Cookies

School's almost out!  Soon you will be free!

Dear Kate,

I had this great idea that if I started a blog about cooking I would feel compelled to write lengthy, inspiring posts to you, sharing family recipes, tips, stories which would someday make you wax nostalgic for the days of your youth.  Surely, by using a public forum, I wouldn't slip into my habits of putting off until tomorrow what I really need to do today.  Alas, procrastination runs deep in me.  And I have hardly posted anything lately. 

But like any true procrastinator, I will first cast blame elsewhere.  I will cast it where you, while wanting blame me, will not be able to resist joining me in throwing stones.  In short, it is your brother's fault.  Whenever I am struck by the desire to take photos of some wonderful heirloom recipe with a plan to write a brilliant, yet touching (dare I say pithy?) post about by-gone days and the virtues of comfort foods, the camera is on location with your brother capturing the minute movements of mini-figures, like this:

I think this poor Lego has been abducted by aliens. 

But the truth of the matter is that I've been lazy, not to mention a little focused on a new hobby.  And it is all the fault of other bloggers!  Ok, enough laying blame.  As you know, my new thing is cookie making.  I have been learning the tips and tricks of decorating sugar cookies.  It is fun for the whole family - I make cookies, the rest of you eat the cookies when the dog doesn't eat them first.  Win-win.

I've spent a lot of time copying other blogger's cookies, but slowly.  Very.  Very.  Slowly. I am coming up with a few ideas of my own.  My favorite so far is this little chick on the left:

He may not look all that exciting, but it was a big step for me to see a chick in the shape of a shamrock cookie cutter!  Now, I'm starting to see designs around me that could be made into cookies.  For example, I saw some throw pillows which inspired these cookies:

 Of course, in my head these looked really amazing, but I'm fairly pleased with how they turned out. 

A favorite cookie blogger I like to follow, who goes by the moniker "Lila Loa" is having a little contest to see what design you can make with a particular cookie cutter which is supposed to be a package with a bow.  Now, many talented women have submitted designs, some of which are simply incredible.  While I don't think my contribution stands out compared to the others, what I am excited about is that I came up with anything at all.  The key to some of the spectacular cookies I've seen on other blogs seems to be not only the technique used to ice the cookies, but also the unique vision that led to the cookies in the first place.  I love a cookie where I wonder "how did they come up with that idea?"  So this is my contribution, an ode to the upcoming end of the school year:

I've got some other ideas for this cookie cutter as well and if I get around to it, all add it to this post.  I have a feeling there will be several cookie posts in the future, but I'll try to remember to cook something else once in a while.

Love, Mom