina to stand up in the kitchen after working all day, you're amazing.

I wish I could stop by your store (aka A Little Bit of Heaven on Earth) for a cookie.

Thanks so much for the Valentine mugs and decoration!!!

emily said...

I'm so impressed by the uniform, perfectly-baked nature of your cookies! I'm pretty sure that our family's sugar cookie recipe is the best there is, and I'm sad that I'm too far away to drop by myself!

And having a cute apron really does make baking so much better. I love wearing my fabulous cupcake apron everytime I'm in the kitchen! Thanks =)

Lee said...

They look lovely Susan, and you are too cute with your photos. Did you read my latest? Lee

Bond Girl 007 said...

oh my my my ...is there anything better than sugar cookies? oh my heart is signing, too bad I can't stop by, but just enjoying them from afar, has made me smile! Thankyou.
Happy Valentine's Day

southerninspiration said...

I just found your blog thru Grits and Glamour Barb.....oh, so cute. You have the prettiest eyes! The cookies are terrific too! I'd love to come back and keep up with you and your projects!!!

Suzanne

jt said...

Grandma has taught me too that everything needs a pinch of salt! And just who was involved in this 'family' baking session? Glad for my pant's-sake that you are far away with those cookies.